France against traveling to Zika-hit nations

France on Thursday asked pregnant women not to travel to French overseas territories in South America and the Caribbean where the mosquito-borne Zika virus has led to a rise in birth defects. "This is a serious epidemic (that) can have neurological effects and complications for pregnant women and birth defects for their baby," Health Minister Marisol Touraine said. "So I want to very strongly urge women planning to go to Martinique, French Guiana or the overseas territories that, if they are pregnant... they postpone their trip."  Touraine announced mainland France will soon be sending medical staff to Martinique, a French island in the Caribbean.