Meghan Markle: Endangering Her Unborn Baby By Traveling to Zika Zones?

As you’ve likely heard by now, Meghan Markle is pregnant with her first child.

And as you may have also heard, she and Harry are currently touring the globe on their first official royal tour.

Sources say Meghan chose to announce her pregnancy on Monday due to the fact that she knew she wouldn’t be able to conceal her bump as she spends the next several weeks posing for photo-ops with peasants.

Duchess Meg is already in her second trimester, and insiders say her bump was visible at Princess Eugenie’s wedding on Saturday.

She and Harry shared the big news with family and friends at the reception and filled the rest of the world in just 48 hours later.

So now Preg Meg is now free to travel and wear whatever she wants without some dusty Australian needling her with questions while fending off an eight-foot spider with his didgeridoo.

Yes, Meghan and Harry are currently Down Under, where they’ve spent the past couple days reassuring drought victims that God hasn’t abandoned them, despite the obvious fact that these poor bastards live in Australia.

(Just kidding, Aussies! Throw another shrimp on the barbie for us!)

Unfortunately, the next stops on their agenda have led to serious concerns about the health of Meghan’s unborn baby.

First, the royal couple will hit New Zealand, where they’ll probably be forced to pretend to give a sh-t as Peter Jackson gushes about some lame-ass Lord of the Rings trivia.

Then it’s off to Fiji and Tonga, both of which are still considered “Zika zones” by the CDC.

You don’t hear much about Zika in the news these days, mainly because it’s not much of a problem in the developed world.

But apparently, pregnant women are still advised to exercise extreme caution in Fiji and Tonga.

Insiders say Harry and Meg  “sought medical advice” before the trip and decided the risks are minimal.

That may sound dicey, but to be fair, royal doctors are probably in a class all their own.

Harry can probably just pop in and pick out a new organ from his clone whenever he feels like it, then grab a handful of stem cells from the receptionsist’s desk on his way out.

The same genius who’s been keeping the Queen alive for the past century likely hit Meghan with a super-secret vaccine, and then everyone shared a laugh about how he could totally do something about Prince Charles’ ears but chooses not too for the lulz.

Nothing to worry about!

View Slideshow: Meghan Markle Baby Bump Watch: Is She Showing Yet?

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Jim Henson Company to Sign Deal with CDC for Zika Cartoon, Starring Sid the Science Kid

The Centers for Disease Control is negotiating a near-million dollar deal with The Jim Henson Company to produce a cartoon featuring Sid the Science Kid … warning preschoolers about Zika. The CDC has filed legal docs stating its…

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Morena Baccarin -- My Ex Is Freaking Over Zika, Blocking Our Son"s Trip to Brazil

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Jill Duggar: Planning Biological Second Child Despite Zika Concerns

Over the summer, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard returned to Arkansas after spending the better part of a year doing missionary work in Central America.

The expectation among fans was that Jill and Derick would remain in the US for the foreseeable future.

After all, there former home in El Salvador had been quite literally plagued by the spreading Zika virus, making it unsafe for female residents to become pregnant.

This was no short-term concern, either.

Health officials warned that women who had been living in Zika hot spots should avoid becoming pregnant for at least three years.

Some have doctors have since dialed back those concerns, but there’s still no consensus on when it will be safe for women who lived in affected areas to get pregnant.

The Duggars, as you probably know, believe that it’s their moral imperative to spread their religious beliefs by procreating as often as possible after marriage.

It’s partially for that reason that so many fans were shocked to learn that Jill and Derick are planning to leave the country again as early as this winter.

Recent social media posts have given the indication that despite the fact that Derick is working as a substitute teacher in Jill’s hometown of Tontitown, the Dillards consider their time in Arkansas to be temporary.

It seems unlikely that Jill and Derick aren’t planning to have another kid in the near future, so perhaps they’re planning to adopt?

Not so much, if Derick is to be believed:

Derick Dillars Talks Adoption

“Adoption is something Jill and I have talked about in the past, and we’re not sure what the timing would look like, or if it would happen right now,” Derick tells the camera.

“Personally, I think are next child will come about biologically.”

