Warning for Brit tourists heading to Florida after fears of Zika outbreak on US mainland
British tourists are being warned against travelling to Florida after fears of a Zika virus outbreak in the sunshine state.
Last year, nearly two million Brits holidayed in the US state which reportedly has four new cases of the disease transmitted by mosquitoes present in the US.
Previous infections in Florida have resulted from people travelling abroad or having sexual contact with another sufferer.
The popular east-coast state has already seen more than 300 Zika cases linked to Florida residents travelling to countries such as Brazil.
There are now serious concerns that the disease has established itself in the United States through disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Brits considering holidaying in Florida are being advised by officials to consult their GP “particularly if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant”.
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A spokesperson for US Centres for Disease Control said: “Evidence is mounting to suggest local transmission via mosquitoes is going on in South Florida.”
Public Health England advised pregnant women against “non-essential travel” to the state if the new cases are confirmed as mosquito-related.
PHE medical director and director of health protection, Paul Cosford, said: “We know the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is known to carry Zika virus, is present in Florida.
“If the cases in Florida are confirmed then the risk would be considered moderate and pregnant women would be advised to consider postponing non-essential travel.
“Advice to all travellers remains to avoid mosquito bites.”
According to Visit Florida, 1.72million British nationals travelled to Florida in 2015.
There are around 80 species of mosquito in Florida, due to its humid and hot climate.
While the Zika virus causes only mild illness in people carrying the infection, it causes a devastating birth defect which shrink’s the baby’s head and brain.
Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Health reportedly began investigating a woman in Miami-Dade County, Florida, who had tested positive for Zika but had no history of travelling abroad.
Now three more non-travel cases have reportedly been recorded - two in the neighbouring county of Broward County and another in Miami-Dade.
Tom Skinner, senior press officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told Reuters: “Evidence is mounting to suggest local transmission via mosquitos is going on in South Florida.”
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