Dengue fever in the Caribbean - summary

Transmission of the dengue fever virus continues in many tourist destinations in the Caribbean, albeit at different levels of intensity. The following Caribbean nations have reported the most recent data:

• Countries reporting 500 to 700 cases - Dominican Republic and Aruba
• Countries reporting 80 to 100 cases - Guadeloupe and St. Martin
• Countries reporting less than 100 cases - Martinique, St. Barthelemy and Puerto Rico

Up-to-date data from other island nations is not available at this time.

Advice

The absence of reports from other areas does not mean that there is no dengue fever transmission there. The risk of exposure will vary from place to place and may be high in many localities.

All travellers to areas where the dengue fever virus is active can reduce their risk of exposure by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Many persons with dengue fever do not seek medical care and are not reported to health authorities. There may be many more cases in the community than the reports indicate.