Despite Not Fearing Zika Personally, Majority Wants Congress To Approve Funding

Following closely on the heels of news that the U.S. Senate failed to pass legislation to fund development of a vaccine to combat the Zika virus, a poll revealed Thursday that the majority of Americans want to spend the money.

Discussing the results of the poll, CNBC reported that while only 13 percent of Americans fear Zika as a major threat to themselves personally, 72 percent said the United States should invest more to combat the spread of the virus. Although 63 percent of respondents think the virus will be contained, another 73 percent want spending on research on the virus.

The Zika virus can cause serious birth defects in babies born to infected women, and the list of defects has been growing. The total of reported cases in the United States has grown to 820, and another 1,860 cases have been reported in U.S. territories, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.