Chikungunya in the Caribbean/Americas

28 Apr 2015

The outbreak of chikungunya virus infection in various Caribbean islands and the Americas is ongoing; WHO/PAHO has published further epidemiological data on countries reporting autochthonous transmission.

Non-Latin Caribbean

Anguilla, 71 suspected cases, 55 confirmed.
Antigua and Barbuda, 1442 suspected cases, 18 confirmed.
Aruba, 474 suspected cases, 743 confirmed.
Bahamas, 99 confirmed cases.
Barbados, 1897 suspected cases, 122 confirmed.
Cayman Islands, 229 suspected cases, 44 confirmed.
Curacao, 1838 suspected cases, 835 confirmed, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
Dominica, 3598 suspected cases, 173 confirmed.
Grenada, 3070 suspected cases, 26 confirmed, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
Guyana, 5310 suspected cases, 105 confirmed.
Jamaica, 1669 suspected cases, 87 confirmed.
Montserrat, 118 suspected cases, 14 confirmed.
St Kitts and Nevis, 627 suspected cases, 28 confirmed.
St Lucia, 645 suspected cases, 238 confirmed.
Sint Maarten, 470 confirmed cases, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
St Vincent and the Grenadines, 1223 suspected cases, 175 confirmed.
Suriname, 1210 confirmed cases, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
Trinidad and Tobago, 313 confirmed cases.
Turks and Caicos, 19 confirmed cases, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
UK Virgin Islands, 347 suspected cases, 47 confirmed cases, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
US Virgin Islands, 1541 suspected cases, 376 confirmed.

Central America

Belize, 3 confirmed cases, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
Costa Rica, 250 confirmed.
El Salvador, 145 403 suspected cases, 157 confirmed.
Guatemala, 31 463 suspected cases, 415 confirmed.
Honduras, 22 883 suspected cases, 14 confirmed.
Nicaragua, 19 554 suspected cases, 4153 confirmed.
Panama, 22 confirmed cases, unchanged since Jan 9 report.

Latin Caribbean

Dominican Republic, 539 138 suspected, 84 confirmed.
French Guiana, 14 460 suspected, 6776 confirmed.
Guadeloupe, 81 350 suspected, 430 confirmed.
Haiti, 64 695 suspected, 14 confirmed.
Martinique, 72 520 suspected, 1515 confirmed.
Puerto Rico, 27 982 suspected cases, 4349 confirmed.
Saint Barthelemy (St Barts), 1710 suspected, 142 confirmed.
Saint Martin, 5320 suspected, 793 confirmed.

Andean Area

Bolivia, 143 suspected cases, 916 confirmed.
Colombia, 275 392 suspected cases, 1602 confirmed.
Ecuador, 1565 suspected cases, 221 confirmed.
Venezuela, 34 642 reported cases, 2303 confirmed.

South America

Brazil, 5648 suspected cases, 143 confirmed.
Paraguay, 390 suspected cases, 392 confirmed.

North America

USA, 11 confirmed cases, unchanged since Jan 9 report.
Mexico, 678 confirmed cases.

Advice for Travellers

Avoidance of mosquito bites, particularly during daylight hours, by covering up with clothing, the use of bite avoidance measures such as repellent and bed nets is advised. Elimination of breeding sites around hotel rooms/houses is advised for longer term stays.

Travellers intending to donate blood on their return from a chikungunya virus risk area may wish to speak with a blood transfusion advisor before attending to give blood. This is because visitors to chikungunya virus risk areas must wait 4 weeks after their return before donating. Additionally, if they have displayed any symptoms of chikungunya virus infection, they must wait 6 months before donating.