State health officials are warning Michiganders headed south on vacation this winter to be aware that Zika is still a major health threat.
The mosquito-borne virus can cause serious birth defects. The Centers for Disease Control reports people have been infected in Florida, Texas, and Puerto Rico, as well as the Caribbean and South America.
Dr. Eden Wells is Michigan’s chief medical executive. She’s concerned travelers may be less worried because Zika has not been in the news very much lately.
"We still do not have a vaccine or medication for Zika," says Wells. "I think the research in the vaccine is improving but we already have 41 babies that have been born in the United States that are effected by Zika."
The health department says pregnant women or couples planning to become pregnant should not travel to places where Zika-carrying mosquitoes are active.
Others should take precautions to reduce exposure to mosquitoes while vacationing in warmer climates.
