Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Monday, March 07, 2016Last Update: 10:09 AM PT
U.S. Gulf Coast not Ready for Zika, Tropical Disease Expert Warns
By CAMERON LANGFORD
HOUSTON (CN) - The Zika virus is on a collision course with the U.S. Gulf Coast, where it could cause a major public health crisis of birth defects and stillbirths, a tropical disease expert warned the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston.
Dr. Peter Hotez is founder of the National School of Tropical Medicine, director of Texas Children Hospital's Center for Vaccine Development and a molecular biology and pediatrics professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
Hotez, who testified last week to two congressional committees, said he does not believe the lawmakers understand the potential for a full-blown crisis from what they called "small outbreaks" of Zika.
"What's a small outbreak of mothers delivering babies with microcephaly at obstetrical wards in Houston? There's no such thing as a small outbreak," Hotez said.
"The minute we start seeing microcephaly cases people will treat it in the same way as Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast or the BP oil spill."
...
"So one of the things I said out of frustration to a reporter, and of course they printed it, is, 'We have to stop asking if this virus is associated with microcephaly.' It's so well-established right now I don't think there's any question. And we have to act accordingly."
...
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/...dy-for-zika-tropical-disease-expert-warns.htm
U.S. Gulf Coast not Ready for Zika, Tropical Disease Expert Warns
By CAMERON LANGFORD
HOUSTON (CN) - The Zika virus is on a collision course with the U.S. Gulf Coast, where it could cause a major public health crisis of birth defects and stillbirths, a tropical disease expert warned the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston.
Dr. Peter Hotez is founder of the National School of Tropical Medicine, director of Texas Children Hospital's Center for Vaccine Development and a molecular biology and pediatrics professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
Hotez, who testified last week to two congressional committees, said he does not believe the lawmakers understand the potential for a full-blown crisis from what they called "small outbreaks" of Zika.
"What's a small outbreak of mothers delivering babies with microcephaly at obstetrical wards in Houston? There's no such thing as a small outbreak," Hotez said.
"The minute we start seeing microcephaly cases people will treat it in the same way as Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf Coast or the BP oil spill."
...
"So one of the things I said out of frustration to a reporter, and of course they printed it, is, 'We have to stop asking if this virus is associated with microcephaly.' It's so well-established right now I don't think there's any question. And we have to act accordingly."
...
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/...dy-for-zika-tropical-disease-expert-warns.htm