Canada health officials issue travel warning over chikungunya outbreak in the Caribbean
With the Caribbean chikungunya outbreak topping 2,000 confirmed and probable cases late last week, The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued a travel advisory Tuesday for Canadians heading to the islands.
Health officials offer the following recommendations for travelers:
Consult a health care provider or visit a travel health clinic at least six weeks before you travel.
- Protect yourself from mosquito bites, particularly during peak mosquito biting times around sunrise and sunset.
- If you develop symptoms similar to chikungunya when you are travelling or after you return, see a health care provider and tell them where you have been travelling or living.
The mosquito borne viral disease made it’s first appearance in the western hemisphere as a locally acquired infection in December on the island of Saint Martin (FR).
LISTEN: Chikungunya in the Western Hemisphere: An interview with a CDC expert
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease that was first identified in southern Tanzania in 1952. It causes fever and debilitating joint pain and is often misdiagnosed as dengue. Chikungunya has no vaccine or specific treatment.
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