The CDC and NIH made a joint statement today at the White House saying the mosquito species that spread the Zika virus is now in 30 states and the disease’s effects are more damaging than initially thought. New studies suggest birth defect is just one of multiple neurological defects that can occur when a fetus is exposed. Current strains of the virus have been found to target and destroy brain and nervous system tissue. As mosquito-season is approaching, they stressed the immediate importance of prevention and research.