CDC issues travel notice for Bali due to increased Zika cases in returning travelers

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC has issued a travel notice for Bali, Indonesia, following reports of an increased number of Zika cases in travelers returning from the island. Although local authorities have not declared a public health epidemic, international health authorities have noted small clusters of travel-associated Zika cases linked to Bali. Zika is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito, but can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her fetus and spread through sexual contact. For most people, Zika symptoms are mild or non-existent and resolve without medical treatment; there is no vaccine or specific treatment available. However, Zika poses risks to pregnant women and those trying to conceive, as it can affect fetal development, particularly in the first or second trimester. The CDC advises all travelers to prevent mosquito bites during and for three weeks after travel by using EPA-registered repellents, wearing protective clothing, and staying in screened accommodations. They also recommend practicing safe sex or abstaining for specific periods after travel males for 3 months, females for 2 months. Pregnant women and their male partners are advised to avoid travel to Bali if possible during periods of identified transmission, or to strictly follow prevention steps if travel is unavoidable. Those planning pregnancy should consider delaying conception after returning from Bali males for 3 months, females