BOSTON, Aug. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A travel warning is currently in place for pregnant woman to avoid an area of Miami due to a mosquito-borne outbreak of the Zika virus. Officials at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believe this is the first time in the agency's history that they have recommended avoiding a community in the continental United States.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts covers the following services that may be related to Zika infection:

• Care for symptoms of the infection
• Testing for the virus if warranted:
  • Member has traveled to an area where the virus is active
  • Member has symptoms of infection
• Prenatal testing 
• Treatment/supportive care for children born with medical conditions caused by Zika infections  

"We've had a few members call recently asking if they will be covered and what symptoms they should be looking out for," said Dr. Tony Dodek, Associate Chief Medical Officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. "We want to reassure our members that coverage is provided and if their travels take them to areas where Zika is prevalent to take the appropriate precautions."

Precautions include using insect repellant, wearing protective clothing including long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and knowing that the type of mosquito that carries Zika is most active during the day.

For the latest information on Zika, including detailed guidance for pregnant women and couples thinking of having children, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts recommends members look to the CDC at www.cdc.gov/zika as well as the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Other areas where the Zika virus is active are Central and South America, the Caribbean, and South Pacific islands.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (www.bluecrossma.com) is a community-focused, tax-paying, not-for-profit health plan headquartered in Boston. We are the trusted health plan for more than 31,500 Massachusetts employers and are committed to working with others in a spirit of shared responsibility to make quality health care affordable. Consistent with our corporate promise to always put our 2.8 million members first, we are rated among the nation's best health plans for member satisfaction and quality. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts