Senators introduce bipartisan bill to fight the spread of Zika, mosquito-borne viruses

In the wake of a report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that stated one in ten women infected with Zika virus gave birth to a child with virus-related effects, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators recently introduced a bill to provide local communities with resources to combat mosquitoes and the viruses they spread.

The Strengthening Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health (SMASH) Act, was introduced by U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Angus King (I-ME), Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Richard Burr (R-NC).

Zika virus is most commonly spread through the bite of Aedes aegypti species mosquito, but can be spread through sexual contact as well. Typical symptoms include joint pain, rash, and high fever. More seriously, the virus has been linked to microcephaly of the fetus in pregnant women and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

The bill would reauthorize the lapsed Mosquito Abatement Safety and Health (MASH) Act, which was signed into law in the wake of a West Nile virus outbreak in 2003. It will also authorize increased financial support for local mosquito control work by providing up to $130 million in grants each year.

The act would also reauthorizes epidemiology laboratory capacity grants under the Public Health Service Act, which assists local communities in surveilling and responding to infectious diseases.

The bill also requires a timely study and recommendations by the U.S. Government Accountability Office to track progress and help inform future actions for mosquito control.

“One of the best ways to curb the spread of this virus is to eliminate the mosquitoes that carry it,” Nelson said. “As we head into these warmer summer months, we need to make sure our local mosquito-control boards have the resources they need to protect their communities.”