The Department of Foreign Affairs has updated its travel advice for those visiting countires affected by the Zika virus.
There is currently an outbreak of Zika virus - a dengue-like mosquito-borne disease - in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Infection with Zika virus has been increasingly linked with a serious birth condition called microcephaly where the baby is born with an abnormally small head and/or brain damage.
An increase in cases of a neurological illness (called Guillan Barre Syndrome) have also been reported in areas where Zika virus outbreaks have occurred.
The department said women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, and plan to travel to areas affected by the Zika virus, are advised to discuss their travel plans with your healthcare provider and to consider postponing your travel to affected areas.
For most people, Zika causes only a mild illness, usually without symptoms. However, infection has been strongly linked with a serious birth condition called microcephaly.
Microcephaly means a baby born with an unusually small head. In these cases, the baby’s brain may not have formed properly during pregnancy.
As the Zika virus can be passed in a man’s semen, men returning from a Zika-affected area who do not have any symptoms of Zika are advised to practice safe sex, by wearing a condom, for one month after return.
Men who have developed symptoms that could be due to Zika virus infection (fever, headache, aches, pains, rash, itchy eyes) are advised to practice safe sex, by wearing a condom, for six months after return.
This is precautionary advice that may be revised as more information becomes available, the department said.
Last month three people were diagnosed with the Zika virus in Ireland, according to the HSE.
Two of the cases relate to people who picked up the virus in Colombia and were diagnosed on their return to Ireland while the third case originated in Barbados.