After months of political wrangling, Congress late Wednesday passed a short-term resolution keeping the government open at current spending levels into the new fiscal year, which begins on Saturday, averting a potential shutdown. It includes funding for states to fight the Zika virus and the mosquitoes that carry it.
Zika is a mosquito-borne virus linked to birth defects, putting pregnant women in particular at risk. Many with the virus aren’t aware they have it. In 20 percent of cases, the virus causes mild symptoms of fever, joint pain and pink eye.
The readiness measures already in place are largely precautionary. The 29 cases of Zika so far discovered in Missouri have been found among Missourians who traveled to places where outbreaks have occurred, like Central America or the Caribbean.
Should that change, the state has laid out several response procedures, including testing at a state lab, a survey of mosquito populations in the state and an outreach campaign to both the public and local health officials.
A legislative health panel recently heard testimony about the developing plan from DHSS officials. Committee chair Marsha Haefner, R-Oakville, stressed the importance of precautionary efforts.
“It’s not if it gets here, it’s when it gets here,” Haefner said. “And the consequences to the public are huge if we don’t really get a handle on what we’re going to do if it does happen.”
Meanwhile, Congress had stalemated over passage of $1.1 billion to help states, like Missouri, fight a possible Zika outbreak. There had been general agreement on the level of spending, controversial amendments have sparked threatened Democratic filibusters in the Senate.
Legislators tried to attach the Zika aid package to a stopgap spending measure to keep the government open when the new fiscal year begins Saturday. But that was temporarily stalled this week over a battle over aid to victims of the Flint, Mich., water crisis, until that stalemate was resolved on Wednesday.
In an interview during a trip to Washington, D.C., this week, Gov. Jay Nixon said that the state has proceeded with a sufficient anti-Zika campaign without the extra federal aid.
“Our Department of Health has done a good job,” he said. “We have got Missourians certified as a Zika-testing lab, so we can ourselves — don’t have to wait for the CDC. My director of health has been around the state. We have de-mosquito plans in place.
“Although Missourians have had (the virus) it has not been passed in the air yet. That is the dramatic thing – that if it did occur, could spur additional action where additional federal resources would be helpful. We have not waited around for the federal government to be ready for Zika.”
More than 400 individuals have been tested at that Zika-testing lab as of September 15. Once someone is diagnosed, they are interviewed to identify other family members or sexual partners who may be at risk. Their homes and work environments are inspected for mosquito breeding sites, and the individual and his or her family are monitored for approximately two weeks to ensure the virus is contained.
There are two types of mosquitoes identified as capable of transmitting Zika to people: the Aedes albopictus and the Aedes aegypti. The latter is considered to be more of a threat, according to a memo from DHSS, because they tend to live near people and even in homes.
Missouri State University researchers have surveyed areas of the state where those mosquitoes are typically found. According to DHSS, the collection of larvae and adult mosquitoes throughout Missouri is complete for this year, and no Aedes aegypti were found. Still, the state plans to develop a broader, statewide mosquito surveillance program.
The idea behind the initial surveillance was to provide early detection should the virus be found in Missouri. Trapping sites were logged by GPS coordinates that described the environment where mosquitoes were found, and the data was then shared with DHSS and the Centers for Disease Control, the Associated Press reported.
Other efforts at the state level include providing bug spray and educational materials to state parks, WIC clinics and participants in home visiting programs for mothers, infants and children.
DHSS is also working with the State Emergency Management agency to get federal funds for a more comprehensive education campaign to launch in spring 2017.
Reporter Chuck Raasch contributed from Washington, D.C.
Election 2016 from St. Louis Post-Dispatch
©2016 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
