Pregnant women have been advised to postpone or cancel trips to Florida following the first domestic outbreak of the Zika virus in the state.
Four new cases of Zika in Miami announced last week appear to be the first caught from mosquitoes in the US, rather than from overseas travel.
Public Health England has updated the risk level in Florida to ‘moderate’ and the Government’s National Travel Health Network and Centre has advised pregnant women in England to consider postponing non-essential trips to Florida. In addition, people are being warned to use condoms and not to have unprotected sex during the trip and for eight weeks afterwards, even if they show no symptoms.
Thomas Cook, Thomson, First Choice and BA are allowing pregnant women who have booked trips to Florida to change their destination for free. Virgin Holidays has said it will give full refunds.
In adults, the disease causes a mild fever, joint pain and rash. But pregnant women can pass the virus on to babies, who can be born with microcephaly. Fifty three people have tested positive for the virus in Britain after visiting infected countries since the outbreak began in May last year, including three new cases in Yorkshire last week.
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