U.S. declares a public health emergency in Puerto Rico over Zika

By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico due to the rapid and widespread transmission of the Zika virus, saying it poses a "significant threat" to the health of pregnant women who may be infected and their children. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last declared a public health emergency in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which slammed into the New Jersey shore and flooded parts of New York City in 2012. The action gives the government access to additional funding to fight Zika as congressional efforts to allocate money remain stalled.