Dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever, malaria and Oropouche all circulate somewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean. This guide explains which mosquito bites when, when a net matters, what repellent to use, and what to do before and after a winter trip from Europe.
Last updated 2026-10-26
Dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever, malaria and Oropouche all circulate somewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean. Regional dengue is lower than in 2025, but several countries report rising cases and Colombia reached outbreak levels. This guide covers which mosquito bites when, when a net matters, and what to do before and after a winter trip from Europe.
The short answer
- Check the TravelHealthPro country page for the places you will actually visit, not only the capital (TravelHealthPro).
- See a travel clinic before you travel, and ask about yellow fever vaccination and malaria tablets for your route (TravelHealthPro).
- Plan for day-biting Aedes mosquitoes as well as night-biting Anopheles mosquitoes (WHO).
- Use 50% DEET or an alternative on exposed skin, wear long loose clothing, and treat fabric with permethrin (TravelHealthPro).
- Sleep under a mosquito net in malaria areas unless the room is well screened or has working, switched-on air conditioning (TravelHealthPro).
- Use a net if you sleep by day, including young children and anyone ill (WHO).
- Treat a fever of 38°C or more after travel as urgent, and tell the doctor every country you visited (TravelHealthPro).
What the latest figures show
PAHO's report of 23 October 2026 counts 1,813,577 suspected dengue cases in the Americas to epidemiological week 39 of 2026. That total is 55% below the same period of 2025 and 62% below the five-year average. The same report records 614 deaths and a case fatality rate of 0.034% at week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). ECDC's dengue overview, updated 6 October 2026, counted 1,658,783 dengue cases in the Americas at week 35 of 2026 (ECDC).
The lower total does not mean every country is calmer. PAHO's 20 October 2026 update says the overall trend is downward. It also says specific epidemiological situations are observed in some countries of the Andean, Central American and Caribbean subregions. Cases rose in recent weeks in those places (PAHO). In Colombia, PAHO says the number of cases measured by the endemic channel reached outbreak levels in epidemiological week 38 of 2026 (PAHO).
PAHO's 20 October 2026 update counts 213,919 suspected chikungunya cases in the Americas in epidemiological weeks 1 to 38 of 2026. It records 78,481 confirmed cases and 88 deaths in the same weeks (PAHO). It warns of the anticipated intensification of El Niño over the coming months. It also warns of the approaching peak season for dengue and chikungunya in South America (PAHO). ECDC's chikungunya overview, with data as of 30 August 2026, counted 197,497 cases in the Americas in 2026 (ECDC).
PAHO's yellow fever alert of 13 March 2026 records 346 confirmed cases and 143 deaths in the Americas in 2025. That is a 5.6-fold increase on 2024 (PAHO). In epidemiological weeks 1 to 7 of 2026 it records 34 cases and 15 deaths in four countries (PAHO).
WHO's World Malaria Report 2025 estimates 663,000 malaria cases in 16 endemic countries of the Americas in 2024, and almost two thirds were P. vivax (WHO). PAHO's Oropouche update of 13 August 2025 records 12,786 confirmed cases in 11 countries in epidemiological weeks 1 to 30 of 2025 (PAHO).
Zika is different. PAHO says Zika is endemic in the Americas (PAHO). WHO says transmission persists at low levels in several countries in the Americas (6 November 2025) (WHO). These are regional totals, not a destination forecast. The country sections below give the newest figure for each place.
Which mosquito bites when
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus carry dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever, and they bite mainly by day (WHO). CDC gives their peak activity as after sunrise and at sunset (CDC). TravelHealthPro says Aedes aegypti feeds from dawn to dusk but can bite at night in well-lit areas (TravelHealthPro). WHO says the mosquitoes usually bite during the day and mostly outdoors, although they can feed indoors (WHO).
Anopheles mosquitoes carry malaria, and they bite mainly from dusk to dawn (CDC). TravelHealthPro adds that Anopheles can be active during the day, at dawn and dusk, and throughout the night, depending on species and place (TravelHealthPro). UKHSA puts the malaria mosquitoes at night, between dusk and dawn (UKHSA).
The Oropouche vector is not a mosquito. It is a biting midge, Culicoides paraensis, which usually bites from dawn to dusk (TravelHealthPro). PAHO says the midge lives in wooded areas and near bodies of water, and that some Culex mosquitoes can also transmit the virus (PAHO). CDC calls biting midges no-see-ums and says they are active in the daytime and evening (CDC).
The practical rule is to protect skin in daylight and to sleep under a net at night. Neither rule is absolute. Aedes can bite at night in a lit room, and Anopheles can be active by day in some places. Treat the times as a guide to when to be most careful, not as a guarantee.
When a net matters
A net is the right tool for sleeping, resting and night-time malaria protection. It is a weaker tool against day-biting Aedes while you are awake. The points below set out where the authorities place it.
(a) Malaria areas. TravelHealthPro advises all travellers to malaria areas to sleep under a mosquito net. The exception is a room that is well screened or has working, switched-on air conditioning where mosquitoes cannot enter (TravelHealthPro). TravelHealthPro's malaria page repeats the point for well-maintained insecticide-treated nets (TravelHealthPro). PAHO advises insecticide-treated nets for night-time prevention of mosquito bites (PAHO). CDC says to sleep in a well-screened or air-conditioned room, or under a permethrin-treated net (CDC).
