Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Republicans Likely To Drop Planned Parenthood Provision For Zika Funding
The Wall Street Journal: Zika-Funding Deal Nears With Talk Of Dropping Planned Parenthood Clause
Lawmakers are edging closer to breaking a monthslong impasse over funds to combat the Zika virus, as Republican lawmakers and aides said they expected to drop a contentious provision that would effectively block funding to clinics in Puerto Rico that work with Planned Parenthood. Lawmakers and aides from both parties said Friday they anticipated that this month Congress would pass a package combining Zika funding with a spending bill that would keep the government running until early December. The government’s current funding is scheduled to expire at midnight on Sept. 30. (Peterson, 9/9)
Health News Florida: Gov. Scott Will Urge Congress To Fund Fight Against Zika
Florida Gov. Rick Scott will go to Washington, D.C., this week to urge Congress to fund the fight against the mosquito-borne Zika virus as the disease continues to be detected in Miami-Dade County. ... President Barack Obama requested Congress allocate $1.9 billion for the Zika fight in February. But Congress has been unable to agree on a funding plan. (9/11)
Health News Florida: Bipartisan Group Of Florida’s Congressional Delegation Still Hopeful Over Zika Funding Bill
After about two months in recess, Congress is back in Washington D.C., and people are hopeful there will be some agreement on what can be done to combat the Zika virus—which has already plagued more than 750 Floridians. That comes as the Senate failed to pass another Zika funding bill again this week and there may be even more issues surrounding the mosquito-borne disease on the table. (Cordner, 9/9)
The Associated Press: Puerto Rico Doctors Warn Of Scarce Resources To Fight Zika
Doctors in Puerto Rico are warning that the U.S. territory does not have the resources to handle the fallout of a Zika epidemic as officials report an uptick in the number of fetuses with malformations that were carried by women infected with the virus. The cases are among the first of what health officials believe could reach a couple hundred next year, sparking concerns about the lack of funds and specialists needed to care for children with severe birth defects on an island mired in a deep economic crisis. (9/9)
CNN: Zika Is An STD: Why Not Call It One?
Zika is working its way around the United States. ... But while mosquitoes are a key menace when it comes to Zika, the media and public officials are too focused on them. They also need to pay attention to sex: If we are going to stop the spread of this disease, we are going to need better access to Zika testing for anyone who is sexually active in a Zika zone. (Folkers, Caplan and Igel, 9/11)
NBC News: Sprays, Traps, And GM Bugs: A Look At Our Tools To Fight Zika
Miami Beach authorities started spraying for Zika-carrying mosquitoes Friday, and spraying's expected to continue for weeks.Authorities in other states are also cracking down on mosquitoes as the Zika threat worsens. It is the peak of mosquito season in the U.S., and the insects can be expected to continue biting until October in warmer states. ... Here are some of the weapons available to fight disease-carrying mosquitoes. (Fox, 9/9)
Health News Florida: Miami-Dade County Completed First Round Of Zika Spraying In Miami Beach
The first round of aerial insecticide spraying in South Beach was completed at 5:32 a.m. Friday. ... Just after 5 a.m., a plane flew over the ocean just offshore and released the spray. According to county officials, on-board meteorological equipment was used to measure weather conditions and calculate a flight path that would allow the aircraft to spray the insecticide and let the wind waft over the island. (Flechas, 9/11)
NBC News: Miami Beach Starts Spraying For Zika Mosquitoes After Protest
Small aircraft started predawn spraying of insecticide to kill Zika-carrying mosquitoes in Miami Beach Friday morning. The spraying had been delayed a day after worried and angry residents complained to city officials and organized a small protest outside City Hall. Hours after spraying ended, the mayor's office announced that a fresh pool of mosquitoes had tested positive for the virus. (Fox, 9/9)
Health News Florida: Orlando Group Seeks Volunteers To Crunch Data In Zika Fight
An Orlando nonprofit is recruiting volunteers to process data for researchers studying the Zika virus. ...The World Community Grid developed from an IBM Corporate Citizenship project. To run massive computer simulations, the grid breaks down data to process in the background on personal devices without accessing private information. (9/11)
Houston Chronicle: South Texas Braces For Zika, Prepares For Challenges Ahead
The virus, transmitted mainly through bites from infected mosquitoes, has spread across parts of Latin America, the Caribbean and most recently Miami. While nearly all of the more than 170 cases reported in Texas were contracted by people traveling outside the country, health officials said South Texas is especially vulnerable to an outbreak. The Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can carry the Zika virus, dengue and chikungunya, is endemic to the Texas-Mexico border. Air conditioning and window screens help prevent transmission, but impoverished neighborhoods, known as colonias, often lack these amenities. (Nelsen, 9/11)
