River and Mosquitoes..should I worry

[highlandshores]

We were thinking about doing a river cruise Layou River Gorge, but am now afraid of the Chikungunya Fever Outbreak. Anyone worried about this. Of course we are doing Aruba and St. Martin which also had outbreaks. Wish I could cancel...but we are leaving in a week! So looking forward to this, but am now getting worried

[merinski]

We were thinking about doing a river cruise Layou River Gorge, but am now afraid of the Chikungunya Fever Outbreak. Anyone worried about this. Of course we are doing Aruba and St. Martin which also had outbreaks. Wish I could cancel...but we are leaving in a week! So looking forward to this, but am now getting worried

 

It sounds like St. Martin is worse, but I don't think I would go on the river area. At least use deet.

[roysue]

I have checked the CDC website and this still doesn't sound like this is a huge worry. The CDC suggests long sleeve clothing and using insect repellent as all that is necessary. If you are super concerned, I would suggest you stay out of the rain forest and do something less likely to expose you to mosquitos. I am cruising in 3 weeks also and will have a stop in Dominica. We will be doing a whale watching adventure - no mosquitos there! Please try not to worry and enjoy your cruise!

[Lard Greystoke]

The current infection rate is very low, in a population exposed to infection full-time. The odds of a one-time visitor coming in contact with an infected mosquito are even lower, though not zero.

 

Fast-flowing water is not conducive to the mosquito life cycle because the larvae get washed away before they have time to develop (several days). Human beings provide both areas of stagnant water and sources of food (themselves). Whitewater streams in remote areas would present a low risk; puddles in towns, higher risk.

[merinski]

I have checked the CDC website and this still doesn't sound like this is a huge worry. The CDC suggests long sleeve clothing and using insect repellent as all that is necessary. If you are super concerned, I would suggest you stay out of the rain forest and do something less likely to expose you to mosquitos. I am cruising in 3 weeks also and will have a stop in Dominica. We will be doing a whale watching adventure - no mosquitos there! Please try not to worry and enjoy your cruise!

Let us know how the whale watching is. We would like to do it in Dec.