Chikungunya Virus Infection in Panama

21 Apr 2017

On 14 April 2017, PAHO reporteda total of 317 cases of chikungunya virus infection since the start of this year (2017).

Advice for Travellers

No vaccine is available against Chikungunya. Avoidance of mosquito bites is the only reliable means of prevention. Methods of bite avoidance include:

• Wearing long, loose, lightly coloured clothing to cover up the skin.
• The use of insect repellant containing DEET  applied to any exposed skin.
• The use of permethrin, impregnated mosquito nets.
• The use of air conditioning if available and/or mesh screening of windows and doors.
• Eradication of mosquito breeding sites around the home (e.g. open containers, old tyres or flower pots that may collect water).