Yacht brokers are recommending that Charter Guests sailing in the Caribbean this winter season protect themselves against Chikungunya an illness caused by a virus that spreads through mosquito bites.
The most common symptoms of chikungunya are fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, or rash.
Chikungunya disease rarely results in death, but the symptoms can be severe and disabling. Most people who get sick feel better within a week. In some people, the joint pain may last for months or years.
There is currently no vaccine or medicine to prevent Chikungunya.
The only way to prevent chikungunya is to prevent mosquito bites.
Preventing bites can be difficult, but it is important as you can get sick after just one bite.
Some guests may be more likely to get chikungunya, have severe disease, or be at higher risk for other reasons.
Guests in high-risk groups to discuss their travel plans with their health care provider. These groups include the following:
- People who have arthritis
- People with serious underlying medical conditions (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes)
- People older than 65
- Women who are late in their pregnancies, because of the risk to babies born at the time their mother is sick
- Long-term travelers, including missionaries and humanitarian aid workers and people visiting friends and relatives
- People who might have difficulty avoiding mosquito bites, such as those planning to spend a lot of time outdoors or staying in rooms without window screens or air conditioning.