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>
>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: CDC Press Office
>Thursday, May 25, 2000 (404)639-3286
>
>
>CLINTON ADMINISTRATION PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING
>TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THE WEST NILE VIRUS
>
> HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala announced today that the
Clinton
>administration will provide an additional $5 million for states and
local
>communities to expand surveillance activities for the West Nile virus.
This
>doubles the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) West
Nile
>virus funding for fiscal year 2000. Last fall's outbreak in the New
York
>metropolitan area, which included 62 cases of encephalitis and 7
deaths, was
>the first time West Nile virus was identified in the Western
Hemisphere.
>
> Earlier this year, a total of $2.7 million was provided to 17
states
>and the two cities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts that were part
of last
>year's outbreak or were at higher risk this year based on bird
migratory
>patterns. However, because of the unique nature of the introduction
of the
>West Nile virus, national efforts are needed. The additional funding
>includes $3.1 million to enable other parts of the country to diagnose
West
>Nile infection if needed and $1.4 million to further support the
original 19
>locations. The remaining funds will be used by CDC to support the
state and
>local efforts.
>
> "Effective prevention and control of the West Nile virus
depends on
>a strong public health infrastructure at the national, state and local
level
>including surveillance systems, laboratory diagnostic capability, and
public
>information campaigns, " Secretary Shalala said. "While we have begun
to
>rebuild epidemiologic and laboratory capacities for vector-borne
diseases,
>it is clear that additional resources are needed."
>
> This new funding will enable CDC to enhance the capacity of
state
>and local health departments to detect West Nile virus activity, and
expand
>CDC's capacity to meet increasing requests for technical assistance
and
>training from state and local health departments. Funding also
expands the
>capacity to perform reference laboratory work; and collect, analyze,
and
>rapidly disseminate information and data.
>
> The arrival of the West Nile virus in the northeastern United
States
>demonstrates the ease with which emerging infectious diseases can
travel
>into new geographic areas. The President's fiscal year 2001 budget
proposes
>a total of $123 million for emerging infectious diseases, an increase
of $25
>million, or 25 percent above the fiscal year 2000 level. Of this
increase,
>$20 million would support the development of a national electronic
disease
>surveillance network, which will enhance the ability of state and
local
>public health officials to respond to multi-state outbreaks of
diseases and
>share information about emerging infectious diseases emergencies and
>trends.
> The funding will be allocated based on needs from requesting
states
>and localities. The 19 states and localities currently receiving
funding
>that will share $1.4 million are: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, the
>District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland,
Massachusetts,
>Mississippi, New Jersey, New York City, New York State, North
Carolina,
>Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
>
> The other 31 states in the contiguous United States are
eligible to
>receive the remaining $3.1 million depending on need.
>
>Note: For other HHS Press Releases and Fact Sheets pertaining to the
>subject of this announcement, please visit our Press Release and Fact
Sheet
>search engine at: http://www.os.dhhs.gov/news/press/.
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>
William G. Smith, Senior Extension Associate
Pesticide Management Education Program/
Department of Entomology
5123 Comstock Hall
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Ph. 607-255-1866 (secretary)
Ph. 607-255-1865 (office)
Fax 607-255-3075
e-mail: wgs1@cornell.edu
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Received on Tue Jun 06 13:44:29 2000
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