Zika virus in Caribbean, Central American and South American countries - update

Active transmission of the Zika virus along with variable numbers of babies with microcephaly (small brains) and other congenital abnormalities continue to be reported from Mexico and all countries of Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panamá), the Caribbean islands (Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands), the Andean Countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Venezuela) and Brazil and Southern Cone Countries (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay).

Advice

The risk of exposure to this virus may be high. The risk of exposure for the general traveller in any particular location is difficult to estimate since so many infected people have no symptoms and are not recorded officially. There may be many infected people in the community.

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for this infection. Travellers can minimize the risk of exposure by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. There is strong scientific evidence that this virus is the cause of microcephaly (small brain) and other neurological abnormalities in newborn infants. The World Health Organization advises that pregnant women should not travel to areas with Zika virus outbreaks.

To avoid Sexual Transmission Risk

Men or women who have traveled to an area with epidemic Zika may become infected without symptoms. Pregnant women whose sexual partners live in or travel to areas with Zika virus outbreaks should ensure safe sexual practices or abstain from sex for the duration of their pregnancy. Based on new evidence, the recommended length of time for safer sex practices for asymptomatic males returning from areas with active Zika virus transmission was extended from 8 weeks to 6 months. This is the same length of time as is recommended for symptomatic men. This recommendation now also applies to women, whether or not they have had symptoms. If the man’s partner is already pregnant, the couple should either use condoms or not have sex during the pregnancy. It is unknown how long after infection women can transmit the virus to their partners.