Page 29 - AAA 29 FEB 2016
P. 29
WORLD NEWS A11
Monday 29 February 2016
AP: 2nd Mexican Puerto Rico bracing for flood of Zika virus
president unloads
on Donald Trump DANICA COTO Puerto Rico Health Department workers monitor social media for Zika related issues at the
Associated Press department’s headquarters in San Juan, Puerto Rico. “For the U.S., it really is the territory that is
MEXICO CITY (AP) — For- SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico going to have the most infections,” said Steve Waterman, head of the CDC’s dengue branch in
mer Mexican President (AP) — Leilani Dominicci Puerto Rico. “It has the best medical and public health infrastructure to try and answer some of
Felipe Calderon on Satur- has all the typical worries these questions at the same time that we’re trying to control the disease.”
day joined his predeces- of pregnant women plus a
sor in office in unloading new one spreading across (AP Photo/Danica Coto)
on Donald Trump, call- Puerto Rico: the fear she
ing the Republican front- will become infected with a public health emergen- to try and answer some concern, especially for
runner’s campaign racist the Zika virus and put her cy, and the CDC, which of these questions at the women like us who are so
and saying his discourse baby at risk. earlier urged pregnant same time that we’re trying far along because our op-
on immigration is fueling Her unease has escalated women to reconsider visits to control the disease.” tions are limited. Ending a
anti-American sentiment so much that the 38-year- to Puerto Rico, has asked Among the CDC’s main pregnancy at this stage is
around the world. old attorney barely leaves Congress for $250 million in goals is to test every preg- not even legal.”
Calderon, a conservative her home in the capital emergency aid to battle nant woman in Puerto Zika causes headaches,
who was president of Mexi- of San Juan because of Zika here. The CDC has also Rico for Zika and prevent fever and a rash, though
co from 2006 to 2012, even warnings the island faces sent nearly 40 health work- people like Dominicci from most people with the vi-
said he thought Trump was an onslaught of the mos- ers to help, and is using the contracting the virus. The rus never show symptoms.
trying to exploit the same quito-borne illness. island as a test bed for Zika CDC is urging people to CDC researchers in Brazil
social feelings and resent- As the virus sweeps through studies. take preventive measures, and Puerto Rico are try-
ments as did Adolf Hitler. the hemisphere, Puerto “For the U.S., it really is the a call that Dominicci and ing to determine whether
“I think his logic of exalting Rico has become Ameri- territory that is going to her husband heeded after the virus can cause micro-
white supremacy isn’t even ca’s own front line in the have the most infections,” the first Zika case was re- cephaly, a condition in
acting against immigration battle against it — home to said Steve Waterman, ported in December. which babies are born with
— Donald Trump is the de- 3.5 million U.S. citizens and head of the CDC’s dengue “We have locked ourselves abnormally small heads,
scendant of migrants — it with a tropical landscape branch in Puerto Rico. “It up at home,” said Dominic- and a rare paralyzing con-
is acting and speaking that is an ideal breeding has the best medical and ci, who is nearly 37 weeks dition, Guillain-Barre, which
against immigrants who ground for the mosquito public health infrastructure pregnant. “It’s a constant can be fatal.q
have a different skin color that spreads Zika, as well
than him, which is frankly as the dengue and chikun-
racist and is a bit like the gunya already common
exploitation of raw nerves here.
that Hitler did in his day,” Officials have barred local
Calderon told reporters blood donations, ramped
after a meeting of the Na- up efforts to eradicate the
tional Action Party, or PAN, Aedes aegypti mosquito
in Mexico City. and are trying to monitor
Calderon’s comments par- every pregnant woman on
allel those made earlier by the island due to fears Zika
former President Vicente might cause birth defects.
Fox, who preceded Calde- The voluntary registry by
ron in office and also be- the U.S. Centers for Disease
longed to the PAN party. Control and Prevention ex-
In interviews with Univi- tends to all Zika-infected
sion and Mexican media, women and their babies
Fox called Trump “crazy,” throughout the United
a “false prophet” and States.
an embarrassment to his The Puerto Rican governor,
party.q meanwhile, has declared
