CHICAGO, Rabi'II 22, 1437, February 01, 2016, SPA -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday the World Health Organization's declaration of Zika as a global health emergency will focus new attention and resources on fighting the virus, according to Reuters. U.S. CDC Dr. Thomas Frieden said the declaration "calls the world to action" on Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to thousands of cases of a birth defect in Brazil and is rapidly spreading in Latin America. "CDC, along with the entire U.S. government, is actively involved in the world's Zika response and working to learn more about the virus and protect health," Frieden said in a statement emailed to Reuters. --SPA 22:15 LOCAL TIME 19:15 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w