Airlines offering refunds for flights to Zika-prone areas

U.S. airlines are offering refunds for flights to areas in the Caribbean and Latin America that have been affected by the Zika virus, The Associated Press reports. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel alert for pregnant women who are visiting areas that are prone to the Zika virus, which the agency has said is typically carried by mosquitos in tropical climates and can be spread to children during birth.   

Two of the largest U.S. airlines — United and American — have responded to the warnings by offering refunds to passengers to who are concerned about being exposed to the virus, according to the report. 

{mosads}Other carriers like Delta, Southwest and JetBlue airlines have said they are monitoring the Zika virus to see if it will be necessary to offer refunds to passengers who are concerned about the potential spread of the illness. 

The CDC has said “there is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Zika. 

“Travelers can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites,” the agency said in its recent travel warning. 

The CDC added that “no locally transmitted Zika cases have been reported in the continental United States, but cases have been reported in returning travelers.

“Locally transmitted Zika virus has been reported in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,” the agency said. “With the recent outbreaks, the number of Zika cases among travelers visiting or returning to the United States will likely increase.”