President Barack Obama has criticised the U.S. Congress for failing to back his request for a $1.9bn fund to combat the spreading Zika virus, BBC News reports.

He warned that the country could face "bigger problems" in the future.

His comments come as the latest figures showed that there were nearly 300 pregnant women in the U.S. who had tested positive for Zika.

The virus is thought to cause serious birth defects. It is spread through mosquitoes and sexual contact.

It can cause microcephaly, a birth defect, marked by a small head size and can lead to developmental problems in infants.

Symptoms of Zika virus include mild fever, conjunctivitis, headache, joint pain and rashes.