Zika Case Count: As of August 24, there were more than 11,500 confirmed cases of Zika virus in U.S. States and Territories.
- 2,517 confirmed cases of Zika in U.S. States and Washington DC.
- 9,011 confirmed cases of Zika in U.S. Territories.
Pregnant women with evidence of Zika virus: As of August 18, there were more than 1,300 pregnant women with evidence of Zika virus.
- 529 pregnant women in U.S. States and Washington, DC.
- 691 pregnant women in U.S. Territories.
For a state-by-state table of Zika cases in the U.S. visit: http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/united-states.html
Theme for the week of August 29, 2016: Back to School: Get Books Not Bites!
- The Zika theme for the week of August 29 is Back to School: Get Books Not Bites! As kids head back to school, teach them about Zika and how to prevent mosquito bites.
Notable Zika News:
HHS funds development of Zika diagnostic test for use in doctors’ offices
- HHS awards $2.6 million to DiaSorin Group to develop rapid, high-capacity Zika diagnostic laboratory test: On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response announced a $2.6 million agreement with DiaSorin Group, an Italy-based company with U.S. offices in Stillwater, Minnesota, to further develop a Zika virus test that may help physicians determine more quickly whether a patient was infected recently with Zika virus. To view the release, please click here. If you have questions about this announcement, please email [email protected].
- HHS awards $7 million to OraSure to speed development of Zika diagnostic test: On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced a $7 million contract with Orasure Technologies, Inc. of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to further the development of a Zika virus test that potentially can provide results in about 30 minutes at a doctor’s office. The agreement is the first point-of-care Zika test ASPR has sponsored. To view the release, please click here. If you have questions about this announcement, please email [email protected].
- CDC awards $6.8 million to partners to support Zika response: On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it had awarded $6.8 million to national public health partners to assist state, tribal, local, and territorial jurisdictions with their Zika responses in a wide range of activities, including surveillance and epidemiology, vector control, communication and outreach to pregnant women and vulnerable populations, and planning with key stakeholders. To view the release, please click here. If you have questions about this announcement, please email [email protected].
- HHS funds development of Zika diagnostic test for use in doctors’ offices: On Thursday, it was announced that a test that could provide a Zika diagnosis for patients in less than 30 minutes in doctors’ and other healthcare providers’ offices is moving forward with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). To view the release, please click here. If you have questions about this announcement, please email [email protected].
- FDA advises testing for Zika virus in all donated blood and blood components in the US: On Friday, as a further safety measure against the emerging Zika virus outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a revised guidance recommending universal testing of donated Whole Blood and blood components for Zika virus in the U.S. and its territories. To view the release, please click here. If you have any questions about this announcement, please email [email protected].
- MMWR: Guillain-Barré Syndrome During Ongoing Zika Virus Transmission — Puerto Rico, January 1–July 31, 2016: Also on Friday, CDC reported that during the current ongoing Zika virus outbreak in Puerto Rico, among 56 patients with suspected GBS who had onset of neurologic symptoms during January 1–July 31, 2016, evidence of Zika or other flavivirus infection was present in 34 (61%), including 10 (18%) with confirmed Zika virus infection. To read the report, please click here. If you have questions about this announcement, please email [email protected].
