DHAKA: The US senate has failed to pass a bill to aid fighting Zika virus outbreak for the third time.

Senate Democrats blocked the $1.1bn bill after Republicans sought to stop funding for pro-abortion group Planned Parenthood, reports the BBC.

Lawmakers hoped that the issue will be solved later this month as part of a bipartisan spending package.

The 52-46 Senate vote came as Florida health officials announced seven more locally transmitted cases of Zika.

Florida has now reported 56 locally transmitted cases of Zika, which is often spread by mosquitoes but also a Sexually Transmitted Disease.

State officials have called on lawmakers to release funds to help fight the spread of the disease, which is linked to severe birth defects in pregnant women.

Before the vote, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blamed his Democratic counterparts.

“It's hard to explain why, despite their own calls for funding, Democrats would block plans to keep women and babes safe from Zika,” he said.

As of late August, there were more than 2,700 cases in US states and more than 14,000 in US territories, most of which were reported in Puerto Rico.

BDST: 2012 HRS, SEP 07, 2016
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