Travel Agents Scramble For Clients Impacted By Zika Warning

CHICAGO (CBS) – Health officials in Miami are investigating another new case of Zika, now at total of 15.

Here in Chicago, fear of infection is forcing many travelers to change their plans.

Two counties in the Miami area, health officials say, are the most dangerous in terms of exposure to the Zika virus.

That might not sound like a lot. However, pregnant women or women thinking of starting a family should change their travel plans now, experts say.

In an unprecedented warning from the Centers For Disease Control, pregnant women shouldn't travel in particular to one popular Miami neighborhood. Pregnant women who live or work there should do everything possible to avoid mosquito bites.

Never before has the agency warned travelers to stay away from an American destination.

Travel agencies are seeing the effects.

"Just this morning, we have an agent that was working with a family that was going to go to Miami but their daughter-in-law is pregnant and they wanted to be a little cautious," said Nicki Squittieri.

The family changed their destination to San Diego.

Squittieri says initially travelers canceled trips, now they're just changing destinations.

Travelers stand to lose money when they change their plans, but that depends on how far in advance they booked their trip and whether they bought travel insurance, something most travel agents recommend.

"Then you're covered and it just makes everything so much easier and you have more options, said Squittieri.

Prices for non-tropical destinations like San Diego or Alaska could also increase dramatically, experts say.

In Illinois, there are 35 reported cases of Zika, but in those cases the patients traveled to infected areas and were bitten by mosquitoes.

The chances of contracting Zika from a mosquito in Illinois is unlikely.

"The mosquito that is known to transmit Zika virus is not commonly found in Illinois," said Dr. Nirav Shah, the state's public health director. "Nevertheless, what we in public health have to do is look ahead, think ahead and try to look around the corners."