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From its initial discovery in Ugandan forests nearly 70 years ago, Zika virus has emerged as a worldwide public health crisis, with active transmission in more than 40 countries in the Americas and Caribbean. On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), concerned about clusters of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). A week later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) triggered the highest “level 1” activation of its emergency operations center, and President Obama requested $1.86 billion in emergency funding.1 On April 7, the WHO reported there is scientific consensus that Zika is a cause of microcephaly and GBS. (Lawrence O. Gostin and James G. Hodge Jr, 4/13)

You’ve been there. When the subject of guns is brought up in “mixed” company, the conversation either becomes volatile or stops altogether. When it comes to reducing gun violence, people seem to stand clearly on one side of the issue or the other: minimize access to firearms, require background checks, close the loopholes, and get rid of assault weapons or enforce current laws, allow people to protect themselves and their property, keep arms away from the mentally ill, and open carry so people know you have protection. (State Sen. Jill Schupp and State Rep. Deb Lavender, 4/14)

In 1854, British physician John Snow famously wrote, “The most terrible outbreak of cholera which ever occurred in this kingdom, is probably that which took place in Broad Street, Golden Square, and the adjoining streets, a few weeks ago.” Snow linked cholera to polluted water flowing from the Broad Street pump. City officials removed the pump handle and the cholera epidemic suddenly ended. Cholera is one of many gastrointestinal illnesses caused by drinking water carrying disease-causing microbes. In 2000, for example, hundreds of Milwaukee residents became ill when they drank city water contaminated with cryptosporidium. (Lawrence Gostin, 4/13)

The rich get richer and the poor die younger. Too many Americans shrug these off as the facts of life. A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association puts hard numbers on the life-threatening realities of poverty in this country while challenging assumptions about our ability to change things. For all of America’s bragging about exceptionalism, technological advancement and high living standards, the fruits of our success aren’t doing much to help the country’s poor. On average, their life expectancy is about the same as citizens of Peru and Colombia. (4/13)

Michigan has a public health problem. This is perhaps both a conservative diagnosis and, for many state residents, an obvious statement. Yet, too often, public health is significantly underfunded. Flint’s lead-contaminated drinking water reinforces the importance of a functional public health infrastructure in safeguarding communities. But Flint is not the only city with public health challenges in Michigan. (Anand Parekh and Marianne Udow-Phillips, 4/14)

If you live in Miami, you enjoy great year-round weather and plenty of places to take advantage of the sunshine. It’s no wonder Miami is regularly voted as one of the nation’s healthiest cities. But as good as things are, Miami-Dade County still needs to invest in its parks and open spaces to make sure it stays ahead of ever-increasing population demands. It is the same challenge many of our nation’s major cities face: The population increases, and people want more services. At about 2.7 million, Miami-Dade’s population is expected to reach 3 million by 2025 and 4.5 million by 2060. (Adrian Benepe, 4/13)