A day after receiving nearly $580,000 to prepare and respond to the Zika virus, Connecticut announced Tuesday an additional $400,000 is coming to the state to track birth defects from the virus.The money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will establish and maintain systems to detect Zika-related birth defects, such as babies being born with small heads, called microcephaly. Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy has been adamant about preparing for the virus, which is carried by mosquitoes and can be transmitted through sexual contact.
“I think we have arguably the most comprehensive statewide approach to it now,” Malloy said at a press conference in July.
In Connecticut, 45 people including three pregnant women have tested positive as a result of traveling to affected areas like Central and South America. Federal officials this week urged pregnant women not to travel to a Miami, Florida neighborhood where Zika is being spread by mosquitoes.