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Chikungunya in the Americas

27 July 2018

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)Link reports ongoing transmission of chikungunya in a number countries in the Americas.

Bolivia has reported 74 chikungunya cases from the start of 2018 to 19 June. Bolivia reported only 22 cases in the same period in 2017.

Brazil reports 19 371 cases from the start of the year to 23 June 2018. The trend for 2018 is decreasing compared to previous years.

Costa Rica has reported 63 chikungunya cases from the beginning of the year to 22 June 2018.

El Salvador has reported 171 cases from the beginning of the year to 7 July 2018. In the same period in 2017, there were 347 cases.

Mexico has reported 11 cases from the start of the year to 30 June 2018

Paraguay has reported 1148 chikungunya cases in 2018, up to 23 June 2018. Among the areas where cases have been confirmed are Central, Amambay, Guaira and Paraguari Departments.

Advice for Travellers

No vaccine is available against Chikungunya. Mosquito bite avoidance is the only method of reducing the risk of infection.

All travellers to endemic regions should be aware of the risk of CHIKV infection and be advised to practise strict bite avoidance measures, see Mosquito Bite Avoidance.

Aedes mosquitoes are particularly persistent and aggressive and bite primarily during the day.

Methods of bite avoidance include:

  • Wearing long, loose, lightly coloured clothing to cover up the skin during the day.
  • The use of insect repellant containing DEET applied to any exposed skin.
  • When sunscreen and DEET are used together, DEET should be applied after sunscreen. The effectiveness of repellent reduces more rapidly than sunscreen, therefore, repellent may have to be reapplied on top of sunscreen.
  • The use of permethrin, impregnated mosquito nets protects against early morning bites and should also be used when sleeping during the day.
  • The use of air conditioning if available and/or mesh screening of windows and doors.
  • Eradication of mosquito breeding sites around accommodation/home (e.g. open containers, old tyres or flower pots that may collect water)

For further information see Chikungunya.