Current situation in Curacao

Dengue will always be present on Curacao, as it will always be present in almost all countries in the Caribbean, South America and Asia, among others. However, the risk of contracting dengue in Curacao is currently very small. The mosquito is present, but because there are very few infections on Curacao, the chance of the mosquito transmitting the virus from the infected person to an uninfected person is very small. In addition, most tourist accommodations/locations have standard mosquito control measures in place.
=> The 2023/2024 dengue outbreak is completely over. Currently there is no need to refrain from traveling to Curacao because of the risk of dengue infection.

Nov. 5, 2024 – Spray action against mosquitoes in Piscadera and Charo neighborhoods
Employees of the Technical Hygienic Care conducted a spray action on November 5 against mosquitoes in the Piscadera and Charo neighborhoods. For three hours they drove through the streets distributing insecticide. In itself not a disturbing action; in the middle of the rainy season on Curaçao there is always an increased presence of mosquitoes. Because especially in these two districts last spring there was a considerable increase of Dengue, precautionary action is now being taken.
source: Curacao.nu, November 5, 2024

April 11, 2024 – Little news
After the press conference a week ago by the Ministry of GMN, there has been no official news regarding the dengue outbreak on Curacao. Some communication has started this week from the Ministry (in 4 languages) to inform the local population about the symptoms of dengue, how to avoid the spread of dengue and tips for checking and clearing possible breeding grounds for mosquitoes in/around the house.

That there is little news may indicate that the dengue outbreak in Curacao is not continuing on a large scale. No doubt there will have been new infections in the past week. But both through the government, as well as from various local media and general “vibe” on social media by locals, things don’t seem to be too bad and there are certainly no worrying signs that things are heading in the wrong direction.

April 4, 2024 – Press conference Ministry GMN
The Ministry of GMN (Health, Environment and Nature) will hold a press conference on Thursday, April 4 regarding the dengue situation in Curacao. The highlights:
– There have been 229 confirmed cases of dengue on Curacao this year through the end of March. In addition, 299 other cases with a (strong) suspicion of dengue were also confirmed. That makes a total of 528 dengue infections on Curacao in the first 3 months of 2024. There was a large increase of dengue infections in February. For comparison: in the whole of 2023 only 11 confirmed dengue infections and 11 suspected dengue cases.
– There were (have been) 73 patients with dengue admitted to the Curaçao Medical Center this year. Remarkable: 24 of them (33%) were younger than 20 years. Three patients died from the effects of Dengue and 15 tourists were hospitalized a.g.v. dengue.
– Two striking things about this outbreak:
(1) The period. Normally an outbreak begins in October/November, in the middle of the rainy season, peaking in December.
(2) The dengue mosquito (Aedes Aegypti) now appears to lay eggs in polluted water. Previously, eggs were only laid in clean stagnant water.
– The situation on Curacao is similar to the dengue situation on other islands in the region and in South America.
– Prime Minister Pisas says there is no dengue crisis, but the situation must be taken seriously.
– The government will organize actions for stricter cleanup measures and, if possible, eliminate mosquito breeding sites. This will involve launching cleanup actions in cooperation with groups of volunteers.
– Ms. Arias (Ministry of Health) indicated that, above all, a concerted approach is needed in the fight against the dengue epidemic, with the population itself also helping.
– People with symptoms that may be a symptom of dengue are urged not to wait and see their doctor. It is important to keep a close eye on the elderly and small children for showing symptoms of dengue.
source: Antilliaans Dagblad, April 4, 2024

April 3, 2024 – Ministry GMN: “situation remains of concern”
The Ministry of GMN informed that 2 persons are currently hospitalized due to dungue infection. The situation is of concern in many countries in South America and the Caribbean. An urgent appeal is made to the people and businesses in Curacao to assist in the control and prevention of breeding sites of the mosquito that can spread dengue (and zika and chikungunya).

In the past few months, 73 persons have been admitted (woken up) to the Curaçao Medical Center with consequences of dengue infection. Remarkably, 1/3 of the admitted persons are younger than 20 years. The three persons who died of dengue were between 20 and 40 years old. Curaçao experts call these relatively low ages “remarkable.
source: Paradise FM, April 3, 2024

April 2, 2024 – item in NOS News bulletin
In the NOS Journaal of 20:00 on April 2 on Dutch television, an item about dengue on Curacao passes by. The item gives a rather negative image, as if there is a huge outbreak of dengue on Curacao. Yes, there is certainly something going on, with many sick people and so far 3 people who have died from the effects of dengue. But comments like“a quarter of the resort is sick in bed” can easily give the impression that 25% of Curacao is infected with dengue and that is certainly not the case. As reported at the end of the item: if the accommodations make sure that in the garden there is no clutter and no stagnant water, plus if the tourists bring DEET and long covering clothes, then the chance of dengue is minimal if everyone is alert and tries as much as possible to reduce the chance of mosquito nuisance.

