anyone hear any latest reports on the chikungunya outbreak? we will be at SXM and Guadaloupe in Jan. and wonder how bad it has been? has it peaked? any TTOL'ers been affected?

Apparently there WAS a lull. However, with all the recent rains, I expect there to be a new upsurge. I would make plans to get lots of bug repellent.

I got bit about 20 times, didn't think I would need repellent but was very wrong. We stayed at alamanda on orient. My wife got bit quite a bit also. We were there last week. No noticeable symptoms besides a lot of itching.

We just got back after being there 10 nights, I took Cutter 25% deet spray with us and we still got bit. Carol is right, we had downpour rain for most of 2 days so with that and the hurricane the mosquitos are out in full force. We sprayed ourselves every time we left the room even if just to sit on our balcony.

thanks all for the replies, there was a lengthy article in the Mpls paper last week about it being so terrible. Maybe they have blown it out of proportion (could that be?). Maybe we could just stay buried in the sand with a free hand for swatting and Colada in the other! Growing up in Minnesota we got very adept at dancing around the campfire and swatting mosquitos, so hopefully no problem.

I think what IS terrible is if you actually GET chick-v, as it is a very debilitating virus. As to how many people have actually caught it in the Caribbean, don't know, but those that have, apparently wish they had been a lot more vigilent about mosquito repellent.

The Caribbean Public Health agency is reporting the following figures: " total of 739,410 suspected cases and 118 deaths have been reported in the Caribbean and the Americas." Considering that many cases are not diagnosed as chick-v, these are huge figures!

Here in Colombia they give CIpiro and cortisone and aspirins ( my brother in law just contracted it). They say no deaths here because of it.

SXM??? Wendell

...and more concerning are the number of cases of Dengue which does have a significant percentage of fatalities.



That's just the Americas...

Worldwide:



That's over 12,000 deaths from the disease that has been around for a long time vs. near zero deaths from the one that is most mentioned to be worried about. Hardly anyone worried about dengue years ago but it existed then and is a more serious disease. (neither is a minor affliction)

Don't worry about the name...worry about mosquitoes which are the disease transmitters...As was mentioned just be smart and proactive by using the repellant you should have been using for many years.

We brought 2 cans of Deep Woods Off with us. I put it on before I went outside, even to just sit in the balcony. It's kinda gross, but I would take a shower and the first thing I would do before going out was spray myself again. I got one mosquito bite this visit.

Has there been any updated information on Chikungunya?