Health Highlights: Nov. 6, 2017

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Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

$6 Million Meant to Fight Ebola Lost to Fraud: Red Cross

At least $6 million meant to fight the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was lost to fraud, the Red Cross says.

An internal investigation said at least $2.13 million vanished due to “likely collusion” between Red Cross staff and employees at a bank in Sierra Leone, the Associated Press reported.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which handled more than $124 million during the epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, said it was “outraged” by the fraud.

“We are pursuing every possible avenue to reclaim all funds that have been misappropriated, diverted, or otherwise illegally taken. This includes working with authorities in affected countries and elsewhere as appropriate,” said Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, the IFRC under secretary general for partnerships, the AP reported.

The IFRC also said it was boosting efforts to combat corruption.

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First Sexually Transmitted Zika Case of Year in Miami-Dade County

The first sexually transmitted case of Zika virus in Miami-Dade County this year was reported by Florida health officials.

The case involves two people who tested positive for Zika. One of them did not travel, but that person’s partner had recently gone to several areas where Zika transmission could occur, state health officials said Friday, CBS News reported.

Zika is commonly spread by mosquitoes in parts of Central and South America.

There is no evidence of ongoing, active transmission of Zika anywhere in Florida, according to health officials. There have been 205 confirmed cases of Zika in Florida so far this year, CBS News reported.

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