Yes, it seems adoption is more of a far-off, abstract notion for Derick.

When it comes to his second child, Dillard seems to be intent on reproducing biologically.

Considering how unlikely it is for a married Duggar woman to go three years without getting pregnant, we guess that means the Dillards will be rolling the dice in a big way.

Watch Counting On to relive the Jill and Derick’s first trip to Central America.

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Jessa Duggar Pregnancy: Is She at Risk of Zika?!

Earlier this week, we learned that Jessa Duggar is pregnant with her second child.

The news didn’t come as a huge shock to fans, as rumors that Jessa is expecting have been circulating for months.

(When you go from a selfie a day to nothing for almost four months, it’s a pretty good indication that you’re hiding something.)

Still, many fans were a bit caught off guard, as it was widely assumed that Jill Duggar would be the first of the Duggar sisters to bring a second kid into the world.

Jill is older; she’s been married longer, and she’s been quite open about her desire to raise a massive family in the grand Duggar tradition.

But there’s one very important reason that Jill might have made the wise decision to hold off on popping out another Dillard:

For the past year, she and husband Derick have been living in El Salvador performing missionary work.

View Slideshow: Jessa Duggar Baby Bump Pics: 1 & Counting!

If you’ve caught the evening news at any point in the past eight months, you know that means Jill is at greater risk for the Zika virus.

These days, Jill is back home in Tontitown, Arkansas, but the disease is still poorly understood, and women who recently lived in or visited any of the more heavily-affected areas have been advised to avoid getting pregnant until further notice.

Unfortunately, that would also mean Jessa Duggar is at risk.

Jill’s younger sister revealed in her pregnancy announcement that she’s due in February, which mean she and Ben Seewald conceived around May…

…which is just a few months after they visited Jill and Derick in El Selvador.

In addition, several American travelers have brought the illness home with them, and while it’s only contagious through insect bites, cases of “homegrown” Zika are on the rise in areas where a visitor of tropical climes recently returned to the States.

In all likelihood, Jessa and her baby are just fine.

Even so, for the safety’s sake the smart thing would’ve been to wait a little longer for baby number two.

Watch Counting On online to see if the family addresses these concerns this season.

View Slideshow: Jessa Duggar Baby Photos: Welcome #BabySeewald!

Jessa Duggar Pregnancy: Is She at Risk of Zika?!

Earlier this week, we learned that Jessa Duggar is pregnant with her second child.

The news didn’t come as a huge shock to fans, as rumors that Jessa is expecting have been circulating for months.

(When you go from a selfie a day to nothing for almost four months, it’s a pretty good indication that you’re hiding something.)

Still, many fans were a bit caught off guard, as it was widely assumed that Jill Duggar would be the first of the Duggar sisters to bring a second kid into the world.

Jill is older; she’s been married longer, and she’s been quite open about her desire to raise a massive family in the grand Duggar tradition.

But there’s one very important reason that Jill might have made the wise decision to hold off on popping out another Dillard:

For the past year, she and husband Derick have been living in El Salvador performing missionary work.

View Slideshow: Jessa Duggar Baby Bump Pics: 1 & Counting!

If you’ve caught the evening news at any point in the past eight months, you know that means Jill is at greater risk for the Zika virus.

These days, Jill is back home in Tontitown, Arkansas, but the disease is still poorly understood, and women who recently lived in or visited any of the more heavily-affected areas have been advised to avoid getting pregnant until further notice.

Unfortunately, that would also mean Jessa Duggar is at risk.

Jill’s younger sister revealed in her pregnancy announcement that she’s due in February, which mean she and Ben Seewald conceived around May…

…which is just a few months after they visited Jill and Derick in El Selvador.

In addition, several American travelers have brought the illness home with them, and while it’s only contagious through insect bites, cases of “homegrown” Zika are on the rise in areas where a visitor of tropical climes recently returned to the States.

In all likelihood, Jessa and her baby are just fine.

Even so, for the safety’s sake the smart thing would’ve been to wait a little longer for baby number two.

Watch Counting On online to see if the family addresses these concerns this season.

View Slideshow: Jessa Duggar Baby Photos: Welcome #BabySeewald!

