Warning over uptick in terrifying Zika virus that causes brain damage – Britons are bringing it back from popular beach destinations

Britons travelling to holiday hotspots this summer have been urged to take care over fears they may bring back a brain-damaging disease.

Officials from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have today warned that cases of Zika virus are rising rapidly.

Zika is an illness typically transmitted after being bitten by an infected mosquito, but in rare cases it can be sexually transmitted.

While some symptoms can be similar to that of a fever – including high temperature, headache, sore eyes, swollen joints, and a rash – it can also be far more severe.

Pregnant women are urged to protect themselves against the virus because infection can trigger severe brain damage, particularly to developing foetuses.

Health officials are now sounding the alarm because nine cases have been reported in the UK already this year, surpassing the seven recorded in the entirety of 2025.

It is feared that Britons flying abroad are bringing the disease – which currently has no vaccine – back to the UK with them.

The most commonly reported location for exposure was Indonesia with four cases, followed by Thailand with two.

There appears to have been a major increase in Zika cases linked to Indonesia compared with previous years. 

Between 2014 and 2025, just one travel-associated Zika case linked to the country was reported in the UK, compared with four already this year.

Single cases of Zika exposure were also linked to travel to Malaysia, the Maldives and Singapore.

As Zika has no vaccine, experts say it is best protected against by avoiding mosquito bites.

However, it is not the only travel-related illness concerning health officials. 

The UKHSA’s alert also highlights continued cases of chikungunya, dengue, malaria and enteric fever.

A total of 59 chikungunya cases were reported between January and June 2026, with Sri Lanka accounting for the highest number of infections. 

Chikungunya, which is also transmitted through infected mosquitoes, is notorious for causing intense joint pain that can leave sufferers stooped over, as well as fever, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue and a rash.

Although most people recover within days or weeks, some continue to suffer debilitating joint pain or arthritis for months or even years.

In rare cases, the virus can affect the eyes, brain, heart or digestive system. 

Serious illness is uncommon but older adults and people with underlying health conditions are at greater risk of severe complications, which can sometimes prove deadly.

Meanwhile, 557 malaria cases were recorded across England, Wales and Northern Ireland between January and May. 

Another mosquito-borne illness, malaria is usually found in tropical regions including large areas of Africa and Asia, Central and South America, and parts of the Middle East.

It is one of the world’s biggest killers, claiming the life of a child every two minutes, according to the World Health Organization.

Most of these deaths occur in Africa, where 250,000 youngsters die from the disease every year.

However, death is almost entirely preventable when antimalarial tablets are taken correctly.

A high temperature, sweats, chills and headaches, as well stomach pain, a loss of appetite and muscle pains are all tell-tale signs of the disease.

It can also make children feel very tired and sleepy and cause yellowing of the skin, a sore throat and difficulty breathing, according to the NHS.

The NHS suggests all people travelling to an area where malaria is found get advice from a GP, nurse, pharmacist or travel clinic before they go.

Cases of dengue – also transmitted by mosquitoes – have also continued to rise through the spring and into summer, reaching their highest monthly total of 2026 in June. 

Most people with dengue experience flu-like symptoms, including a high temperature, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea, swollen glands and a rash.

But it can also develop into severe dengue, which can bring intense abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, and blood in the vomit or stool.

Elsewhere, travel-associated enteric fever – typhoid and paratyphoid – cases reached 287 between January and June. 

Typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever are bacterial illnesses which can be caught by drinking unclean water or contaminated food.

Typhoid fever is the more severe of the two, even though it has a vaccine on the NHS. 

While typically found in Asia, Africa, Central America and South America, most people living in Britain who catch it have recently travelled to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. 

Known as a ‘bleeding disease’, typhoid fever can cause serious and fatal complications without quick treatment.

Milder symptoms are high temperature, headaches, chills, pains and constipation, and occasionally rashes. 

But the more severe symptoms include internal bleeding or organs bursting.

It is caused by a type of salmonella bacteria that is usually spread through food and water contaminated with an infected person’s urine or faeces.

It can even lead to death if not treated quickly, famously killing the husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert in 1861.

Dr Hilary Kirkbride, consultant epidemiologist and head of travel health at UKHSA, said: ‘Summer is a popular time to travel – don’t let illness spoil your holidays. Good preparation and planning is important for a safe and enjoyable trip.

‘Check the TravelHealthPro website for the latest health advice for your destination, including which vaccines you may need and any important medications, such as antimalarial tablets. 

‘To protect against mosquito borne infections use insect repellent, cover exposed skin and sleep under a treated bed net where needed. 

‘For enteric fever and other stomach bugs make sure you take good food and water hygiene precautions.

‘Even if you have visited a country before, you do not have the same level of natural protection against infections as permanent residents, so it is important to take precautions every time you travel. 

‘And if you are pregnant or trying to conceive there are special precautions you should take, so please speak to a doctor, nurse or local travel clinic before planning your trip.’

Experts have previously warned that mosquito-borne diseases are becoming an increasing concern due to climate change. 

Professor Rachel Lowe, from the global health resilience group at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center in Spain, has said: ‘Global warming due to climate change means that the disease vectors that carry and spread malaria and dengue can find a home in more regions, with outbreaks occurring in areas where people are likely to be immunologically naive and public health systems unprepared.

‘The stark reality is that longer hot seasons will enlarge the seasonal window for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases and favour increasingly frequent outbreaks that are increasingly complex to deal with.’