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US goes to highest alert level over Zika virus

The US Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention put its emergency operations centre on the highest level alert yesterday in response to the Zika virus.

The CDC decision came the same day the White House said it would ask Congress for US$1.8 billion (RM7.5 billion) about in emergency funding to combat the mosquito-borne virus.

The CDC said its move was in response to the need for "accelerated preparedness" by experts in anticipation of Zika virus transmissions by mosquitoes in the continental United States.

The White House said its request for money would go toward expanding mosquito control programmes, speeding up research into a vaccine, enhancing diagnostic capabilities and helping Zika-affected countries in their fight to reduce transmissions, the White House said.

President Barack Obama said the Zika virus should not cause people to panic.

"The good news is, this is not like Ebola. People don't die of Zika. A lot of people who get it don't even know they have it," said in an interview with CBS News .

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Zika virus a public health emergency of international concern and said that up to four million people could be infected within the next 12 months in the Americas.

There have been 50 confirmed Zika cases in the US since December, the CDC has said. All were associated with travel to affected countries.

A dozen research groups were currently working on Zika vaccines, but all were still in the early stages, the WHO said in Geneva. The "availability of licensed products could take a few years," it said.

- dpa

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