Demi Lovato Apologizes for Zika Virus Joke

Demi Lovato has issued an apology and an explanation.

In the following Snapchat video – which was shared on Friday and has since been deleted – the singer’s mother, Dianna Hart, jokes about something inappropriate.

Zika Virus Joke

 “Everybody down in Rio gonna get the Zika virus,” Hart says, referring to an illness that is prominent in Brazil.

Zika really has resulted in fears at the Olympics, with a handful of golfers and basketball players not participating this summer out of concern for the virus.

You can hear Lovato laughing in the background after her mom makes this quip… and this laughter has drawn a rebuke from followers online.

They don’t think the mention of a serious virus, one that can very likely result in birth defects for newborns, is anything to joke about.

And Lovato agrees.

She said in a subsequent Tweet that she wasn’t guffawing over the content of her mother’s joke, but rather the way in which she said it.

“In no way did I mean to offend anyone last night,” Lovato wrote, explaining:

“I was laughing at how southern my mom sounded, not the issue at hand. Deepest apologies.”

Lovato was basically forced to address this controversy after the hashtag #DemiLovatoIsOverParty started trending on social media.

This might seem like somewhat of a trite issue, but Lovato has been the one in the past to call out celebrities for jokes and references.

Back in 2014, Lovato took Meghan Trainor to task for an eating disorder joke the artist made.

And remember when Lovato referred to Taylor Swift as a fake feminist?

If you’re going to be critical of others for misspeaking, you have to face the music yourself when those critical tables are turned.

So kudos for Lovato for taking responsibility here in a timely manner.

Of course, Demi didn’t exactly sound too regretful over her actions.

She sounded a tad bitter, in fact, adding via Twitter:

“If you watch everything I do, you’re still a fan.. I ain’t goin nowhere bitches. … It’s an awesome feeling when you’re so content with life and yourself that hate doesn’t affect you..

“Feeling’ good y’all.”

We’re glad Demi is feeling good, but we wish she had not added this last part.

A simple, basic apology is always the way to go.

Earlier this year, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention took action against the Zika epidemic by issuing a travel advisory.

So it’s not as if people are just making this up. It’s a pretty big deal.

In June, Demi announced she was quitting Twitter and Instagram due to the harassment of idiotic trolls.

Less than 24 hours later, she returned to Twitter, writing: “F–k this.. I’m back bitches. And I’m coming back more honest than ever.”

On that account, she’s been right.

You won’t find many celebrities who speak their minds for often than Demi Lovato.

View Slideshow: 22 Times Demi Lovato Has Kept It Real

Hope Solo Taunted by "ZIKA" Chants in Olympic Opener

Hope Solo did not allow a single goal during the U.S. Women"s opening Olympic soccer match on Wednesday, helping the team shut out its opponent by a score of 2-0.

In the minds of fans at the match, however, this victory was hollow.

Because Solo is a actually a big loser.

The controversial goalie did not endear herself to Rio de Janeiro residents in the lead-up to this summer"s Olympics, sharing multiple social media messages that referenced the region"s Zika virus outbreak.

Last month, Solo joked about her preparations for these Games, first posting a photograph of herself in a mosquito net.

"Not sharing this!!! Get your own! #zikaproof #RoadToRio," she wrote as a caption to the image below.

She then put up another picture, this time depicting a bed with excessive amounts of bug repellent laid out for packing.

"If anyone in the village forgets to pack repellent, come and see me…#DeptOfDefense #zikaproof," she penned as the caption this time around.

"If I had to make the choice today, I wouldn"t go [to the Olympics]," she told Sports Illustrated at the time.

"The Zika virus is definitely a concern to me … I do know that it"s spreading and they don"t really have a vaccination to treat it, so it"s definitely worrisome."

It is, that much is true.

Zika is especially dangerous for pregnant woman because contracting it can give you baby a strong chance of being born with birth defects.

Solo says she understands the odds of getting the disease are slim, but she just wants to take every precaution possible.

Which is understandable. But she may have overdone it online.

She also doesn"t have the best reputation overall, having been accused of attacking her half-sister and nephew in June of 2014.

