11 Popular Honeymoon Destinations Added To Zika Warning List

Eleven new countries have been added to the list of destinations pregnant women should avoid over the Zika threat, many of them among the top choices for honeymooning newlyweds and couples. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has advised pregnant women to avoid all non-essential travel to Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor) and Vietnam. Zika, a mosquito-borne virus, has swept through countries in South and Central America causing an exponential rise in birth defects, including microcephaly and severe fetal brain abnormalities. A statement from the organisation said:

"CDC recommends pregnant women should consider postponing nonessential travel to Southeast Asia countries with reports of Zika virus infection from local transmission or related to travel to those countries, and those countries with adjacent borders where limited information is available to fully evaluate risk of Zika virus infection. Zika virus is considered endemic in some countries, and a large number of local residents are likely to be immune. However, US travelers to endemic areas may not be immune to Zika virus and infections have occurred among travelers to Southeast Asia."

While there is no vaccine or medicine for Zika virus infection, travelers can protect themselves by covering exposed skin and wearing DEET repellent to prevent mosquito bites and sleeping under a mosquito bed net. Zika virus can be passed through sex so the use of condoms during sex or abstaining from sex while traveling to these areas and after returning from these areas is recommended. Here in Ireland the HSE urges anyone who feels ill after travelling back from an affected country to contact their GP immediately and inform them of their recent travel history.