CDC issues Zika virus travel notice for Cuba
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has added Cuba to its list of countries and territories where Zika virus is spreading after a local case was confirmed.
The first case of local transmission of Zika virus in the country was confirmed Tuesday: State media reported a 21-year-old Havana woman who had not traveled outside of Cuba was diagnosed after suffering symptoms of Zika, NBC News reported.
Cuba was one of a handful of countries that had previously only reported cases contracted while traveling abroad.
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The CDC advises that pregnant women should postpone trips to countries with active Zika virus transmission, and that women planning to become pregnant should speak to their doctor before the trip. Sexual transmission of Zika virus has increasingly been reported, and CDC has also said men who travel to countries affected by Zika should use protection if having sex with a partner who is or may become pregnant.
Cuba's addition to CDC's list of travel notices comes as President Obama has lifted many of the restrictions on Americans wishing to travel there.
While tourism is still banned — and will be until Congress acts — the barriers to entry are falling rapidly. U.S. airlines are planning to offer commercial flights by the fall. Americans need only fill out a form that says their trip is for educational purposes, and not tourism.
In a recent survey by TripAdvisor, 62% of U.S. respondents said they were interested in booking a trip to Cuba, and 25% said they plan to take a trip in the next 12 months.
Eleven percent said they are more interested in booking a trip knowing President Obama is visiting the country March 20-22.
Prior to the confirmed local case, Cuba had already assigned resources to combating Zika: More than 9,000 soldiers, police and university students are part of an effort to eliminate mosquitoes through fumigation and reducing standing water.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito is responsible for spreading Zika virus.
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