WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. must act more quickly to protect pregnant women from birth defect-causing Zika, a top health official said Thursday even as the House left town for its Memorial Day recess with no visible progress toward a congressional compromise on emergency funding to battle the virus.
“In a public health emergency, speed is critical. A day, a week, a month can make all of the difference,” Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the National Press Club.
It has been three months since the Obama administration requested $1.9 billion for Zika, and Thursday the GOP-controlled House moved to officially begin talks with the Senate on how much of that request to grant.
Funding aside, Frieden said there’s no reason to cancel or delay the Olympics in hard-hit Brazil.
The risk to athletes and delegations attending the Olympics “is not zero,” he said in response to a question. But, “the risk is not particularly high other than for pregnant women.”