Maryland to Receive $1.4M to Help Fight Zika Virus

BALTIMORE (WJZ)–As the showdown continues between the White House and Congress over money to help fight the Zika virus, the CDC is doing what it can to prevent an outbreak in the U.S.

Nearly $60-million in funding, distributed through CDC’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases Cooperative Agreement (ELC) will be awarded to states and cities to support efforts to protect Americans from the virus. Maryland will be given $1.4-million to tackle the virus.

This comes weeks after President Obama requested $1.9 billion for the same reason, but Congress–both Democrats and Republicans–failed to approve a budget.

“Republicans in Congress can help pass that bill that treats Zika, like the serious threat that it is, fully fund our response,” said President Obama. “That’s an example of protecting America and helping other countries too. We can get that done.”

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