Chikungunya in Caribbean/Americas Region (Update)

17 Nov 2014

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 locally acquired infections.

Non-Latin Caribbean

Sint Maarten, 360 confirmed cases.
Guyana, 76 confirmed cases.
British Virgin Islands, 20 confirmed cases.
US Virgin Islands, 1048 suspected cases, 52 confirmed.
UK Virgin Islands, 44 confirmed cases.
Bahamas, 79 confirmed cases.
Barbados, 820 suspected cases, 58 confirmed.
Curacao, 1654 suspected cases, 345 confirmed.
Dominica, 3745 suspected cases, 171 confirmed.
Anguilla, 45 confirmed cases.
Antigua and Barbuda, 1376 suspected cases, 18 confirmed.
Aruba, 157 suspected cases, 33 confirmed.
Jamaica, 896 suspected cases, 70 confirmed.
Montserrat, 2 suspected cases, 11 confirmed.
St Kitts and Nevis, 31 suspected cases, 28 confirmed.
St Lucia, 697 suspected cases, 192 confirmed.
St Vincent and the Grenadines, 329 suspected cases, 165 confirmed.
Suriname, 594 confirmed cases.
Trinidad and Tobago, 3300 confirmed cases, 147 confirmed.
Turks and Caicos, 10 confirmed cases.
Cayman Islands, 25 confirmed cases.
Grenada, 2826 suspected cases, 5 confirmed.

Central America

Costa Rica, one confirmed case.
El Salvador, 93 125 suspected cases, 149 confirmed.
Guatemala, 8 confirmed.
Honduras, 185 suspected cases, 9 confirmed.
Nicaragua, 216 suspected cases, 61 confirmed.
Panama, 216 suspected cases, 19 confirmed.

Latin Caribbean

Dominican Republic, 498 916 suspected, 84 confirmed.
French Guiana, 6885 suspected, 2612 confirmed.
Guadeloupe, 80 370 suspected, 430 confirmed.
Haiti, 64 695 suspected, 14 confirmed.
Martinique, 68 340 suspected, 1515 confirmed.
Puerto Rico, 15 750 suspected cases, 3242 confirmed.
Saint Barthelemy (St Barts), 1060 suspected, 142 confirmed.
Saint Martin, 4330 suspected, 793 confirmed.

Andean Area

Colombia, 19 433 suspected cases, 338 confirmed.
Venezuela, 7072 suspected cases, 328 confirmed.

South America

Brazil, 1750 suspected cases, 682 confirmed.
Paraguay, one confirmed case.

North America

United States of America, 11 confirmed cases.
Mexico, one confirmed case.

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.