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Maryland health officials educate public about Zika

Posted at 11:40 PM, Jun 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-06-28 23:40:50-04
Zika continues to be a top concern for health care officials across the nation and here in Maryland.  
 
Right now, there are 26 cases in Maryland, though none have been contracted here.  All of those cases involve people who had been traveling in hot spots like South and Central America and Mexico.
 
"All the cases have been travel-related which means that no case in Maryland has been one that someone has obtained the Zika virus while they were here," said Dr. Gregory William Branch, of Baltimore County's Health and Human Services. 
 
Tuesday's meeting in Towson was about education and getting the public engaged.  Members of the county and state health organizations are urging people to get educated, especially those looking to get pregnant.
 
Just this week, Senate Democrats just proposed cutting over a billion dollars from the GOP's Zika funding bill-- something health officials are worried about.
 
 "This is going to be a very expensive disease if we do not get ahead of it.  Any epidemic that you're trying to catch up with from behind is very difficult," Dr. Howard Haft with The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, told ABC2.
 
Symptoms of Zika can be flu-like or completely non-existent. Currently there are more than 800 cases; 300 of which include pregnant women who may have children with severe deformities. 
 

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