Health: Zika panic masks greater threats

Re: “Oh no, Rio,” (TNT editorials, 7/13).

The Zika virus isn’t the most dangerous of infectious disease we should be worried about. There have been many stories the past few weeks in the TNT about the concerns over the Zika virus, including this one. We shouldn’t let this concern keep us from paying attention to much deadlier diseases – tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.

The Global Fund has made huge inroads against these “big three” diseases since it’s inception in 2002. Our failure to keep concentrating on global diseases has let some become harder and more costly to eradicate, like drug-resistant TB.

U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Gig Harbor) has been quietly working on bipartisan support to continue to support Global Fund replenishment. Infectious diseases affect us all and is not a partisan issue.

This story was originally published July 15, 2016 at 10:35 AM with the headline "Health: Zika panic masks greater threats."