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Chikungunya in the Americas and Caribbean

09 Aug 2017

Chikungunya continues to be transmitted by mosquitoes in the Americas and the Caribbean. Brazil remains the country with the largest number of cases (131749). 

Countries affected, with total case numbers, are shown below. Country groupings are as described by PAHO/WHO.

North America

Mexico: 20 

Central America

Costa Rica: 235

El Salvador: 365

Guatemala: 200

Nicaragua: 561

Panama: 1 589 

Andes

Bolivia: 3 141

Colombia: 7 471

Ecuador: 1551

Peru: 1 429

Venezuela: 98

Southern Cone

Brazil: 13 1749

Paraguay: 744

Latin Caribbean

French Guiana:172

Guadaloupe: 9

Martinique: 14

Puerto Rico: 8

Saint Barthelemy: 3

Saint Martin (France): 3

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).

For further information see Chikungunya Fever.