Just ask Maksim Chmerkovskiy how he feels about Hope Solo.

Asked after the game about the taunts you can clearly hear below, Solo blew them off as being part of the sport.

"Often times it"s part of the football culture to boo the goalkeeper. I"m okay with that," she told the press.

"I was pretty focused on the game. What goes on around me in the stadium, honestly, it doesn"t really matter." 

Jill Duggar: Pregnant With Twins Despite Zika Concerns?!

Lots of young, newly-married celebs are constantly at the center of pregnancy rumors, but with Jill Duggar, there’s good reason for it.

Jill and her husband Derick Dillard have been married for nearly two years, and she gave birth to son Israel Dillard just ten months after they got hitched.

That’s about the rate of procreation that people expect from the Duggars, but Jill and Derick have slowed their baby-making efforts considerably and little Izzy remains an only child.

Part of the problem, of course, is that Jill and Derick have been doing missionary work in Central America – a region currently being ravaged by the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

Women living in Central American nations have been cautioned to avoid getting pregnant for the next two years.

For a Duggar daughter, that’s like being told not to inhale oxygen for the next two years.

While it goes against their beliefs, there have been rumors of Jill and Derick using birth control or simply practicing abstinence out of fear of the virus, which has been shown to have devastating effects on the children of infected mothers.

So it was a surprise for Jill’s Instagram followers when she posted what many are interpreting as a hint that she’s carrying twins:

As you can see, the pic shows 1-year-old Israel entertaining himself with a mirror.

Nothing strange there – but Jill’s caption for the pic really has fans talking.

“This is how you entertain yourself when you don’t have any siblings yet… #mirrorbaby #twins?” Jill wrote.

The most likely interpretation is that Jill is simply joking about the fact that Izzy looks as though he’s playing with a twin brother in the photo.

But we can see why some folks think this is a subtle announcement.

Many believe Jill’s been hiding a baby bump in recent pics, and with the Duggar gals it’s pretty much always safe to assume one of them is pregnant.

Jill Duggar: Pregnant With Twins Despite Zika Concerns?!

Lots of young, newly-married celebs are constantly at the center of pregnancy rumors, but with Jill Duggar, there’s good reason for it.

Jill and her husband Derick Dillard have been married for nearly two years, and she gave birth to son Israel Dillard just ten months after they got hitched.

That’s about the rate of procreation that people expect from the Duggars, but Jill and Derick have slowed their baby-making efforts considerably and little Izzy remains an only child.

Part of the problem, of course, is that Jill and Derick have been doing missionary work in Central America – a region currently being ravaged by the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

Women living in Central American nations have been cautioned to avoid getting pregnant for the next two years.

For a Duggar daughter, that’s like being told not to inhale oxygen for the next two years.

While it goes against their beliefs, there have been rumors of Jill and Derick using birth control or simply practicing abstinence out of fear of the virus, which has been shown to have devastating effects on the children of infected mothers.

So it was a surprise for Jill’s Instagram followers when she posted what many are interpreting as a hint that she’s carrying twins:

As you can see, the pic shows 1-year-old Israel entertaining himself with a mirror.

Nothing strange there – but Jill’s caption for the pic really has fans talking.

“This is how you entertain yourself when you don’t have any siblings yet… #mirrorbaby #twins?” Jill wrote.

The most likely interpretation is that Jill is simply joking about the fact that Izzy looks as though he’s playing with a twin brother in the photo.

But we can see why some folks think this is a subtle announcement.

Many believe Jill’s been hiding a baby bump in recent pics, and with the Duggar gals it’s pretty much always safe to assume one of them is pregnant.

Duggar Family Compared to Zika Virus as Cancelation Threatens Another Reality Series

Last month, we reported that the the Duggar family’s latest reality series, Jill & Jessa: Counting On, is facing cancelation thanks to  advertisers who made it clear to TLC that they want nothing to do with the controversial show.

In the weeks that followed, more advertisers pulled out of Counting On, and the it’s becoming increasingly difficult for execs to keep the popular spinoff afloat.

In fact, one expert has compared the family’s rising public profile and declining profitability to the situation surrounding a notorious moqsuito-borne illness:

“There is no way TLC can keep this on the air,” said marketing guru David Johnson in a recent interview.

