Young Urges CDC to Keep Iowa's Local, State Health Departments Informed, Prepared for Zika At Capitol Hill Meeting

Press Release

Iowa Congressman David Young's Thursday briefing on the Zika virus centered on a request to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Keep Iowans and Congress informed.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, the Principal Deputy Director of CDC, visited Young's Washington, D.C. office to provide a comprehensive report on the Zika virus outbreak and the risks Iowans and other Americans face. Concerned about the virus' impact on the health of women and children in the Iowa and across the country, Young invited Schuchat to meet and discuss the latest information on the virus, and CDC's efforts to combat it.

"The medical community continues to learn more about the Zika virus, and it's important Iowans know what's going on, and Congress remain up-to-date on how to address this virus, and anticipate how things will shift in the future," Congressman Young said. "Our mutual goal is to keep our mothers, babies, and all citizens safe from this outbreak, and I appreciate Dr. Schuchat's willingness to meet and share her insights on this timely and critical topic."

Young shared with Schuchat his disappointment about the Senate's failure to approve $1.1 billion in funding to address the Zika outbreak earlier this week. Young reiterated his support for the bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives, and which he voted for, in June. In a statement released Tuesday, Young called on the Senate to act and said, "The critical bill provides $1.1 billion to address the Zika virus in a fiscally responsible way. The Senate must work quickly and pass this legislation to address this public health danger facing women and children across our nation."

During the briefing, Schuchat told Young that the 15 known cases of Zika in the State of Iowa were all travel related and not from mosquito-human transmission within the state. Schuchat also confirmed that there are currently almost 19,000 cases in the U.S. including about 3,000 cases in the continental United States, of those 56 in Florida were from mosquito-human transmission.

In response to an inquiry about livestock and animal risks during the meeting, Schuchat clarified that only humans and mosquitos are known carriers of the virus. She noted that a discussion about livestock does raise the issue of safe farming and pesticide use to control the mosquito population looking ahead.

Young highlighted the importance of communicating with state and local governments about the current situation, and asked specifically how the CDC plans to keep folks in Iowa updated. Schuchat and Young also discussed on how to be best prepared going forward.

As the meeting came to a close, Young reiterated the importance of communication and requested that the CDC organize a call between individuals at the CDC and Iowa state agencies and communities. Young is currently organizing information sessions for local community leaders in Iowa to ensure they remain informed and prepared.

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