TRAVEL

Zika virus prompts new travel alerts, airfare refunds

Ellen Creager
Detroit Free Press

The rapidly spreading Zika virus is prompting new federal travel alerts for pregnant women and causing airlines and cruise lines to offer ticket refunds or credits for those who need to postpone travel.

Barbados is an island in the Caribbean where the Zika virus has been found.

Noting that Zika poses a severe danger to fetuses of pregnant women, U.S. airlines are offering waivers to some passengers headed to nations in the Caribbean, Central and South America and Mexico. Delta and JetBlue have joined American and United in responding.

Meanwhile, the CDC this week added two new spots where Zika local transmission has been found: the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.

Zika is not everywhere in the Caribbean, but the virus has been locally transmitted by mosquitoes in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Barbados, Guadalupe, Haiti, Martinique, St. Martin, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. It also has been transmitted in Mexico and many nations in Central and South America, especially Brazil. The CDC is continually updating the list as more nations are added (www.cdc.gov/zika/.)

Countries with confirmed Zika virus cases

The CDC also advises women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant to postpone travel to areas where they could contract Zika. There is a risk that the virus contracted by a pregnant woman could cause a severe birth defect called microcephaly in the fetus.

Jamie Vernier, 30, of Troy, this week cancelled a planned April trip to Cancun with her husband. She is 16 weeks pregnant.

“It wasn’t worth the risk of harming our baby just for a fun week in Cancun,” she said. “We can always plan another trip in the future.” The couple had travel insurance so got their money back.

The virus is transmitted only by a certain type of mosquito, not from person to person except in pregnant women's transmission to the fetus and possibly in semen from an affected man to others, according to the CDC. Although it poses a grave risk to the fetus, for others, the virus causes just mild to moderate flu-like symptoms or none at all.

Public health officials believe Zika-carrying mosquitoes could be inadvertently carried back to the U.S. by returning travelers.The few cases of Zika in the U.S. so far are from people who traveled outside the U.S. to at-risk nations.

Zika is similar to dengue fever or yellow fever. It is not a new virus. It causes fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis.

AAA Michigan compiled a list of travel providers that are responding to the Zika situation. They include:

  • United Airlines: Customers can postpone trips or get refunds on flights to Zika-impacted regions.
  • American Airlines: Refunds are available for tickets to El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Guatemala, with a doctor's note.
  • Carnival Corp: Pregnant women can cancel and get credit for themselves and their traveling companions for a future cruise.
  • Norwegian Cruise Line: The line will work with pregnant women whose cruise cancellation date has passed.
  • Disney Cruise Lines: Clients who are pregnant  can modify their cruise reservation.
  • Pleasant Holidays: Change and cancellation fees will be waived.

In addition, Delta Air Lines has issued an advisory that allows pregnant women and others holding tickets to Zika-affected nations to call 800-221-1212 and work with a representative to change plans.

On Thursday JetBlue also began working with pregnant travelers to change tickets to Zika-affected destinations.

What should pregnant travelers do? Consult their doctors and get a doctor's note if you need to cancel your trip. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued guidance for its members on how to treat pregnant women who have already traveled and possibly picked up the Zika virus, and for pregnant women planning to travel outside the country.

In addition, pregnant women with travel plans to at-risk areas should contact their travel providers and ask them to waive charges to change or cancel travel plans.

Contact Detroit Free Press Travel Writer Ellen Creager at ecreager@freepress.com.