niman Posted July 7, 2016 Report Posted July 7, 2016 Acting on data from multiple scientific studies in Puerto Rico that show that Zika is spreading rapidly and is a major risk to pregnant women and their fetuses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend the people and the government of Puerto Rico consider implementing aerial spraying as part of an integrated mosquito control program. “Multiple independent data sources indicate that at current trends thousands of pregnant women in Puerto Rico will catch Zika,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “The continental United States has been using aerial spraying for decades to reduce mosquito populations, and we urge the people of Puerto Rico to consider using the same proven and safe tactic.”
niman Posted July 7, 2016 Author Report Posted July 7, 2016 Media Statement For Immediate ReleaseWednesday, July 6, 2016 Contact: CDC Media Relations404-639-3286 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Environmental Protection Agency Urge Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to Consider Aerial Spraying as Part of Integrated Mosquito Control to Reduce Zika-Associated Birth Defects Acting on data from multiple scientific studies in Puerto Rico that show that Zika is spreading rapidly and is a major risk to pregnant women and their fetuses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend the people and the government of Puerto Rico consider implementing aerial spraying as part of an integrated mosquito control program. “Multiple independent data sources indicate that at current trends thousands of pregnant women in Puerto Rico will catch Zika,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “The continental United States has been using aerial spraying for decades to reduce mosquito populations, and we urge the people of Puerto Rico to consider using the same proven and safe tactic.” “Our recommendations for mosquito control in Puerto Rico are the same as our recommendations for mosquito control elsewhere in the United States—integrated pest management,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “An integrated and comprehensive approach includes reducing places where mosquitoes lay eggs, keeping them out of houses, and reducing the populations of both larval and adult mosquitoes by treating areas with EPA-approved products. We strongly encourage the people of Puerto Rico to consider aerial spraying as this approach is safe for people and a proven way of controlling the spread of mosquitoes that transmit diseases from Zika to dengue to chikungunya.” CDC, EPA support for comprehensive integrated mosquito control To assist the Commonwealth in ramping up their comprehensive approach, the CDC and EPA will:· Support Puerto Rico in developing its own integrated vector management unit, like other parts of the United States with significant risk for viruses spread through mosquitoes. CDC will provide initial funding and technical support for the unit; EPA will provide technical and regulatory guidance.· Support implementation of an integrated mosquito management program in Puerto Rico, including new dedicated funding of more than $500,000 for the safe and environmentally sound disposal of discarded tires, where mosquitoes lay eggs, as well as support for municipalities to systematically reduce other sources of standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs, such as broken septic tanks, cisterns, storm drains, and water meters.· Support for community application of adulticides to quickly kill adult mosquitoes and larvicides to effectively reduce young mosquito populations. Aerial treatment of areas with products that rapidly reduce both larval and adult mosquitoes is a proven way to limit the spread of the mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus. Other parts of the United States have seen success in quickly reducing the numbers of mosquitoes—and risk of disease—when using such aerial treatments. Repeated aerial applications of insecticide can substantially reduce mosquito populations. Studies earlier this year demonstrated that mosquitoes in Puerto Rico are resistant to all aerial formulations of pyrethroid insecticides, making use of a different product necessary. The product being considered, Naled, is routinely applied by air to about 16 million acres within the U.S. mainland, as well as for mosquito control after hurricanes and floods. In Florida alone last year, approximately 6 million acres were treated with Naled, including the cities of Miami and Tampa. In 2004, Naled was used to treat 8 million acres in Florida after Hurricanes Charley, Jeanne, and Frances. Naled previously was used in Puerto Rico in 1987 and it is effective at controlling the mosquitoes that spread Zika, dengue, and chikungunya viruses. CDC information about control of mosquitoes that can spread disease is available athttp://www.cdc.gov/zika/vector/vector-control.html, including information about aerial spraying in Puerto Rico. EPA information about the specific insecticides proposed for use in Puerto Rico is available at https://www.epa.gov/mosquitocontrol/mosquito-control-activities-puerto-rico. On July 1, 2016, CDC awarded Puerto Rico $5 million as part of $25 million in funding to states, cities, and territories to support efforts to protect Americans from Zika virus infection and associated adverse health outcomes, including microcephaly and the other serious birth defects. Puerto Rico can use these funds to identify and investigate outbreaks, coordinate government and non-government (healthcare) response efforts, and identify and connect to community services families affected by Zika. CDC and EPA are committed to continuing to support efforts in Puerto Rico to inform communities and answer questions about the effectiveness of integrated mosquito control approaches to prevent mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika.
niman Posted July 7, 2016 Author Report Posted July 7, 2016 NEWS JUL 7 2016, 9:18 AM ETU.S. Urges Puerto Rico to Spray for Zika as More Pregnant Women Get Infectedby ASSOCIATED PRESSSHARE A flyer that reads, "Questions and answers: Zica virus infection during pregnancy" is seen posted outside a doctor's office, at a public hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico, February 3, 2016. ?(C) Alvin Baez / Reuters / Reuters fileAs many as 50 pregnant women a day are becoming infected with Zika in Puerto Rico. The best defense is aerial spraying, said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC) to The Associated Press.Zika is a virus spread by mosquitos that can cause microcephaly, which results in babies being born with brain damage and abnormally small heads.Frieden said Puerto Rico, which is a U.S. territory, lacks an integrated mosquito control program."If any part of the continental U.S. had the kind of spread of Zika that Puerto Rico has now, they would have sprayed months ago," said Frieden. "This is more a question of neglect than anything else. ... If we wait until children with microcephaly are born, it will be too late. That's the problem."PlayFacebookTwitterGoogle PlusEmbed Puerto Rico Braces for Zika Outbreak 2:01The island is debating whether to spray with the insecticide Naled, which has sparked protests over concerns about the impact on human health and wildlife. Puerto Rico has one of the highest asthma rates in the world.Frieden said less than two tablespoons of Naled would be used per acre. He said the product was used last year on 6 million acres in Florida, including Miami. He also said it was used in New York and there was no increase in the number of asthma cases there.Gina McCarthy, administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, told the AP that the spraying "can be done safely and effectively and is perhaps the most important tool we can use right now to change the trajectory."RELATED: In Puerto Rico, Health Workers Describe Battle Against ZikaLegislators are holding public hearings over the fumigation proposal, though it will be up to Gov. Alejandro García Padilla to implement the spraying, which would be paid for by the U.S. federal government.A total of 339 pregnant women in Puerto Rico have been diagnosed with Zika. Puerto Rico reported its first microcephaly case in May; it involved a fetus who tested positive for Zika.PlayFacebookTwitterGoogle PlusEmbed CDC: Puerto Rico Will Be Ground Zero for Zika Outbreak in U.S. 2:07Overall, Puerto Rico has reported nearly 2,400 Zika cases, 44 hospitalizations and one death. In addition, 16 people have been diagnosed with a temporary paralysis condition known as Guillain-Barre that has been linked to Zika infections.More than 20 percent of Puerto Rico's 3.5 million people could be infected with Zika in an outbreak expected to peak by this summer, according to the CDC, though local health officials have said that number is too high.But Frieden said part of the issue is that 8 in 10 people show no symptoms or have mild symptoms.http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/u-s-urges-puerto-rico-spray-zika-more-pregnant-women-n605186
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now