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Chikungunya in the Americas and Caribbean (Update 3)

20 Dec 2017

The latest report from PAHO/WHO on 15 December 2017 Link shows continuing transmission of chikungunya in the Americas and the Caribbean. Brazil remains the country with the largest case number( 171 930) and highest incidence (81.39/100 000).

Case numbers by country are shown below. Country groupings are as described by PAHO/WHO.

North America                                 

Mexico: Total 54, Confirmed 54 (Incidence 0.04)                                             

Central American Isthmus                                           

Costa Rica: 428

El Salvador: 554

Guatemala: 349

Nicaragua: 755

Panama: 2 046

Latin Caribbean                                

French Guiana: 261

Guadaloupe: 56

Martinique: 54

Puerto Rico: 8

Saint Barthelemy: 3

Saint Martin (France): 3

Andean Area                                    

Bolivia: 3 354

Colombia: 1 080

Ecuador: 196

Peru: 2 450

Venezuela: 341                        

Southern Cone                                

Brazil: 171 930

Paraguay: 744

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.