Orlando, Florida, is the most popular destination for British tourists where approximately 50,000 British holidaymakers currently in Florida have being advised to avoid unprotected sex for the rest of the summer holidays because of the risk from Zika virus, according to government advice.
An outbreak of four mosquito-transmitted cases yesterday prompted Public Health England (PHE) to advise pregnant women to consider postponing non-essential travel to the southern US state.
But for the large numbers of British tourists already there, the presence of the virus means that they should refrain from sex without a condom for eight weeks, even if neither partner has symptoms of the disease and there is no prospect of a pregnancy. More than 1,650 cases of Zika have been diagnosed in the United States. Though this is said to be the first time the disease has been spread by local insects, rather than as a result of foreign travel or sexual intercourse. It means the outbreak, as in Brazil, could be far harder to contain. Florida has now announced aggressive mosquito-control measures, although the evidence from South America, where the outbreak started, is that these have limited benefit. The virus is casting a shadow over the Rio Olympics, which begin next weekend, after a spate of athletes, such as golfer Rory McIlroy and tennis player Tomas Berdych, pulled out of the games, citing Zika.
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Other athletes who are travelling to Rio have said they will leave their families at home, including long jumper Greg Rutherford and the runner Jo Pavey. A spokesman for the British Olympic Association last night confirmed that the advice given to athletes regarding safe sex during and after the games was in line with PHE guidelines. More than 50 people have already tested positive for the virus in Britain after visiting infected countries since the outbreak started in May 2015.