Zika Travel Alert Issued Regarding India's 113 Cases

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently confirmed there is an outbreak of Zika virus in the state of Maharashtra, India.

The Times of India recently reported 113 confirmed Zika cases, of which 100 are from Pune district, including pregnant women.

On August 22, 2024, the CDC published a Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions, Travel Health Notice, offering specific Zika advice.

The CDC says all travelers to Maharashtra should prevent mosquito bites and sexual transmission of the Zika virus during and after travel. Zika virus is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito.

If you are planning pregnancy, you should delay pregnancy following travel to India based on the timeframes to prevent sexual transmission.

If you are pregnant, you should avoid travel to Maharashtra. If travel is unavoidable, you should strictly follow Zika prevention recommendations from your healthcare provider.

Infection during pregnancy can cause certain birth defects, says the CDC.

Furthermore, travelers to Maharashtra should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, rash, headache, joint or muscle pain, or red eyes during or after travel.

In addition to India, there have been over 40,000 Zika cases confirmed in the Region of the Americas in 2024.

There is currently no vaccine to prevent a Zika infection.

However, Valneva SE's VLA1601 second-generation Zika vaccine candidate has progressed in clinical trials.