Heidi M. Przybyla

USA TODAY

MIAMI — Hillary Clinton called on Republican House and Senate leaders to bring Congress back from summer recess for a special session to approve federal funding to combat the spread of the Zika virus.

The request echoes calls by some congressional Democrats after Senate Democrats blocked a $1.1 billion funding bill over objections to provisions aimed at Planned Parenthood funding and other unrelated issues prior to Congress leaving for its summer break.

The Obama administration has called for $1.9 billion in emergency funds.

“This is a serious challenge and one we need to be mobilized to address before it expands even further," Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee, said after touring the Borinquen Health Center in Miami on Tuesday, a community health center that qualifies for federal funding and is offering testing to residents of the neighborhoods most impacted by Zika.

As of early August, there have been more than 1,800 cases of Zika confirmed across the U.S. The Wynwood neighborhood of Miami that Clinton visited is where the first cases of local transmission have been detected. Clinton also mentioned reports of a baby girl in Houston who died shortly after birth due to microcephaly from the virus, which was reported by health officials Tuesday.

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Clinton cited daughter Chelsea’s early concerns about the virus while she was pregnant and the fact that she sent aides on a fact-finding mission to Puerto Rico to learn more about the progression of the virus.

“This is one of the canaries in the mine. If we don’t deal with Zika, we will have consequences,” said Clinton.

Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who represents Florida and is up for re-election, is also calling on Congress to reconvene.

Federal funds could be used for rapid diagnostic testing and treatment as well as for the development of a vaccine, Clinton said. “We shouldn’t rest until we get that done."

“This is an epidemic that will only grow and affect more people,” she added.

Clinton also directed Americans to cdc.gov/zika, cautioning that Americans do not want to be “unduly alarmed” but “informed.”