Post by Logan on Jan 26, 2016 13:53:03 GMT -6
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) -- Brazil's health minister says the country is sending some 220,000 troops to battle the mosquito blamed for spreading a virus suspected of causing birth defects - but he also says the war is already being lost.
Marcelo Castro said that nearly 220,000 members of Brazil's Armed Forces would go door-to-door to help in mosquito eradication efforts ahead of the country's Carnival celebrations. Agency spokesman Nivaldo Coelho said Tuesday details of the deployment are still being worked out.
Castro also said the government would distribute mosquito repellent to some 400,000 pregnant women who receive cash-transfer benefits.
But the minister also said the country has failed in efforts against the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
Read more: hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_ZIKA_VIRUS_BRAZIL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-01-26-13-43-03
Marcelo Castro said that nearly 220,000 members of Brazil's Armed Forces would go door-to-door to help in mosquito eradication efforts ahead of the country's Carnival celebrations. Agency spokesman Nivaldo Coelho said Tuesday details of the deployment are still being worked out.
Castro also said the government would distribute mosquito repellent to some 400,000 pregnant women who receive cash-transfer benefits.
But the minister also said the country has failed in efforts against the Aedes aegypti mosquito that transmits Zika, dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
Read more: hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_ZIKA_VIRUS_BRAZIL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-01-26-13-43-03