President Barack Obama has said Congress needs to allocate funds for Zika prevention efforts within the next two weeks to support the development of vaccines and mosquito abatement tools and aid state emergency response efforts.
Obama said Friday Congress should not adjourn until it moves forward with the $1.9 billion budget request which will fund vaccine development research and tests.
The president noted Puerto Rico is experiencing challenges with its public health infrastructure while cases of Zika virus continues to increase.
He added the U.S. needs resources to provide basic health services to minimize the impact of Zika in Puerto Rico.
Obama further noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted guidelines on traveling to Zika-infected places for pregnant women or women of child-bearing age and their partners.
