Latino family health organization Profamilas and the University of Puerto Rico will receive an emergency grant of $300,000 to fight the Zika virus, according to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

The HHS awarded one-time payments through Title X Family Planning program grants allotted for low-income families in need of vital medical resources. In Puerto Rico's case, funds -- $250,000 of which goes to the university -- will "increase the availability of family planning services and access to contraception for women and men during the Zika outbreak."

U.S. health officials began researching the mosquito-borne disease in late January, days after Brazilian authorities reported 3,500 people -- mostly newborns and pregnant women -- tested positive for the birth defect microcephaly in a three-month period beginning October 2015.

Zika Cases from Brazil to Canada

A vast majority of infected women will not notice any symptoms, but doctors advise travelers to wait at least two months before visiting areas where Zika is present, if only because they are unsure how long the virus remains in one's blood.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued travel warnings for pregnant women heading to hard-hit areas across Latin America. By that time, Zika fears already reached the northern hemisphere. On Monday, Canadian health officials confirmed seven British Columbians, including two pregnant women, contracted Zika on recent trip to the Caribbean, Central and South America.

"The current status of diagnostic testing for Zika is alarming," said Tim Murphy, Oversight and Investigation Subcommittee Chairman, in a March 29 letter to HHS. "The most widespread of the tests -- which measures the presence of the virus in the blood -- only works if administered within five to seven days of the onset of symptoms."

"Given that nearly 80 percent of individuals infected with Zika appear to be asymptomatic, this test is insufficient for most people who will become infected," Murphy added.

Puerto Rico in Financial, Humanitarian Crisis

Puerto Rico's massive $72-billion debt leaves little, if any, financial wiggle room for some 3.5 million residents susceptible to Zika.

Cash-strapped hospitals continue to downsize, many who have trouble purchasing basic office supplies. Others, like San Jorge Children's Hospital, shut down services altogether. The island's largest pediatric hospital recently closed two wings and 40 rooms as part of cost-cutting measures that led to reduced hours for all employees.

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