Guatemala Zika Virus Travel Updates 2017

Guatemala Zika Virus Travel Updates 2017, In 2017, as of EW 28, Guatemala has reported suspected Zika cases in 20 health areas. The highest incidence rates were recorded in Guatemala Central (14 cases per 100,000 population), Chiquimula (6 cases per 100,000), and Santa Rosa (5 cases per 100,000).

In 2016, instead, the highest incidence rates were recorded in the health areas of Santa Rosa (106 cases per 100,000), Zacapa (106 cases per 100,000), and Chiquimula (61 cases per 100,000).

From the end of 2015 up to EW 6 of 2016, an increasing trend of Zika cases was observed in Guatemala. Since then a decrease of weekly number of cases has been observed, with a slight increase in the first weeks of 2017. In the last 8 reported weeks (EW 24 to EW 31 of 2017), an average of 7 suspected Zika cases per week has been reported

Zika Virus has been confirmed in Guatemala.

Departments most affected:

Zacapa:

Zacapa (Spanish pronunciation: [saˈkapa]) is the departmental capital municipality of Zacapa Department, one of the 22 Departments of Guatemala. It is approximately 70 miles or 112 kilometers from Guatemala City.

Santa Rosa:

Santa Rosa (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsanta ˈrosa]) is a department in Guatemala. The capital is Cuilapa.

Chiquimula:

Chiquimula is a city in Guatemala. It serves both as the capital of the department of Chiquimula and as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. It is some 174 km from Guatemala City and is in Guatemala often called “La perla del oriente” (the pearl of the east).

El Progreso:

El Progreso (Spanish pronunciation: [el pɾoˈɣɾeso]) is a department in Guatemala. The departmental capital is Guastatoya. The Spanish established themselves in the region by 1551, after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala. El Progreso was declared a department in 1908, but was dissolved in 1920 before being reestablished in 1934. Guastatoya was badly affected by the 1976 Guatemala earthquake.

Quetzaltenango:

Quetzaltenango, also known by its Maya name, Xelajú [ʃelaˈχu] or Xela [ˈʃela], is the second largest city of Guatemala. It is both the capital of Quetzaltenango Department and the municipal seat of Quetzaltenango municipality.

Currently Guatemala is consider a Level 2 Travel Destination.

Zika Virus infection is caused by the Zika Virus (ZIKV) belonging to the Flaviviridae family. The virus is primarily transmitted by infected daytime biting female Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes which are typically active from dawn to dusk. There is evidence that Zika Virus is also transmitted by other mosquitoes belonging to the Aedes genus.

Level 2 – Practise special precautions

Travel health notices recommend that travelers practice special health precautions, such as receiving additional vaccinations. A notice at this level would be issued if there is an outbreak in a limited geographic location, a newly identified disease in the region or a change in the existing pattern of disease.

Areas of very low risk include Antigua, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala City and Livingston.

Monterrico Guatemala should be considered a high risk area for travel. This is due the Mangrove swamps directly located to Monterrico.