US citizens wary of travelling to Latin America over zika

The rapidly spreading zika virus is discouraging many Americans from travelling to Latin America and the Caribbean, with 41% of those aware of the disease saying they are less likely to take such a trip, a Reuters/ Ipsos poll shows.

The poll is the latest sign the virus, suspected to be linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil, could depress travel to popular cold-weather getaways in the coming months.

Airlines and cruise ship operators have yet to report drops in bookings because of zika, and analysts have downplayed the impact that newly sedentary parents- to-be could have on their revenue.