Costa Rica: Fears of possible malaria outbreaks

Event

Costa Rican health officials are on alert due to fears of outbreaks of the mosquito-borne disease malaria in areas 600 m (2000 ft) above sea level and lower. Since the beginning of the year to June 11, a total of 21 imported cases have been registered in the country, including ten in a single week in June. The majority of cases have been reported in the north of the county (e.g. Santa Rosa de Pocosol, Los Chiles, and Pital). This is an abnormally high rate and as such measures will be taken to ensure the disease does not spread domestically.

Malaria outbreaks are ongoing in neighboring Panama and Nicaragua.

Context

Costa Rica aims to eradicate malaria from the country by 2020. No autochthonous (locally-acquired) cases were reported in the country from 2013 to 2015; cases were, however, reported in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, 12 autochthonous and five imported cases were detected.

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. 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.

Various other mosquito-borne diseases are also present in Costa Rica, including dengue fever, Zika virus, and chikungunya. However, case rates are relatively low as of mid-June.

Advice

Individuals in Costa Rica are advised to take measures to prevent mosquito bites and seek medical attention if presenting the above symptoms.