Vacation hot spot faces new CDC travel warning as outbreak cases continue climbing - Fox News

What the report says

Fox News reported that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province because of a chikungunya outbreak, with many of the reported cases associated with the Playa Langosta area. Guanacaste is a major tourism region known for beaches, surfing and outdoor recreation, making the advisory relevant to U.S. travelers planning visits there.

According to the report, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health has confirmed four cases and listed 17 additional probable cases connected to the outbreak. The cases under review include both Costa Rican residents and foreign visitors. The ministry notice also said response teams have fumigated about 5,000 homes and removed mosquito breeding sites as part of containment efforts.

Chikungunya is a virus transmitted by mosquitoes. The CDC says illness commonly involves fever and intense joint pain, with possible headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and rash. Symptoms generally appear several days after a bite from an infected mosquito. Most patients recover within about a week, but the CDC warns that joint pain can sometimes persist for months or longer. There is no specific antiviral treatment, so prevention is central.

The CDC is advising travelers to avoid mosquito bites by using repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and choosing lodging with air conditioning or screened windows. Vaccination is recommended for eligible travelers going to an outbreak area. The agency also advises pregnant travelers, especially those near delivery, to reconsider travel to the affected area because infection can be passed to a newborn around birth. Fox noted that similar CDC Level 2 chikungunya notices have been issued for several other destinations this year.