Zika

The species of mosquito that transmits Zika is the same as the mosquito that transmits Dengue, Chikungunya and Yellow Fever.² 

By being bitten by infected mosquitoes which carry the virus. The disease can also be caught through sex with an infected partner or from mother to baby during pregnancy.²

Many countries in the Pacific region, South and Central America, the Caribbean, parts of Africa, and parts of south and southeast Asia (see map).¹

Most people do not develop symptoms. If present, they may appear between 3-14 days and are generally mild. They can last 2-7 days and include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle pain, joint pain, feeling of being generally unwell, and headache.²

Some babies born to women who become infected can have severely abnormal brain development. Possible links with a range of other complications are being investigated.² 

You can take the following precautions to help reduce your risk of infection:

• Visit your nearest convenient pharmacy or specialist travel health clinic for a risk assessment before your trip
• If pregnant or intending to become pregnant women should take extra care to avoid being bitten, and try to avoid becoming pregnant while travelling and for 3 months afterwards³
• Use a recommended insect repellent containing either Picaridin, DEET, PMD or OLE (oil of lemon eucalyptus), IR3535 or 2-undecanone⁴
• Wear appropriate clothing (e.g. loose fitting long-sleeved clothes, long trousers, socks and shoes) to minimise exposed skin^5,6
• Use insecticide-treated mosquito nets if you are sleeping or resting in accommodation without air conditioning or sleeping outdoors during the day or night⁵
• Practise safer sex (including using condoms)²