Chikungunya virus

Is anyone concerned about the Chikungunya virus? Is it a risk in the winter?

We're booked for the Bahamas and Florida in February.

Very conspicuous that no one is discussing it on Cruise Critic. Not one threat on it.

any thoughts?

There have been many discussions about the virus on CC. If your concerned about it at all wear a repellant with deet. I don't think you should let it ruin your vacation. A month ago the big discussion on here was Ebola. Some people were in a big panic about it because of the lab tech that handled the blood of the patient that died in Dallas, and then went on a cruise. Talk to your doctor, or medical professional at home, not the want to be doctors on CC.

Aft Cabins Rule

Very conspicuous that no one is discussing it on Cruise Critic. Not one threat on it.

 

any thoughts?

My thought is that if you can mistype "thread", you can mistype "Chikungunya". Or anyone else can.

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2125396

Is anyone concerned about the Chikungunya virus? Is it a risk in the winter?

 

We're booked for the Bahamas and Florida in February.

 

Very conspicuous that no one is discussing it on Cruise Critic. Not one threat on it.

 

any thoughts?

There have been discussions about the virus here on CC.

I specifically recall at least two threads on the St. Maarten port of call forum.

Go to that CC forum and put the virus name in the search window. You

will find some threads there for sure.

I seem to remember there also were posts about it on the San Juan forum.

It seems most of the people who got it were staying on the particular island,not from a cruise,so I am not really worried but just in case I bought Repel repellant with 40 pct deet,which is the highest they sell.

Just remember to put it on after sunscreen,not before

The best thing is to put repellent on to be on the safe side.

Keith

Those mosquitos are being seen in southeast and southwest parts of U.S.

They are not only Caribbean now.

The last several summers, we have had warnings about EEE infected mosquitos. Very dangerous virus.

(Eastern Equine Encephalitis.)

(I posted in another heard on this topic, but I think it bares repeating)

I live in Haiti and was infected by chickengunya last May. I am still suffering the effects of the virus. It is not something you want to mess around with.

Mosquitos and the rainy season in the Caribbean go hand in hand. Do yourself a favor and wear bug spray with DEET while you are on shore. It is such a cheap and easy preventative, there really is no reason not to use it.

Enjoy your trip!

This post will seem crass, but so be it! On CC we have seen discussions about fears related to Chickengunya, Eboli, Legionaires, Dengue Fever, Malaria, Cabin Cough, e-coli, Norovirus, influenza, and probably a few more ailments. All the concerns were somewhat valid in that these ailments can inpact a traveler. And so can Hep A,B,C, etc, HIV, common cold, and so forth.

Since DW and I do a lot of international travel (7 months this year) to many places (have visited 6 continents) we could drive ourselves crazy by just thinking of all the possibilities. And there are those that are totally obsessed with the fears of being sick (Emotophobia) and probably need professional treatment for the phobia...more then the possible ailments.

So to the OP we say that yes, mosquitoes are an issue in many parts of the world (including the USA) and those nasty bugs carry multiple bad things. Fortunately, most mosquitoes are at their worst at dusk and dawn....which are times that most cruise ships are out to sea. If you want to obsess about the bugs, you can certainly try to cover every inch of your skin (no fun in a warm climate) and/or use a decent mosquito repellent. Products with Deet are said (by most experts) to be the most effective, but unfortunately Deet has its own issues. DW (who seems to be loved by mosquitoes) has tried using the battery powered repellents that you attach to your belt, purse, etc.. but she still gets her share of bites. The one time in my life that I tried using a brand name repellent with Deet (this was while on vacation in the Dominican Republic), I had so many bites around my ankles that they became swollen. I can swear that those bugs loved to feed on DEET :( and they sure got their fill. So go figure.

Hank

My next cruise is to Mexico. Mexico has had one confirmed case as of today. Not worried at all.

My next cruise is to Mexico. Mexico has had one confirmed case as of today. Not worried at all.

....it was one case of locally acquired disease.....it is highly improbable that only one mosquito has the disease....only time before it explodes......use your bug repellent for the mosquitos that transmit are around during the daytime.

Just returned from a western Caribbean cruise. In Jamaica, we went on a hiking/biking excursion, with the hiking portion up a very wooded area. We sprayed with a DEET-based repellant and had no problems whatsoever. I think if you take the proper precautions, there's really nothing to worry about.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2853247/Mosquito-virus-cases-soar-432-UK-holidaymakers-return-Caribbean-major-chikungunya-outbreak-spreading.html

Sandy in Spain

Thanks for all of the responses.

I know it sounds wacky, but we cancelled our cruise. It is not our primary vacation and have done the Bahamas/Florida itinerary for 10 straight years. And it is not exactly an exotic itinerary.

It won't affect our primary vacation, which we take for 3 or 4 weeks every summer.

Enjoy wherever you are headed.

