PROVIDENCE, RI – With the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning that the spread of the Zika virus to the U.S. could get worse before it gets better, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is calling for action and bringing federal officials to the state to help ensure that Rhode Island is prepared to effectively fight the virus. 

Today, Senator Reed brought federal experts from NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the CDC together with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH), the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), and local infectious disease experts for a meeting to discuss the state’s Zika education, prevention, and response action plan.

During the meeting, participants discussed the latest scientific knowledge about Zika, including implications for pregnant women and strategies for mosquito control.  The CDC has definitively linked the Zika virus to a birth defect known as microcephaly, which causes infants to be born with poorly developed brains and smaller-than-normal heads.   The meeting also provided an opportunity to increase knowledge of best communications practices and identify possible gaps in preparedness and response at the federal, state, and local levels and help begin to address possible gaps.

“This is a serious public health issue and Congress should act swiftly to help minimize the spread of Zika before it becomes an epidemic.  We’ve only had one case so far in Rhode Island, but the virus is spreading in other parts of the world and isn’t going away on its own,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who is seeking to provide $1.9 billion in emergency funds to combat Zika and speed up development of a vaccine.  “With summer approaching, we need to do everything we can to be prepared and that means a comprehensive and coordinated approach.  We don’t want people to be alarmed, we want them to be informed and well prepared.  I am pleased the state has taken proactive steps like assembling a Zika Task Force, and I will continue working to ensure the federal government is a reliable partner in this effort.”

Under the leadership of Governor Gina Raimondo, Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH, and RIDEM Director Janet Coit, Rhode Island established a Zika Task Force in February that includes fetal medicine specialists from Women & Infants Hospital.  The state issues regular briefs to Rhode Island healthcare providers with updated guidance and information on symptoms.  RIDOH is also coordinating with the RIDEM on increased mosquito surveillance and larvaciding. 

“Although Zika remains a health concern mainly for Rhode Islanders who travel to parts of the world where established mosquito populations are actively transmitting the virus, planning and preparedness are central to our work to keep Rhode Islanders safe,” said Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. “By coordinating directly with Senator Reed and representatives from the CDC and NIH, we are ensuring that our local preparedness plans are as comprehensive as possible, and that they are aligned with federal efforts to monitor and manage this disease.”

To date, the CDC has reported 891 confirmed cases of Zika in the United States and U.S. territories, including 81 pregnant women.  There has been one confirmed case in Rhode Island and seven in Massachusetts.  The individual who tested positive in Rhode Island, a male in his 60s, had recently traveled to Haiti, where there is active mosquito-borne transmission of Zika.

“We are learning more about Zika and the impact it can have on pregnancy every day,” said Dr. Steve Redd, Director of CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response.  “CDC is committed to working with state and local health officials, clinicians, and families to protect pregnant women from the devastating impact this virus can have.”

“It’s imperative that the state collaborates to proactively address this public health concern before it becomes an issue in Rhode Island,” said RIEMA Director Peter Gaynor. “As the states lead in emergency management, our agency will work closely with the Governor’s Office, the Department of Health, the Department of Environmental Affairs, and other stakeholders to develop pre-emptive measures and determine appropriate response capabilities. Through this partnership, we will ensure that as a state, we are prepared to handle any potential spread of the Zika virus.”

“We are fortunate in Rhode Island to have the leadership of Senator Reed and Governor Raimondo on this issue,” said DEM Director Janet Coit.  “While the mosquito species primarily associated with the Zika virus does not occur in Rhode Island, we must be prepared and continue to take proactive steps to control mosquito breeding and populations.  Working with communities throughout the state, DEM is increasing surveillance and treating breeding habitats from swamplands to underground catch basins throughout the summer months.  We will continue to work closely with our partners to provide timely information to the public on these activities.” 

Reed noted that despite the fact that Senate Republicans recently blocked a Democratic attempt to take up a $1.9 billion funding package to address the Zika virus, work on a compromise Appropriations measure continues.

“We are working towards an agreement that would allow our country to take critical steps in response to the Zika virus.  I hope we can reach a bipartisan agreement,” Reed noted.  “The final agreement should include strong support for Puerto Rico, where women and families are especially threatened—and also allow the Administration to restore some funding to the ongoing fight against Ebola.  There is still a lot we don’t know about the Zika virus—and once we reach agreement on this emergency funding package, Congress will still need to work together to continue evaluating needs and determining whether more resources are necessary.”