Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Though Fervor Over Zika Has Faded, Experts Warn Vigilance Is Still Needed
The Washington Post: More U.S. Counties Are Finding Zika-Carrying Mosquitoes
With the summer mosquito season in full swing in many U.S. states, a new report shows a significant increase in counties across the South that have reported mosquitoes capable of spreading Zika and related viruses. Two types of mosquitoes are the primary transmitters of Zika, dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya viruses. Based on updated data collected through 2016, research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 38 additional counties — primarily in Texas but as far north as Illinois — documented the presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, Zika's main vector. That's an increase of 21 percent compared with an earlier 2016 survey. (Sun, 6/20)
Miami Herald: Mosquitoes That Spread Disease Reported In More Counties
Two mosquito species known to carry chikungunya, dengue and Zika viruses have been reported in more counties and states across the Southern United States, according to new research and surveillance data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2016... Though more counties and states reported the presence of these mosquitoes in 2016, that does not mean the mosquitoes are entering new areas, said Tom Skinner, a CDC spokesman. (Chang, 6/20)
Kaiser Health News: A Clinic Mix-Up Leaves Pregnant Woman In Dark About Zika Risk
Hospital officials in Washington state have apologized after failing for months to inform a pregnant woman she was likely infected with the Zika virus that can cause devastating birth defects. Andrea Pardo, 33, of Issaquah, Wash., was tested for the virus in October, after becoming pregnant while living in Mexico. The results were ready by December, but Pardo wasn’t notified until April — 37 weeks into her pregnancy, just before she delivered her daughter, Noemi. So far, the baby appears healthy. But the delay, blamed on a mistake at the University of Washington clinic where Pardo received care, deprived her of the chance to make an informed choice about her pregnancy, she said. (Aleccia, 6/21)
