Zika is a concern for America

Zika has just given the U.S. a new reason to control our southern border. The disease that originated in Africa 69 years ago has suddenly caused the W.H.O. to wake up.

They have admitted that Zika has been overlooked and expect that it could explode to 4 million cases in the Americas over the next year. This mosquito borne virus is linked to a sharp spike in a rare birth defect in Brazil. This is microcephaly, which causes babies to have abnormally small heads.

Neither Brazil or the W.H.O. have a vaccine and they expect it will be 5-7 years before one is available.

There have been 31 U.S. travelers that were infected last year. The W.H.O. director general has admitted they were at fault for not having a plan to look for a vaccine. The Zika virus is now in more than 20 countries and our only defense in America is controlling mosquitos and our southern border.

Unfortunately, that is something that we have not been very good at in past years.

Is it wake up time yet?

Gerald W. Ray, Spokane