Zika virus: Advice for travellers

Original publication date: January 28, 2014

Updated: November 19, 2024

Current situation

There is an outbreak of Zika virus in India. Most cases have been reported in the Pune district, in the state of Maharashtra. 

About Zika virus

Zika virus usually causes mild illness that lasts a few days. Many people don’t have any symptoms and might not know they are infected. Only 1 in 4 people who get Zika virus show symptoms. 

Common symptoms include:

• fever
• headache
• skin rash
• joint and muscle pain
• pink eye (conjunctivitis)

For a pregnant woman or pregnant person, getting a Zika virus infection can be very risky for the baby, even if they don’t have symptoms. Zika virus infection can lead to problems for the baby, such as:

• a smaller than normal head (microcephaly) 
• issues with the brain’s development 
• problems with vision or hearing
• other serious birth defects 

When some of these birth defects happen together, it is called Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS).

There have also been cases of a serious nervous system problem in adults called Guillain-Barré syndrome after getting a Zika virus infection. 

Zika virus mainly spreads through bites from infected mosquitos. It can also spread in these ways: 

• A pregnant woman or pregnant person with Zika virus passing the virus to their baby. 
• Sexual contact with someone who has Zika virus. This includes contact with fluids like semen, vaginal fluid, blood, or other body fluids during sex without a condom. Sharing sex toys might also spread the virus.
• A person with Zika virus donating cells, blood, tissue, semen, or organs. 

There is no vaccine to prevent Zika virus infection, or medication to treat it. If symptoms do appear, they usually go away on their own in a few days. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms.

Learn more:

Zika virus: Symptoms and treatment
Zika virus: Prevention and risks
World Health Organization: Guillain-Barré syndrome

Recommendations

Talk to a health care provider or visit a travel health clinic preferably at least 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice.

For all travellers to places with Zika virus risk

• Prevent mosquito bites all the time. Mosquitoes that spread Zika virus bite during the day and night. They usually don’t live at altitudes above 2,000 metres. To protect yourself:
  • use an approved bug spray (insect repellent) on exposed skin. For best results, read and follow all label directions.
  • wear light-coloured, loose long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck in your shirt and wear closed-toe shoes or boots and a hat.
  • sleep in a place that is fully enclosed with screens or walls to keep mosquitos out.
  • use a mosquito net (bed net) when sleeping outside or in a place that isn’t fully enclosed. Cover playpens, cribs, and strollers with mosquito netting.
  • consider wearing approved insect-repellent clothing.

• The Zika virus can be spread through sexual contact, and it can stay in semen for a long time. To prevent sexual transmission of Zika virus:
  • Always use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact while in areas with risk of Zika virus.
  • Males¹ should use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact for 3 months after travelling to areas with risk of Zika virus, or 3 months after their symptoms started (whichever is longer). They should also avoid donating semen during this time.
  • Females² should use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact for 2 months after travelling to areas with risk of Zika virus, or 2 months after their symptoms started (whichever is longer). If pregnant or planning a pregnancy, follow the advice below.

For anyone planning a pregnancy

If you are planning a pregnancy it’s important to understand the risks and take precautions. 

• Talk to a health care provider at least 6 weeks before travelling to an area with Zika virus. Pregnant women and pregnant people may want to avoid or delay trips to these places.
• Prevent sexual transmission of Zika virus for the duration of your pregnancy or your partner’s pregnancy (see guidance above).
• Males¹ should wait 3 months after travelling or 3 months after their symptoms started (whichever is longer) before trying to conceive with a partner.
• Females² should wait 2 months after travelling or 2 months after their symptoms started (whichever is longer) before trying to conceive.

Please note: The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recognizes that not everyone who becomes pregnant identifies as a woman, and not everyone who produces semen identifies as a man. 

¹This category includes people whose assigned sex at birth is male. 
²This category includes people whose assigned sex at birth is female.

Monitor your health

• See a health care provider if you had or still have symptoms of a Zika virus infection after your return to Canada.
• Tell your health care provider:
  • where you’ve been living or travelling
  • if you had unprotected sexual contact with someone who might have Zika.

Learn more:

Safer condom use
Personal insect repellents
Insect bite and pest prevention
Zika virus: Pregnant or planning a pregnancy

Information for health care professionals

The Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT) has developed a statement on Zika virus.

Canadian Recommendations on the Prevention and Treatment of Zika Virus

Learn more:

Zika virus: For health professionals

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