Exploration of Zika virus travel-related transmission and a review of travel advice to minimise health risk to UK travellers

The World Health Organization (WHO) on 1 February 2016 declared the Zika virus outbreak is a global public health emergency. Zika virus is thought to have led to more than 11,000 deaths and nearly 4,000 cases of microcephaly in Brazil since the start of the outbreak in May 2015. WHO predicted that, in 2016, as many as four million people may be infected with the virus. [1] Health experts have warned that the risk of transmitting Zika virus in the United Kingdom (UK) is very high because South America has become an increasingly popular tourist destination for UK travellers. [2] Given the declaration of Zika virus outbreak as a global public health emergency, this study explores Zika virus travel-related transmission and review current travel advice to minimise health risks to UK travellers. The evidence from our initial literature review showed that there is a paucity of research information on the recent Zika virus outbreak. Thus, the evidence used in this study was gathered from surveillance reports published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Public Health England (PHE), Fitfortravel (NHS Scotland) and NHS Choices reports were reviewed for Zika virus outbreak alerts and travel advice. The study finds that Zika virus, which originated in East Africa, is now transmitted in South and North American countries and the Caribbean islands through travel and, to prevent the disease epidemic in the UK, health care professionals are required by PHE to offer advice to travellers to and from the Zika-affected countries. [3] As travel advice is likely to change as more information becomes available, we recommend that professionals supplying this service should be checking on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website to stay abreast of the latest Zika virus updates.