Thanks for all of the responses.

 

I know it sounds wacky, but we cancelled our cruise. It is not our primary vacation and have done the Bahamas/Florida itinerary for 10 straight years. And it is not exactly an exotic itinerary.

 

It won't affect our primary vacation, which we take for 3 or 4 weeks every summer.

 

Enjoy wherever you are headed.

If you were going to be worried or uncomfortable, no sense going.

Look forward to you major vacation this summer. :)

We canceled a cruise to the Caribbean in 2015 for the same reason. DH was very sick a year ago, and although he is OK now, he decided he just didn't want to risk it. Everyone has to do what their gut tells them.

This post will seem crass, but so be it! On CC we have seen discussions about fears related to Chickengunya, Eboli, Legionaires, Dengue Fever, Malaria, Cabin Cough, e-coli, Norovirus, influenza, and probably a few more ailments. All the concerns were somewhat valid in that these ailments can inpact a traveler. And so can Hep A,B,C, etc, HIV, common cold, and so forth.

 

Since DW and I do a lot of international travel (7 months this year) to many places (have visited 6 continents) we could drive ourselves crazy by just thinking of all the possibilities.

Hank, you are the voice of reason here. Unfortunately, the press want to sell newspapers and web advertisements by publishing sensationalist stories such as this recent example, "Mosquito virus fear hits Britons' Caribbean holidays: Tourists warned of deadly disease sweeping islands as thousands return home with agonising symptoms". Malaria kills 1 million people per year and Dengue kills 6,000, yet the press wants to make it sound like Chickengunya is the big story because malaria and dengue are old news.

Source: http://www.mosquito.org/mosquito-borne-diseases

According to the US CDC, (red emphasis mine) "Dengue and chikungunya viruses are transmitted by the same mosquitoes and have similar clinical features. The two viruses can circulate in the same area and can cause occasional co-infections in the same patient. Chikungunya virus infection is more likely to cause high fever, severe arthralgia, arthritis, rash, and lymphopenia, while dengue virus infection is more likely to cause neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, hemorrhage, shock, and death."

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/hc/clinicalevaluation.html

So why all the sensationalist headlines about chikungunya when malaria and dengue are widespread diseases that kill way more people? Answer: Dengue and malaria are old news. Chikungunya is new and exotic sounding. It sells papers and advertising.

Even older news, common influenza is way more likely to kill than either dengue or chikungunya. According to WHO, "Worldwide, these annual epidemics are estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness, and about 250 000 to 500 000 deaths. "

Source: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs211/en/

I don't see anyone talking about cancelling their vacation because of malaria, dengue or influenza. Why all the talk about chikungunya? Oh that's right, malaria, dengue, and influenza are old news.

I heard today that Lindsey Lohan has been diagnosed with this disease. She is vacationing in French Polynesia.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lindsay-lohan-has-chikungunya-virus-what-is-this-nasty-illness/

We just cruised the Caribbean in November -- took Deet with us and only applied it when we were in St Maarten.

Hank, you are the voice of reason here. Unfortunately, the press want to sell newspapers and web advertisements by publishing sensationalist stories such as this recent example, "Mosquito virus fear hits Britons' Caribbean holidays: Tourists warned of deadly disease sweeping islands as thousands return home with agonising symptoms". Malaria kills 1 million people per year and Dengue kills 6,000, yet the press wants to make it sound like Chickengunya is the big story because malaria and dengue are old news.

Source: http://www.mosquito.org/mosquito-borne-diseases

 

According to the US CDC, (red emphasis mine) "Dengue and chikungunya viruses are transmitted by the same mosquitoes and have similar clinical features. The two viruses can circulate in the same area and can cause occasional co-infections in the same patient. Chikungunya virus infection is more likely to cause high fever, severe arthralgia, arthritis, rash, and lymphopenia, while dengue virus infection is more likely to cause neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, hemorrhage, shock, and death."

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/hc/clinicalevaluation.html

 

So why all the sensationalist headlines about chikungunya when malaria and dengue are widespread diseases that kill way more people? Answer: Dengue and malaria are old news. Chikungunya is new and exotic sounding. It sells papers and advertising.

 

Even older news, common influenza is way more likely to kill than either dengue or chikungunya. According to WHO, "Worldwide, these annual epidemics are estimated to result in about 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness, and about 250 000 to 500 000 deaths. "

Source: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs211/en/

 

I don't see anyone talking about cancelling their vacation because of malaria, dengue or influenza. Why all the talk about chikungunya? Oh that's right, malaria, dengue, and influenza are old news.

Thanks for all your information and referring me here on another thread. In general I agree with you and travel extensively. However, news should be new and factual. Everyone knows about the diseases you mention...I have read hardly anything about this and many don't know about it. Given my doctor's advice about the age danger and experience I felt it important to share it. Thanks. Mike