Travel warning due to Zika Virus

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel alert for people traveling to 21 countries where Zika virus has been identified. Pregnant women in any trimester should consider not traveling to those countries. Zika causes microcephaly in children.

Microcephalic children are born with smaller heads, hence smaller brains. This birth defect adversely affects newborn development and may lead to feeding problems or seizures.

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne illness. Travelers are urged to follow strict rules to avoid mosquito bites. There is no current vaccine or medication that may prevent the transmission of Zika virus.

Countries affected by this travel warning include Brazil - where the virus has affected more than 3000 children over the past year -, Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

To learn more about Zika and its transmission, read this summary.

Pregnant and worried about Zika? Consult the CDC website.

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