CDC awards $184 million to fight Zika virus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $184 million in funding to various groups in an effort to protect Americans from Zika virus infection.
These groups include states, territories, local jurisdictions and universities. The awarded funds come as part of the Zika Response and Preparedness Appropriations Act of 2016, which approved $350 million in total funding.  
“Zika continues to be a threat to pregnant women,” CDC Director Tom Frieden said in a news release. “States, territories and communities need this CDC funding to fight Zika and protect the next generation of Americans.”
The $184 million in CDC awards will fund public health emergency preparedness and response Zika activities; Zika epidemiology and laboratory capacity activities; Zika birth defects surveillance activities; vector-borne disease regional centers of excellence; and a vector control unit in Puerto Rico.
CDC will use the remaining portion of the $350 million to continue its ongoing response to the Zika outbreak. This includes emergency response teams sent to states with Zika outbreaks. It also involves providing reference and surge laboratory for the nation; providing a framework for tracking pregnancies and births affected by Zika; helping states with mosquito control; and delivering effective communication to the public and to health care providers.