In an effort to further monitor the Zika virus awareness and prevention campaign, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell will visit Puerto Rico on April 26, including a meeting with Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla.

The HHS Mission to Combat the Zika Outbreak

According to an administration official, Burwell's visit to Puerto Rico is part of an important effort for all of the islands residents, particularly pregnant and childbearing-age women, to inform and protect people from the virus.

During her stay, Burwell will engage in a number of events and meetings that will include García Padilla, a local hospital blood bank tour and visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dengue Branch. The HHS secretary will also host a roundtable at a Loíza health center to hear directly from women affected by the Zika virus.

The two-day trip marks Burwell's first visit to U.S. commonwealth as HHS secretary, although efforts to address the Zika virus has been underway since late last year.

The HHS has been working on preventing, detecting and responding to the Zika outbreak with specific activities ranging from communicating with health care providers, including a special emphasis on obstetricians and gynecologists; ensuring the public has factual information about the virus and steps people can take to better protect themselves from infection; performing research to better understand the relation between Zika and potential health outcomes.

The Obama Administration's Call for Funds

According to the CDC, as of April 13, 448 cases of the Zika virus were reported in Puerto Rico, although the number is expected to rise.

The Obama administration has been "aggressively" working to eradicate the virus, which has commonly spread by mosquitos. The administration has asked Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to amplify efforts to combat the outbreak -- both domestically and internationally -- but Congress has yet to approve the funds.

While in Puerto Rico, Burwell is expected to make the case for the congressional funding to combat Zika, which will include $246 million in federal support for Medicaid in the commonwealth and other U.S. territories, plus $165 million in federal support to expand mosquito control programs, enhance lab capacity and intensify surveillance.

While Congress continues to debate on Zika funding, the HHS did allot $589 million to immediately allocate for time-sensitive actions to fight Zika. The aforementioned HHS funding's aim is to find and control these mosquitoes, improve lab capacity and improve support for expecting mothers and babies born with Zika-related complications. HHS did distribute approximately 13,000 Zika prevention kits in Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico Officials' Zika Warnings

As Latin Post reported, Garcia Padilla acknowledged that the Zika virus outbreak has affected the commonwealth's effort to address its financial crisis. In March, the Puerto Rico governor, citing the CDC, said the Zika virus may affect up to 20 percent of the territory's population by the end of this year.

In a letter written to House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., Puerto Rico Education Secretary Rafael Roman Melendez also warned about the virus' harmful impact on children. Melendez said mosquitos are using septic tanks as breeding grounds and unfortunately many schools use septic tanks for wastewater services.

The Zika virus concerns comes as Puerto Rico struggles with a $72 billion debt crisis.

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