Public health officials are warning pregnant women to stay away from the area because of the threat Zika can pose to unborn children, particularly those in the early stages of pregnancy. Namely, Zika has been linked with an increased risk for microcephaly, which causes babies to be born with a small head, and, in severe cases, stunted brain development.
"Obviously, microcephaly is a terrible prenatal condition that kids are born with. And when they are, it's a lifetime of difficulties," Rubio told POLITICO. "So I get it. I'm not pretending to you that that's an easy question you asked me. But I'm prolife. And I'm strongly prolife. I believe all human life should be protected by our law, irrespective of the circumstances or condition of that life."
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life political advocacy group, said in a statement on Monday that Rubio was "absolutely right" to defend unborn children who are at risk due to Zika.
"Zika should not be used as a springboard for a search-and-destroy mission against disabled babies," she said. "Rather, adults, children, and unborn children who are victims all deserve the same standard of care. Killing the patient is not medical treatment and we cannot make advances in medicine if we destroy patients before we find treatments for them."
"The United States strives to be a beacon for disability rights. To advocate abortion in cases of Zika and other prenatal diagnoses is a major step backwards for the rights of Americans with disabilities and a distraction from the urgent need to develop a vaccine or method to eliminate mosquitos carrying the virus," Dannenfelser added.
Despite the latest outbreak, a doctor with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told The New York Times that the United States has a much better chance of containing the virus than some Latin American countries due to better mosquito control, more air-conditioning and less standing water than other countries.