Intelligent Luxury's White House Press Phone Call Describing the Zika Virus Infection

    Zika in the U.S. territories is causes "severe brain defects," said Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the press that microsephaly is the birth defect from the Zika virus. Dr. Tom Frieden told Intelligent Luxury and press listening to the call, that 2,526 infected pregnant women in the United States today. The Zika virus is sexually transmitted. Ms. Amy Pope, Deputy Homeland Security Advisor, stated the"urgent need for funding to limit the spread of the virus." "We cannot begin the next phase of vaccine trials," if Congress delays funding, Ms. Amy Pope, Homeland Security Advisor told the press. 

     Rockland County, New York County Executive Ed Day, a Republican, emailed a statement to Intelligent Luxury today. "Rockland is one of seven counties in New York where the state Department of Health has ordered additional trapping of Aedes albopictus so samples can be tested for Zika at the Wadsworth State Laboratory. The New York State Department of Health has provided us with 23 traps specially designed to trap mosquitoes. We will be placing these traps at sites throughout Rockland, alongside the mosquito traps we have used for years to track the West Nile virus," the statement detailed. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, a Democrat told Intelligent Luxury and the press listening to the call that, "I hope we will not break without the Republican Congress doing something about Zika."

Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, a Democrat spoke detailing that, "just yesterday we had eleven new cases in Florida, it brings the state's total to 263. $1.1 billion dollar bill wasn’t a serious solution NIH’s efforts to develop a vaccine," the Senator pleaded. Representative Kathy Castor of Florida, a Democrat, who represents the Tampa Bay area, said that her "neighbors and the visitors along the Gulf Coast are very frustrated about the reaction." Congress needs to "provide for the basic safety of our neighbors all across the country," Representative Kathy Castor stated. Dr. Ed McCabe, March of Dimes' Chief Medical Officer said, "the Zika virus is more dangerous and more infectious than previously thought."  

March of Dimes Zika Tips

There are no medicines to treat Zika. If you have signs or symptoms, you can:

Get plenty of rest.

Drink plenty of fluids.

Take acetaminophen (Tylenol®) to relieve fever and pain.

Remember, most people who have Zika don’t have signs or symptoms. If you think you or your partner may have Zika but haven’t had signs or symptoms, talk to your provider. -- March of Dimes