MANILA, Philippines — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned travelers, especially pregnant women, coming to several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, to postpone non-essential travels due to the Zika virus.
The CDC said the Zika virus has been present in areas of Southeast Asia for many years with several countries reporting occasional cases of the infection.
Although a large number of local residents are likely to be immune, the CDC could not say the same for travelers. Countries where the virus is endemic or has a lower number of cases like the Philippines, may still be unsafe for travelers.
CDC said the risk of traveling to the Philippines is unknown but is likely lower than those where Zika is newly introduced and spreading.
It advised pregnant women who traveled to the Philippines or other Southeast Asian countries to undergo Zika virus testing. Those traveling to the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, meanwhile, must follow steps to prevent mosquito bites.
Other countries included in the warning are as follows:
- Brunei
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste (East Timor)
- Vietnam
According to recent reports, Zika virus cases recorded this year in the Philippines rose to 12.
Department of Health spokesman Eric Tayag said that in all cases, the Zika virus was transmitted through mosquito bites with no active transmission as of now.
Government officials, meanwhile, recently began distributing anti-Zika packets containing mosquito repellents and nets starting in Bacolod City.