Carnival Warns Agents About Zika Upgrade
Photo: Pete Markham
Carnival Cruise Line has sent an advisory to travel agents, informing them of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) upgrade of the Zika virus to “Alert Level 2.”
While most cruise lines had sent notices in February, Carnival is one of the first to send an additional one after the upgrade, which now includes St. Lucia among the infected areas.
This week, the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that Zika can cause microcephaly in a child whose mother is infected during pregnancy, the first proof of a direct relationship between the virus and the disease.
In the advisory, Carnival alerts agents that their clients should take precautions when traveling in the infected areas, including applying insect repellent, always applying sunscreen before the repellent, and wearing a loose, long-sleeved shirt and long pants.
“Should your clients experience any symptoms of fever, headache, skin rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis (red eyes) while sailing with us, please have them contact the ship's Medical Center or their doctor if they have already returned home,” the warning reads.