Women advised to avoid pregnancy as Zika virus spreads

Zika, a mosquito-borne virus linked to birth defects, is expected to spread to the United States and most of the Americas, the World Health Organization said Monday.

The virus has already traveled to 21 countries and territories since May 2015, WHO’s statement noted, and was traced to the birth of children with smaller-than-usual brains in Brazil.

The virus has affected as many as 1.3 million in Brazil, reports the Associated Press, where Olympics venues in Rio de Janeiro will undergo daily inspections to prevent the virus from spreading at this summer's games.

South American governments including Brazil and Colombia are asking also women to avoid pregnancy, according to AP. In El Salvador, authorities have asked women to not get pregnant until 2018.

"If this continues I'm going to speak with my husband about an operation on myself,” Sandra Barrios, 22, said in Santa Tecla, El Salvador. “I already have three children and I don't want problems."

Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel alert, suggesting pregnant women should avoid traveling to areas with Zika outbreaks.

Two factors contribute to the spread of virus, WHO's statement Monday explained.

First, populations in the Americans have not been exposed to the virus before. Second, it’s carried by Aedes mosquitos – present everywhere in the Americas except Canada and Chile.

The best ways to avoid the Zika virus are eliminating places where mosquitos breed (including objects, like old tires, that can collect water) and using personal mosquito prevention such as insect repellant and light-colored clothes.

Learn more the Zika virus here:

Five things to know about the Zika virus

Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter: @joshhafner