“TLC may think the family is ratings gold, but to advertisers, they’re more like the Zika virus!”

The comparison was likely inspired by the controversy surrounding Jill and Derick Dillard’s decision to stay in Central America despite the growing threat of Zika.

Johnson believes it’s a foregone conclusion that Counting On will be canceled, as the Duggar family remains “tainted” by the Josh Duggar sex scandal, as well as more recent lesser controversies, such as Derick’s poorly-received jokes about Zika.

“People will see that this new show is just a desperate ploy by the Duggars to reclaim the spotlight and hopefully make some dollars off the public,” Johnson said.

Yes, the Duggars may still be counting on for now, but it sounds like their days on television are numbered.

View Slideshow: 19 Things We Hope to See on Jill & Jessa: Counting On

Jill Duggar & Derick Dillard: Criticized For Joking About Zika Virus

For the past four months, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard have been in Central America with their 11-month-old baby Israel.

The couple is performing missionary work in an undisclosed nation (they’re believed to be in stationed in El Salvador), but while the Dillards are keeping mum on their exact location, they’re definitely living in a part of the world that’s being profoundly affected by the Zika virus.

Jill and Derick briefly returned to Arkansas last month, and it initially looked as though they planned to remain in the States in order to decrease their chances of contracting the mosquito-borne illness, which causes severe birth defects in the children of infected mothers.

The Dillards religious beliefs forbid them to use birth control, and rumors that Jill is pregnant with her second child have been circulating for several weeks.

To the surprise of many, however, the couple returned to Central America after spending just a few days in their hometown, presumably to film scenes for the upcoming TLC reality series Jill & Jessa: Counting On.

Now, some fans are concerned that Jill and Derick aren’t taking threat of contracting Zika seriously:

Derick recently posted the above photo, along with a caption that’s drawn criticism from many of his social media followers:

“I knew I could count on Walmart to have what I need to combat that Zika Virus! #beprepared #zika,” Derick wrote.

Derick is clearly joking, and that’s exactly what has some fans worried.

Those living in Zika hot spots have been advised to avoid getting pregnant for at least two years.

Even if the rumors that Jill is currently expecting turn out to be untrue, it’s very unlikely that the Dillards will go another two years without having a child.

Especially since the couple is almost certainly not heeding all the advice of health experts, it’s not surprising that Derick is being criticized for making flippant remarks about a very serious disease.

Here’s hoping he and Jill are taking their preventative measures more seriously than they seem to be.

View Slideshow: Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard Photos

Jill Duggar & Derick Dillard: BACK in Arkansas! Zika Virus to Blame?!

Back in September, Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard cut their missionary trip short and returned home to Arkansas after just a few weeks in Central America.

A minor scandal ensued, and the Dillards were forced to return funds donated by fans who felt they’d been duped. Jill and Derick resumed their humanitarian efforts shortly thereafter, but now it looks like they’ve once again returned to the States well ahead of schedule.

The above photo – which was recently posted to the Duggar family’s official Facebook page without a caption – appears to show the Dillards posing with 6-year-old niece Mackynzie at the “Duggar compound” in Tontitown, AR.

It is widely believed that Jill and Derick left Central America in order to avoid contracting the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which is known to cause birth defects in the children of infected mothers.

Women in the region have been advised to avoid getting pregnant for at least the next year, and Jill and Derick’s religious beliefs dictate that women should have as many children as possible. 

While there’s no way of knowing when the photo was taken, many fans have pointed out in the comments that it was posted on  January 26, which is the same day that the first case of Zika was reported in Arkansas.

View Slideshow: Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard Photos

Obviously, there’s no way of knowing if anyone in the Dillard family contracted or has been tested for Zika, but it’s safe to assume the illness played a role in Jill and Derick’s decision to return to the US.

The Duggars have not yet spoken publicly on the matter, but the photo seems to be their way of assuring concerned fans that Jill, Derick, and baby Israel are out of harm’s way.

Jill has been uncharacteristically quiet on social media for the past three weeks.

We’ll have updates on this story as more information becomes available.