The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hold a one-day summit next month to help state and local officials fight the Zika virus.
The continental USA is likely to see local Zika cases as the weather warms up and mosquitoes emerge, according to the CDC.
Zika is already spreading locally in the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Puerto Rico, where at least 102 cases have been diagnosed. Puerto Rico, which is battling mosquito-borne viruses called dengue and chikungunya, could see hundreds of thousands of Zika cases, according to the CDC.
Doctors at the summit will share the latest science on Zika, “including implications for pregnant women and strategies for mosquito control,” according to the CDC.
“This meeting will also provide an opportunity to increase knowledge of best communications practices and identify possible gaps in preparedness and response at the federal, state, and local levels.”
The CDC aims “to arm state and local leaders with the necessary knowledge and technical support to have a comprehensive Zika Readiness Action Plan.”
In addition to state and local leaders, officials from several federal agencies and non-government organizations will attend the summit.
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SOURCE: USA Today, Liz Szabo
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