Nicaragua: High rates of malaria in RAAN /update 2

Event

Transmission rates of malaria, a mosquito-borne disease endemic to Nicaragua, continue to be abnormally high as of mid-September 2018. Nearly 8750 cases of the disease have been reported across the country since the beginning of the year. According to the Ministry of Health, some 90 percent of these cases have been reported in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region  (RAAN).

High case rates have been reported since 2016.

Context

Generally speaking, the risk of contracting malaria is highest at night (between dusk and dawn), when the mosquitoes that transmit the disease are most active. The risk tends to be highest in RAAN and the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RAAS); there is a lower risk in the departments of Boaco, Chinandega, Estelí, Jinotega, León, Matagalpa, and Nueva Segovia. Malaria is typically not present in Managua department and there is typically little to no risk of contracting the disease in urban areas, although the disease may be present in city outskirts.

Symptoms of malaria include fever, chills, headache, nausea, and body aches; early symptoms usually appear between seven and 15 days after the contaminating mosquito bite. There is no vaccine but preventive medications are available.

Various other mosquito-borne diseases are also present in Nicaragua, including dengue fever, Zika virus, and chikungunya.

Advice

Individuals in Nicaragua are advised to take measures to prevent mosquito bites and to seek medical attention if experiencing the above symptoms.