Advice on Amazon cruise in March 2011

[Spot The Cruiser]

My wife and I are considering doing a cruise from Manaus to Fort Lauderdale in March 2011.

 

We have read a lot about the potential malaria issues and wondered if anyone

can advise us on how bad the mosquito problems are? We don't fancy having to spend all our time in long sleeves and long trousers, especially on deck!

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

[ScottishMaid]

We were on the Amazon March 2010. We saw maybe one mosquito on the ship and very few elsewhere despite lots of rain and damp conditions. I wore cover up clothes in ports when the sun shone to stop the equatorial sunburn. We stopped at Devil's Island and I think we saw more there but not lots.

[Spot The Cruiser]

Thanks so much for you help with this. Sounds like sense precautions rather

than panic!!

[Fattony]

I gather you're not considering foregoing anti-malarial prophylaxis (which would not be wise) but are just wondering how bad the mosquitos might be. In March it could still be wet so, yes, they could be bad, but with the advice given above, and lots of mosquito repellent, odds are you will survive. Do use the repellent at all times. Dengue fever is carried by a type of mosquito that can be active during the day, and there's no vaccination. If you start to fill ill, see a doctor right away. "Classic dengue" (vs. the much more rare hemorrhagic variety) is typically not life-threatenng if treated right away. Many more people die in Brazil from dengue than from malaria, but it may go untreated, especially among th poor. And it's more widespread than malaria. Your trip sounds great.