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Zika virus (ZIKV): clinical and travel guidance

Travel and clinical advice on Zika with respect to assessing pregnant women following travel, epidemiology, symptoms and transmission.

From:
UK Health Security Agency
Published
11 December 2015
Last updated
10 June 2025 — See all updates

Zika is a mosquito-borne infection caused by Zika virus, a member of the genus flavivirus and family Flaviviridae. Zika virus was first isolated from a monkey in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947.

Following the 2015 to 2016 outbreak in the Americas and Caribbean, Zika virus is now thought to be endemic in this region as well as in much of Africa and Asia.

Latest updates

Travellers should use the country information pages on the NaTHNaC website for up-to-date and detailed advice for those travelling to countries or areas affected by Zika virus. Information is found in the ‘other risks’ section for affected areas.

For further advice regarding:

Epidemiology

Symptoms and complications

Transmission

Preventing infection by sexual transmission

Travel advice

Information and advice for travellers on the risk of Zika are available from the country information pages on the NaTHNaC website. Information is found in the ‘other risks’ section for affected areas.

Zika and pregnancy

Guidance for primary care and clinicians has been jointly developed by the UK Health Security Agency, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal College of Midwives, and Health Protection Scotland.

Zika virus infection may present an increased risk for certain groups of the population, particularly pregnant women. Specific travel advice for women planning pregnancy or who are currently pregnant is available.

Neonatologist guidance

Immunocompromised patients

Laboratory diagnosis

UK risk assessment

If a person acquires Zika abroad and becomes ill on their return to the UK, any public health risk to the wider population is negligible, as the mosquito that transmits the virus is not found in the UK.

UK mosquito surveillance

Updates to this page

Published 11 December 2015
Last updated 10 June 2025 show all updates

  1. Changed 'Epidemiology and cases diagnosed in the UK' to 'Epidemiology' and added link to a new page titled 'Laboratory-confirmed Zika virus disease cases: statistics'.

  2. Amended latest updates and travel advice sections.

  3. Updated with the latest guidance.

  4. Added update on the process to review Zika recommendations for travellers.

  5. Updated to reflect changes in travel and sexual transmission advice and revised Zika virus risk ratings.

  6. Updated UK case numbers.

  7. Latest update to UK case numbers

  8. Added statement about Zika virus country classifications.

  9. Update to UK case numbers, and update to laboratory testing advice

  10. Latest update to UK case numbers.

  11. Sexual transmission advice algorithm added.

  12. Latest updates to country specific risks

  13. Latest update to UK case numbers.

  14. Latest update to UK cases.

  15. Latest update to country specific risks

  16. Latest updates to sexual transmission advice, primary care guidance, travel advice, UK case numbers and laboratory diagnosis.

  17. Updated UK imported case totals.

  18. Updated country specific Zika risk.

  19. Updated country specific Zika risk.

  20. Latest update to UK imported case totals.

  21. Updated country specific Zika risk.

  22. Updated country specific Zika risk.

  23. Updated UK imported case totals.

  24. Latest update to country specific risk

  25. Latest update to UK case numbers.

  26. Latest update to sexual transmission advice.

  27. Latest updates to UK cases and country specific risks page.

  28. Latest update to country specific risks page.

  29. Latest update to UK case numbers.

  30. Latest update to country risks page.

  31. Latest update to UK case numbers.

  32. Updated UK imported case numbers.

  33. Updated country risks page.

  34. Updated UK case numbers.

  35. Updates to country specific risks.

  36. Update to Country specific risks page

  37. Latest updates: UK case numbers

  38. Latest update to country specific risks page.

  39. UK imported cases updated.

  40. Added latest update to Zika in pregnancy

  41. Added latest updates to UK imported cases and country specific risks.

  42. Added information on UK mosquito surveillance.

  43. Revised: sample testing advice, guidance in pregnancy, for primary care and neonatologists.

  44. First published.

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