No Zika virus on Niue

Media advisory

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

No Zika virus on Niue

While the mosquito-borne Zika virus is spreading across the Americas and there have been outbreaks in the Pacific Islands, there is absolutely no sign of it on Niue and it is perfectly safe to travel there.

Zika virus is a rare tropical disease that can cause mild illness and possible birth defects, which is transmitted through bites from the same kind of mosquitoes that can spread other tropical diseases, like dengue fever, chikungunya and yellow fever.

There have been no diagnosed cases of Zika virus on Niue, and there are currently no public health warnings for the island. Most people infected with the Zika virus do not know they even have it as they only develop mild symptoms of rash, fever, joint pain and red eyes.

Being a coral ‘rock’ in the middle of the ocean, Niue does not have an overabundance of mosquitoes, but as at any time on a tropical island travellers are advised to use insect repellent, or cover up at times of the day when mosquitoes are most prevalent.

Ends

To learn more about going to Niue, please visit the Niue Tourism website:http://www.niueisland.com

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