The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has revealed that the Zika virus is being increasingly associated with the cases of birth defects.

World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said 3,893 microcephaly cases have been reported in Brazil, along with 49 deaths.

Dr. Johnson says, pregnant women who have visited any of these countries recently should contact their physician.

Pregnant women traveling to impacted areas should take precautions to limit their exposure to mosquitoes, the agency said.

Meanwhile, Sealy Thomas told OBSERVER media that "There have been no laboratory confirmed cases of Zika virus in Antigua & Barbuda". Other places on the list include the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a USA territory; Brazil; Colombia; El Salvador; French Guiana; Guatemala; Haiti; Honduras; Martinique; Mexico; Panama; Paraguay; Suriname; and Venezuela.

The Zika virus remained unknown in America until previous year.

The Colombian government advised its female residents to postpone plans of getting pregnant for the next six to eight months if possible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday warned that the virus is spread through mosquito bites, and there are no vaccines to prevent the spread nor drugs to treat those infected.

Dr Hilary Kirkbride, travel and migrant health expert at PHE said: "The symptoms of Zika are similar to other mosquito-borne infections such as dengue, chikungunya and malaria so laboratory testing is essential for the correct diagnosis". The Zika virus is not directly transmittable from human to human, it is spread by mosquitoes that are not in the Netherlands.

Scientists are now investigating potential links between Zika and microcephaly - a congenital condition which causes abnormal brain growth. More so, travel warnings were also placed to a number of places in Central America as the plague continues.

Officials say we can help prevent the spread by removing any standing water areas where the mosquitoes breed, and by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long trousers when outside.

The CDC is urging doctors to ask pregant women about their travel history and test those who have travelled to regions where Zika is active who report symptoms within two weeks of travel.