Health Warning for Mayan Ruins at Tulum

[childs57]

Last night I attempted to give blood at my fire dept., which we do on a regular basis. As I was filling out the donor questionairre, a firefighter and his wife (this is a family affair) were in the little interview booths of the bloodmobile ahead of me. She came out of the booth, knocked on the door of the other booth where her husband was, and told him they would not accept her blood because she had been to the Mayan ruins at Tulum. The husband and wife had just gotten back from their honeymoon on the Mayan Riviera. I myself had visited the ruins at Tulum in February, while docked at Calica on the Celebration. Therefore, all three of us were disqualified as blood donors.

 

Long story short, the UTMB bloodmobile would not accept blood from donors who had been to the ruins at Tulum within the last year. It seems there was a malaria outbreak there, and the mosquitos at the ruins are carriers of the virus. This ban applies only to people who have visited the ruins at Tulum, so if you visited Xel-Ha or anywhere else on the Mayan Riveria, you are supposedly safe (although I do not recall seeing a mosquito net around the ruins at Tulum).

 

I am passing this on as FYI to those who have visited or may be planning to visit the Mayan ruins at Tulum, as I do not recall Carnival or the Mexican tour guide issuing any warnings to passengers that visiting these ruins might be hazardous to your health. At best, you will be disqualified from donating blood for one year after your visit, and at worst, you may contract a case of malaria. Therefore, if you are planning on visiting Tulum, I would take some insect repellent with a high DEET content (Deep Woods Off) for the mosquitos, just to be on the safe side. Take care all !!

[Cotton]

Good of you to post this! THX.

[Zeno]

Malaria is RARE but does occasionally ocurr in the entire Yucatan. It is pretty much confined to areas of HEAVY, wet jungle (note there is no thick jungle near Tulum). Malaria also ocurrs on many caribbean islands including Puerto Rico and in most of Central America . Most Blood Banks (as they should be) are ultra cautious - which is why some will not accept a blood donation from people recently back from these areas.

Your actual chances of contracting malaria are virtually nil - unless you intend to spend the night in the jungle, with no mosquito repellant preferably in a swampy area in the interior of Yucatan. Every year THOUSANDS of people vacation in this area - if even a small number of them were contracting malaria I am sure there would be ample publicity about it.

I have been to Tulum several times and have yet to see a mosquito but if it makes you feel more safe wear mosquito repellant.

[skigirl]

I agree that this is a very slight risk - however the Red Cross will not accept blood from anyone who has traveled to the Yucatan during the prior year. According to our local donation center it may be ok if you don't leave your resort, but if you do (which we all do), you are disqualified for a year. As an earlier poster said, they are ultra careful and I would not let this stop you from visiting Tulum. It is on the coast and the winds tend to keep mosquitos down.

[ScreamWithMe]

Correct - the area is considered "an at risk" area and to be on the safe side you will not be able to donate blood for a year after visiting. However I don't believe this is due to a particular incident. I haven't been able to donate blood for about 5 years because of my frequent visits to the Yucatan.

[divadiverfl]

Update on giving blood after Cozumel:(

 

 

 

Gave blood recently also and was talking to them--they said this would be the last time for a year till I can give blood again. This sucks--but the price to pay to be safe.

I was told Cozumel period not just the ruins