March 25, 2024 – Information session Ministry GMN
At an information session, the Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) announced, among other things, the following:
– In recent weeks, some 20 persons have been admitted to the Curaçao Medical Center following a dengue infection. Three of them died, noting that these 3 deceased persons all had underlying diseases.
– The current situation is worrisome, but there is certainly no reason to panic, said epidemiologist Yaskara Halabi.
– Since late November, 106 dengue cases have been (have been) hospitalized.
– GMN has recorded 20 cases of dengue infection among tourists.(Note NaarCuracao: This is obviously very unpleasant for those 20 persons affected and their travel companions, but out of a total of over two thousand tourists who arrive in Curacao every day on average, it is a very small percentage).
– Zika and Chikungunya have also recently been spotted in Curacao.
– A new, emerging viral disease is the Oropouche virus. It has not yet been detected on Curacao, but it is expected that Oropouche will also appear on Curacao in the coming period.
source: Caribbean Network, March 26, 2024

Jan. 31, 2024 – increase of Dengue on Curacao
The GGD on Curacao confirms an increase of Dengue on Curacao. In the last weeks of 2023 already a few cases were confirmed, in January this increased to 31 cases of dengue on Curacao, plus one case of Chikungunya.
The Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) is actively campaigning to remove and prevent mosquito breeding sites, but also emphasizes that the population should actively help in this.
source: Paradise FM, Feb. 1, 2024

To protect yourself from mosquitoes, we can give you the following tips:
Wear loose, protective clothing
Mosquitoes can pierce through tight clothing quite easily, so, for example, tight long leggings won’t help much. Better put on loose-fitting clothes. Of course, as long as possible: shorts and shirts will offer little protection from mosquitoes.

Use DEET
Apply DEET regularly and properly. Preferably a lotion or spray that is 50% DEET. If the percentage is lower, it won’t help as much and you’ll have to reapply yourself sooner. A higher percentage of DEET than 50% is not necessary: it offers no extra protection, and by doing so you are really just smearing unnecessary extra poison on your skin.
Buy DEET 50% »

1- Contamination

Infection can only occur through the bite of a female mosquito that is active and infected during the day. Dengue cannot be transmitted from person to person, so if your travel companion has contracted dengue then there is no risk that you will also be infected by him/her.
After the first symptoms of dengue appear, that person is still infectious to mosquitoes for about a week. So if the infected person is stung by a “dengue mosquito” within that period, that mosquito thereby picks up the virus and can again transmit the virus to another person. Once a non-infectious mosquito has picked up the virus from an infected person, it takes another 1 to 2 weeks for that mosquito to become infectious as well. That mosquito then remains so until her death. A mosquito can also transmit the virus to its eggs, allowing the mosquitoes to grow from their eggs into an adult mosquito that is infectious to humans.

2- Incubation period

If you have been bitten by a mosquito carrying the Dengue virus, it can take up to 2 weeks for the first symptoms to appear. But usually you will notice something within 7 days or so.

3- Symptoms and course

First the good news: about 40 to 80 percent of persons infected with the Dengue virus will show no symptoms. So you have it, but get very little, if any, of it. Theoretical addition: there are 4 different types of dengue, but symptoms are about the same for each type so we will not name that distinction further.
The majority of infected persons will experience mild symptoms of dengue as symptoms. Consider here:

• sudden onset of fever (up to 41°C or 106°F) with chills
• headaches (especially behind the eyes)
• muscle and/or joint pain
• Skin rash on the first or second day of illness

This is usually considered non-serious or uncomplicated dengue. If the symptoms remain (very) mild, then at first you probably won’t think of dengue either, but rather a flu or COVID-19. After the first few days of illness, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, coughing and sore throat are added. As the fever subsides, a (new) rash may appear on the trunk, arms/legs and face. This will persist for about several days to 2 weeks after the mosquito bite.

If after 2 to 5 days the situation worsens (rapidly) including increased bleeding tendencies (including nosebleeds), then severe dengue may be present and can become life-threatening if left untreated. Especially if leads to dengue shock syndrome . Note that the symptoms of severe dengue may present themselves precisely when the fever drops. Severe dengue occurs in about 1 in 20 persons who contract uncomplicated dengue. Signs that may indicate severe dengue:

• severe abdominal pain
• persistent vomiting
• rapid breathing
• bleeding (including nosebleeds or bleeding gums)
• fatigue and restlessness
• blood in stool

Keep in mind that any case of dengue is highly self-limiting and will almost certainly affect travel plans. Studies show that about 40% of those with dengue symptoms are hospitalized.

4- Treatment and recovery

For starters, if dengue is suspected, you should consult a (family) doctor for advice as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there is no cure for dengue; it is mainly a matter of treating the symptoms and getting over it.
1- When symptoms suggest dengue, contact a doctor as soon as possible. Do not ignore warning signs!
2- Get tested in the hospital in consultation with your doctor
3- Get as much rest as possible and drink plenty of water
4- Stay in contact with a doctor about the course
If severe dengue is suspected, you will be admitted to the hospital for treatment.
If you have uncomplicated dengue, you will recover after about a week. Recovery will usually be quick and complete.

Explaining Dengue in this video: