Costa Rica's Malaria Outbreak Reaches 105 Cases

According to recent data from the Republic of Costa Rica Health Surveillance Directorate of the Ministry of Health, a total of 105 positive cases of malaria have been identified in the Huerta Caribe region.

And 2,844 people treated from the communities of Finca 12, PCC, Medio Queso, Coquital, and San Gerardo, in the canton of Los Chiles, chose to prevent the spread of malaria, and 726 homes have been visited in which a total of 9,136 doses of chloroquine have been provided.

Most people detected as of April 13, 2023, were between 20 to 39 years of age.

It is essential to highlight that the Ministry of Health's goal is eliminating malaria by 2025.

To notify international travelers, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions on April 17, 2023, regarding Costa Rica's malaria outbreak.

The CDC warned malaria is a medical emergency, and appropriate treatment should not be delayed. And seek medical care if you develop fever, chills, sweats, headache, vomiting, or body aches. 

According to the World Health Organization Malaria Report released in December 2022, there were an estimated 619,000 malaria-related fatalities globally in 2021, with 568,000 deaths.

Additionally, the CDC stated if you are traveling to Limón or Alajuela Province, you should speak to your healthcare professional about how to prevent mosquito bites and which antimalarial drug is best.

Furthermore, as a prevention, you could take antimalarial drugs before travel. 

According to the CDC, malaria is a vaccine-preventable mosquito-borne disease. 

Vaccines such as RTS,S, and R21 have been approved in various countries and are reported to be effective at preventing disease.

Unfortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had not approved a malaria vaccine as of April 19, 2023.

This article was updated on April 20, 2023, with local links.