Zika Funding Request to Focus on Puerto Rico Vulnerabilities

The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director Thomas Frieden told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the organization requests a total of $828 million to fight Zika virus in Puerto Rico.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) intends to focus a significant portion of emergency public health funding to combat the Zika virus on the US territory of Puerto Rico, CDC Director Thomas Frieden told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.

"The emergency funding requests a total of $828 million… with particular attention to emergency assistance to the US Territory of Puerto Rico and the US Territories and States with local transmission of Zika virus," Frieden stated.

He added that the CDC is making an effort to "surge in resources" to specifically assist Puerto Rico.

Last week, the White House requested $1.8 billion in new funding to combat the mosquito-borne virus Zika virus as authorities declared a public health emergency across the western hemisphere. The virus has been detected in more than 30 countries and territories and linked to serious birth defects.

US Senator Dick Durbin raised his concerns about reported cases of Zika in Puerto Rico, noting that because of the economic and debt crisis, Puerto Rico is "flat on their back, they are bankrupt."

As a result of the debt crisis, Puerto Rico is unable to meet basic public health challenges, "let alone this new challenge" of Zika, Durbin explained.

The CDC has documented only nine cases of Zika in Puerto Rico, but anticipates the number to rise, because of the high susceptibility of the population to mosquito-borne viruses such as Dengue.

In August 2015, Puerto Rico defaulted on its $73 billion debt. The territory relies on the US federal government to approve any debt restructuring deal.