Guidance

Zika virus: country specific risk

Countries or areas with current or past Zika transmission have been classified into one of two risk ratings.

This guidance was withdrawn on

Travellers should use the country information pages on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website for up-to-date and detailed advice when travelling to countries or areas affected by Zika virus. Information is found in the Other risks section for affected areas.

Latest update

Public Health England (PHE) does not provide detailed travel health advice in relation to Zika virus.

Use the country information pages (CIPs) on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website for up-to-date and detailed advice for those travelling to countries or areas affected by Zika virus. The CIPs are linked to each individual country from the A to Z country list below.

Zika virus risk rating for countries, territories or areas

Countries or areas with current or past Zika virus transmission have been given 1 of 2 risk ratings (risk or very low risk) based on Zika virus epidemiology and risk to UK travellers. The greatest likelihood of acquiring Zika virus infection is in a country with risk, however, the individual risk of infection is likely to be lower if mosquito bite avoidance measures are followed.

An A to Z list of countries and areas and their Zika virus risk ratings is available.

Countries that have never reported Zika virus transmission are not listed in the A to Z list.

There is no specific travel advice for countries with presence of the mosquito vector and close proximity to countries that have reported Zika transmission but with no evidence of Zika virus. Other vector borne diseases may be present in these countries so appropriate precautions should be taken. Further advice regarding travel to these countries is available from the NaTHNaC country information pages.

To produce the country or area risk ratings, the UK uses data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and epidemic intelligence systematically collected by PHE and NaTHNaC. This information is reviewed on a regular basis and the A to Z list updated as required.

The rationale and criteria for classifying the Zika risk for countries or areas in the A to Z list is available on the NaTHNaC website. Risk countries include those where there is evidence of current or recent outbreaks with significant transmission, new introduction or re-introduction of Zika virus or endemic transmission. Very low risk countries have interrupted transmission and a potential for future transmission.

A to Z of countries

To determine the Zika risk for a country or area of travel, use the A to Z and follow the links to country specific travel advice from NaTHNaC.

This list will be subject to change as the Zika virus outbreak situation in each area continues to evolve. It is strongly advised to continuously refer back to this list (which will be kept updated) and not rely on printed copies.

A

Country name Risk rating
American Samoa Very low risk
Angola Risk
Anguilla Risk
Antigua and Barbuda Risk
Argentina Risk
Aruba Risk

B

Country name Risk rating
Bahamas Risk
Bangladesh Risk
Barbados Risk
Belize Risk
Bolivia Risk
Bonaire Risk
Brazil Risk
British Virgin Islands Risk
Burkina Faso Risk
Burma (Myanmar) Risk
Burundi Risk

C

Country name Risk level
Cambodia Risk
Cameroon Risk
Cape Verde Risk
Cayman Islands Very low risk
Central African Republic Risk
Chile - Easter Islands Very low risk
Colombia Risk
Cook Islands Very low risk
Costa Rica Risk
Côte D’Ivoire Risk
Cuba Risk
Curaçao Risk

D

Country name Risk level
Dominica Risk
Dominican Republic Risk

E

Country name Risk level
Easter Island - Chile Very low risk
Ecuador Risk
El Salvador Risk
Ethiopia Risk

F

Country name Risk level
Fiji Risk
Florida, USA Very low risk
French Guiana Risk
French Polynesia Very low risk

G

Country name Risk level
Gabon Risk
Grenada Risk
Guadeloupe Very low risk
Guatemala Risk
Guinea-Bissau Risk
Guyana Risk

H

Country name Risk level
Haiti Risk
Honduras Risk

I

Country name Risk level
India Risk
Indonesia Risk

J

Country name Risk level
Jamaica Risk

L

Country name Risk level
Laos Risk

M

Country name Risk level
Malaysia Risk
Maldives Risk
Marshall Islands Very low risk
Martinique Very low risk
Mexico Risk
Micronesia, Federated States of Very low risk
Montserrat Risk
Myanmar (Burma) Risk

N

Country name Risk level
New Caledonia Very low risk
Nicaragua Risk
Nigeria Risk

P

Country name Risk level
Palau Very low risk
Panama Risk
Papua New Guinea Risk
Paraguay Risk
Peru Risk
Philippines Risk
Puerto Rico Risk

R

S

Country name Risk level
Saba Risk
Saint Barthélemy Very low risk
Saint Kitts and Nevis Risk
Saint Lucia Risk
Saint Martin Risk
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Risk
Samoa Risk
Senegal Risk
Singapore Risk
Sint Eustatius Risk
Sint Maarten Risk
Solomon Islands Risk
Suriname Risk

T

Country name Risk level
Texas, USA Very low risk
Thailand Risk
Tonga Risk
Trinidad and Tobago Risk
Turks and Caicos Islands Risk

U

Country name Risk level
Uganda Risk
USA: Florida Very low risk
USA: Texas Very low risk
US Virgin Islands Risk

V

Country name Risk level
Vanuatu Very low risk
Venezuela Risk
Vietnam Risk
Virgin Islands (British) Risk
Virgin Islands (USA) Risk
Published 25 July 2016
Last updated 19 July 2019 + show all updates
  1. Added Ethiopia as a risk country.

  2. Simplified terminology used to describe the risk for Zika virus transmission in countries, now classified as either 'risk' or 'very low risk'.

  3. Added India: Rajasthan and Rajasthan, India as High Risk regions.

  4. Risk rating changes: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba and Sint Eustatius have changed from high to moderate; Nicaragua changed from moderate to high and Marshall Islands changed from moderate to low.

  5. Myanmar (Burma) and Burma (Myanmar) have been added as moderate risk.

  6. Updated Micronesia and Palau to low risk

  7. Updated Cuba to high risk

  8. Updated to reflect changes in travel and sexual transmission advice and revised Zika virus risk ratings.

  9. Added India as moderate risk.

  10. Addition of a statement pending revision to country classifications

  11. Angola (moderate risk) added to Country A to Z listing.

  12. USA, Texas (Cameron County) added as moderate risk

  13. Added Palau as high risk.

  14. Added Montserrat as high risk.

  15. Changed Solomon Islands from moderate to high risk.

  16. Updated: Vietnam from moderate to high risk; Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands from low to moderate risk.

  17. New Caledonia changed from low to moderate risk

  18. Philippines changed from moderate to high risk.

  19. Maldives changed from Low risk to Moderate risk.

  20. Added St. Kitts and Nevis to country A to Z listing.

  21. Added a second moderate risk definition to the table describing risk categories; changed Tonga to moderate risk.

  22. Changed Malaysia from low to moderate risk.

  23. Singapore added to country list.

  24. Clarification of Florida risk, and addition of British Virgin Islands.

  25. Bahamas added to country table.

  26. Added Cayman Islands to country listing.

  27. Changed status for Cuba and Vietnam.

  28. Links added for Antigua and Barbuda, Turks and Caicos. Clarification about country specific risk and travel precautions.

  29. Added Florida, USA to the A to Z listing.

  30. Added Antigua and Barbuda, Turks and Caicos Islands to the A to Z listing.

  31. Changed Indonesia to moderate risk in A to Z of countries.

  32. First published.