CDC issues travel advisory for Palau due to Zika virus

The Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday issued a travel alert for Palau, a popular destinations for Taiwanese tourists, after one case of indigenous Zika virus was reported there Monday.

The advisory also urges pregnant women or women planning to get pregnant to avoid Palau, which is best known for its snorkeling.

Adults who contract the Zika virus usually develop only mild symptoms, but infected pregnant women risk giving birth to deformed or stillborn babies.

Palau is now the eighth Asian country on the CDC's travel advisory list, after Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Maldives.

On the CDC's three-tier system advisory system, a travel alert is the second highest level and urges travelers to increase vigilance against the threat.

A travel warning is the highest level and advises against non-essential travel to the affected area, while a travel watch is the lowest and urges travelers to take precautions.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel