Zika virus: symptoms, pregnancy risks and travel advice for the UK

The NHS says most people have few or no symptoms if they get Zika virus. If you do have symptoms, they are usually mild and last around 2 to 7 days.

• A high temperature.

• A headache.

• Sore, red eyes.

• Swollen joints and joint and muscle pain.

• Lower back pain.

• A rash and itching all over the body.

The NHS says Zika virus is usually caught by being bitten by an infected mosquito, and very rarely by having sex with someone who has it. It is found in parts of South and Central America, the Caribbean, the Pacific islands, Africa and Asia. The NHS says the mosquitoes that carry it are not found in the UK.

The NHS says to check the risk for your destination before you travel, and TravelHealthPro (the UK national travel health service) provides country-specific risk information.

The NHS says Zika virus can cause serious problems during and after pregnancy. It says you should consider avoiding travelling to a country with a risk of Zika virus if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy in the near future. TravelHealthPro says that where there is a large outbreak, pregnant women should consider postponing non-essential travel until after pregnancy, and in other destinations should discuss the suitability of travel with their healthcare provider.

If you are pregnant and have Zika virus, the NHS says your midwife or obstetrician will discuss the risk with you and may arrange a blood test and an ultrasound scan to check your baby's growth and development, and refer you for more monitoring.

• Loss of the baby before birth, premature birth or stillbirth.

• Problems with the baby's brain, hearing and eyesight.

• An unusually small head (microcephaly).

The NHS gives this advice if there is a chance you or your partner could get pregnant. Speak to your midwife or doctor if you are worried your unborn baby may be affected.

The NHS says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have recently travelled to a country with a Zika risk and you have symptoms, you or your partner are pregnant, or you or your partner get pregnant within 3 months of coming back to the UK.

The NHS says Zika can rarely cause Guillain-Barre syndrome. Call 999 or go to A&E if you have recently travelled to a Zika risk country and have numbness, pins and needles, muscle weakness or pain in your feet and hands that spreads to your arms and legs.

The NHS says there are no specific treatments. If you have symptoms you should get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and take pain relief such as paracetamol. TravelHealthPro says there is no vaccine or medication to prevent Zika virus infection.

The NHS says to get advice from your GP surgery, a pharmacy or a travel clinic before travelling, ideally 4 to 6 weeks before you go, though last-minute advice is still worthwhile. The NHS suggests the following to avoid infection, noting that the mosquitoes that carry Zika are most active during the day.

• Use insect repellent on your skin that is 50% DEET-based.

• Sleep under mosquito nets treated with insecticide.

• Wear loose clothing that covers your arms and legs.

On the NHS, advice and assessment come from your GP, midwife or NHS 111, and pregnancy-related testing and scans from maternity services. Travel clinics, including private ones, offer pre-travel risk advice and repellent guidance, but there is no Zika vaccine, so they cannot immunise you against it. Tell your GP or midwife about travel to risk areas.