"Whether it's Zika or any of the other diseases that mosquitoes can carry we just want to make sure that we're doing all we can to arm Missourians with the info they need so that when they go out to enjoy the wonderful outdoor activities we can do in our state, that they're protecting themselves", said Lyskowski. However, he said, $510 million of this funding will be pulled from resources previously allocated to combat Ebola virus and will weaken efforts in West Africa without additional support. The White House said the emergency transfer is necessary because Congress has continued to deny the administration's .9 billion request, money that would be used to stop Zika from gaining a foothold in the United States. Brazil, which has been hardest-hit by Zika, has reported more than 4,000 cases of microcephaly since October. Urging Congress to act immediately, Donovan said, "We should not play with fire here". All cases involved travelers who were infected with the Zika virus while overseas and returned to the United States with it, except for a handful of cases involving sexual transmission.
