Belize Visitors At-Risk for Chikungunya, Dengue, Zika in 2025

When the U.S. Department of State recently updated its Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution for the Central American country of Belize, it also highlighted various risks.

On December 30, 2024, the State Department advised travelers to exercise caution when exploring the south side of Belize City due to civil unrest. This area (south of Haulover Creek Canal and continuing south to Fabers Road) does not overlap with the typical tourism areas. 

When visiting Belize in 2025, enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive digital alerts and make locating you in an emergency easier. You can also see the local U.S. Embassy.

Belize is located on the Caribbean's east coast, just south of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo. In 2024, about 560,000 people visited the country.

From a health perspective, the U.S. CDC and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that mosquito-transmitted Chikungunya, Dengue, and Zika viruses continued to impact Belize in 2024.

At the end of 2024, the PAHO confirmed 36 Chikungunya, 1,148 Dengue, and 31 Zika cases.

In 2024, the CDC stated that there had been evidence of Chikungunya virus transmission in Belize within the last five years. To prevent this disease, the new Chikungunya vaccine is an option for certain travelers.

As of January 12, 2025, the U.S. FDA-approved IXCHIQ® single-dose Chikungunya vaccine is commercially available at travel clinics and pharmacies.