Mosquitoes with the Zika virus have infected people in Miami, Florida. The Center For Disease Control (CDC) has issued a travel warning, especially for pregnant women, for a neighborhood of Miami. This is the first time the CDC has issued a travel warning in the continental United States. Zika is a virus spread through mosquitoes that can cause serious birth defects if a pregnant woman is infected. An emergency response team is working to contain the outbreak and stop it from spreading anywhere else in the United States. Listen to the story to hear how the governor of Florida and the CDC are working together to keep people safe from Zika.
Story Length: 2:50
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April 1, 2016
7:17
Scientists all over the world are racing to stop the Zika virus epidemic. One solution being tested in Brazil is to release hundreds of thousands of male mosquitoes every day that have been engineered with a “self-destruct” gene. Female mosquitoes are the only ones who bite, so if they mate with these genetically engineered males, all offspring dies before they can spread Zika. This is projected to cut the number of disease-spreading mosquitoes by 70-80 percent. But not everyone agrees that this is the best solution. Engineering the mosquito population may allow other diseases to spread. Other solutions include sterilizing the mosquitoes or using bacteria. Listen and debate what your students think are the best ways to fight the Zika epidemic.
Read MoreFebruary 8, 2016
3:04
The Zika virus outbreak has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Thousands of new cases have been discovered and the virus is spreading rapidly through Brazil and much of Latin America but it’s considered a public health threat to the rest of the world. Even though the symptoms of the virus are mild, if you are pregnant, the virus could damage your unborn child’s brain. The Zika virus is similar to other viruses, so a vaccine could be ready in 3 to 4 years. Listen to hear more about this public health emergency.
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