An aedes aegypti mosquitoes is seen in The Gorgas Memorial institute for Health Studies laboratory as they conduct a research on preventing the spread of the Zika virus and other mosquito-borne diseases in Panama City February 4, 2016. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso

(Reuters) - Planes landing in the United Kingdom from countries affected by the Zika virus should be sprayed inside with insecticide, the UK government announced on Friday, according to the Guardian newspaper.

It is a precautionary measure to combat the mosquito-borne Zika virus linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil, the Guardian said. (bit.ly/20d0Q8K)

Health officials said Zika outbreaks have been reported in at least 26 countries in the Americas. Brazil has been the nation hardest hit but outbreaks have been reported in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

In the United Kingdom, the majority of aircraft from those regions are already sprayed inside as a precaution against malaria, another disease transmitted by mosquitoes, the newspaper said.

The World Health Organization on Monday declared the rapidly spreading Zika virus to be a global emergency.