Dengue fever advice

Travel Advice

  1. Research your destination and learn the risk for dengue and other mosquito-borne illnesses such as chikungunya, malaria, and zika.
  2. Review the country specific travel recommendations, health notices and warnings, including any identified ‘hot spots’.
  3. Add mosquito repellent to your packing list.  Repellents that contain DEET are recommended.
  4. Include items of clothing with long sleeves and long pants for additional protection.
  5. Sleep indoors in places with air conditioning and window screens.  If this is not possible, use a bed net.
  6. Seek medical attention if you develop symptoms of dengue.

Countries in the region that reported having dengue fever:

Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica*, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela

*The Jamaican Ministry of Health & Wellness declared a Dengue outbreak on 23 September 2023.  The Ministry release read: “As of Friday, September 22, 2023, the country had recorded 565 suspected, presumed and confirmed cases of Dengue. Of that number, 78 cases had been confirmed with majority of the cases seen in Kingston & St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas. The dominant strain is Dengue Type 2, which last predominated in 2010. There are no Dengue-related deaths classified at this time, however, six deaths are being investigated.” Travellers to Jamaica should monitor the situation closely. (Full release can be found on: https://www.moh.gov.jm)

Local /Community Prevention Advice

  • Use mosquito repellent, especially during peak times of mosquito traffic (dusk and dawn)
  • Use light long-sleeve shirts and long pants to prevent bites
  • Take steps to keep mosquitoes out of your home via the use of air conditioning, window and door screens
  • Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tyres, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers. Check inside and outside your home. Mosquitoes lay eggs near water.
  • Contact the Mosquito Research and Control Unit at 949-2557 with a service request should you find the mosquito situation in your area warrants attention

Additional advice on mosquito control:

Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU):  949-2557 in Grand Cayman or 948-2223 in Cayman Brac.

Department of Environmental Health (DEH):  949-6696 in Grand Cayman or 948-2321 in Cayman Brac.

More about Dengue Fever

Most people recover without any complications, using pain relievers and bed rest. Once a patient has developed a fever, the infectious period lasts for one week only.

Dengue symptoms include:

  • high fever
  • severe headache
  • backache
  • joint and eye pain
  • nausea and vomiting
  • muscle and or bone pain
  • a rash (sometimes) may be visible two to five days after the onset of fever
  • nausea or vomiting (sometimes)
  • signs of bleeding (such as pinpoint red or purple spots on the skin, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, blood in urine or stool, or vaginal bleeding) dengue fever is seen in a severe form known as dengue hemorrhagic fever, severe dengue, or dengue shock syndrome.

Source: Public Health Department, HSA

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