In light of 15 countries in the region confirming chikungunya and now Suriname confirming 17 cases, the United Kingdom has issued a new health advisory for Britons wishing to travel or travelling to the Caribbean from the UK.
This follows the alarming spread of the virus which has caused the Caribbean Public Health Agency to host a symposium recently and start a public education awareness campaign. There has also been a surge of dengue fever in the UK. The advice to travelers came after eleven visitors returned home to the UK with symptoms akin to dengue fever.
“The increase in the number of people returning with dengue fever is concerning, so we want to remind people of the need to practise strict mosquito bite avoidance at all times to reduce their risk of becoming unwell,” said Jane Jones, a PHE expert in travel-related infections.
The UK public health agency Public Health England (PHE) has taken the decision to warn travelers to be on the alert for signs of the illness after visiting the Caribbean. The symptoms include sudden fever, rash, severe headaches, severe joint pain (that may last for years), flu-like symptoms and immobilizing muscle pain in some instances. Though rare, there have been reports of eye problems and cardiac illness. At the end of April, UK authorities had documented 141 confirmed and probable cases of dengue fever in England, up from 51 recorded during the same period last year.
The elderly and children are said to be very vulnerable though the disease is not often fatal except if complications arise. While carried by the same mosquito that causes dengue, it does not cause hemorrhagic fever as is the case with some strains of dengue fever.
The health agency is also advising travelers to seek medical advice if they experience fever and other flu-like symptoms within two weeks of returning home to Britain from destinations such as St. Lucia, Barbados, Jamaica, Brazil, Thailand, Sri Lanka and several other countries in the Americas and Asia.
Six had similar symptoms after visiting Jamaica, nine Brazil, Sri Lanka 13, and 37 from Thailand. Haiti has reported 55 000 confirmed cases of chikungunya.
The total number of cases of dengue in England in 2012 was 343, as compared with 223 in 2011.
PHE is advising travelers to use insect repellent and wear protective clothing especially at mosquito-biting times like dusk or dawn.
While the agency reiterated that the symptoms while uncomfortable are not life-threatening, the PHE did say that in some cases hospitalization is necessary.