(b) Rooms without screens or air conditioning, and sleeping outdoors. CDC advises a net if you cannot stay in a place with air conditioning or window and door screens. It also advises a net if you are sleeping outside (CDC). UKHSA advises an insecticide-treated net if your accommodation is not air-conditioned or you are sleeping outdoors (UKHSA). CDC and UKHSA both direct travellers to a net in these settings. A hammock on an open porch and an unscreened lodge room both fall under that advice.
(c) Anyone who sleeps by day. WHO's chikungunya fact sheet says insecticide-treated nets should be used against day-biting mosquitoes by people who sleep during the daytime. That group includes young children, sick patients and older people (WHO). WHO's dengue fact sheet advises a net, ideally sprayed, if you sleep during the day (WHO). NHS dengue advises an insecticide-treated net including during the day (NHS).
(d) Babies under two months. TravelHealthPro says: "Babies under two months should be protected with protective clothing and insecticide treated nets draped over cots and prams, secured around the edges to avoid gaps" (TravelHealthPro). Check the label of any net and ask the travel clinic.
(e) Someone ill with dengue or chikungunya. PAHO's 20 October 2026 update advises that the patient rest under a mosquito net, treated with insecticide or not, to reduce contact between mosquitoes and the patient (PAHO). PAHO also advises bed rest under mosquito netting for chikungunya (PAHO).
The limits matter as much as the uses. A net does little against day-biting Aedes when you are awake. WHO's yellow fever fact sheet says insecticide-treated bed nets are less effective because the mosquitoes transmitting yellow fever bite during the daytime (WHO). A standard net does not stop Oropouche midges, because the insects are small enough to pass through the netting; fine mesh is needed (WHO). PAHO advises fine-mesh nets over beds or sleeping areas (PAHO).
An air-conditioned, well-screened resort room is covered by TravelHealthPro's exception. If the room is well screened, or has working, switched-on air conditioning, the malaria net advice does not apply (TravelHealthPro). A net still helps if someone sleeps by day in that room, because Aedes mosquitoes can enter and bite in daylight (WHO). The foundation's guides to using a mosquito net correctly and to insecticide-treated nets cover hanging, tucking, gaps and how treatment works.
Repellent, clothing and rooms
TravelHealthPro and UKHSA both make 50% DEET the first choice for everyone over two months (TravelHealthPro). TravelHealthPro says icaridin at 20% has repellent properties similar to DEET at 20%, with a comparable duration of protection. PMD, or eucalyptus citriodora oil, and IR3535 are the other alternatives (TravelHealthPro). UKHSA recommends the highest strength formulation available of icaridin at 20%, eucalyptus citriodora oil, hydrated and cyclised, or IR3535 (UKHSA). WHO names DEET, IR3535 and icaridin (WHO).
Apply sunscreen first and repellent after (CDC). TravelHealthPro says to use a 30 to 50 SPF sunscreen, because DEET reduces the protection a sunscreen gives (TravelHealthPro). Reapply when mosquitoes begin to take an interest, and not more often than the label allows (TravelHealthPro). UKHSA says to reapply frequently, especially in hot countries and after swimming (UKHSA). CDC advises separate products, not a combined sunscreen and repellent (CDC). The foundation's guide to how long repellents last compares the concentrations and ingredients.
Wear long, loose clothing. TravelHealthPro advises loose-fitting clothing with long sleeves and long trousers tucked into socks (TravelHealthPro). WHO advises light-coloured clothing that covers as much of the body as possible (WHO). UKHSA adds trousers, skirts, dresses, socks and shoes (UKHSA).
Permethrin goes on clothing, nets and other fabrics, never on skin (CDC). CDC says 0.5% permethrin-treated clothing repels and kills mosquitoes and other biting insects (CDC). UKHSA says permethrin-treated clothing and bed nets give additional protection against biting mosquitoes (UKHSA). The foundation's guide to permethrin-treated clothing explains what it protects and its limits.
Where you sleep matters too. CDC advises choosing a hotel or lodging with air conditioning or window and door screens (CDC). CDC also advises screens on windows and doors, repair of holes in screens, and air conditioning when available (CDC). WHO says window and door screens and air conditioning reduce the risk of mosquitoes coming into contact with household members (WHO). TravelHealthPro says doors and windows to sleeping accommodation should be screened with fine mesh (TravelHealthPro).
The diseases, one by one
Dengue
Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus carry dengue, and they bite mainly by day (WHO). PAHO counted 1,813,577 suspected cases and 614 deaths in the Americas to epidemiological week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). Brazil reported 1,350,614 suspected cases to week 39 of 2026, the largest national total in the PAHO table (PAHO). PAHO classified 3,834 cases as severe dengue at week 39 of 2026, 0.2% of the total (PAHO). All four serotypes circulated in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela in 2026 (PAHO). The foundation's guide to dengue and second infection explains why a later infection can be more severe.
Chikungunya
Aedes mosquitoes carry chikungunya, and they bite predominantly during daylight hours (TravelHealthPro). PAHO counted 213,919 suspected cases in the Americas in epidemiological weeks 1 to 38 of 2026, with 78,481 confirmed and 88 deaths (PAHO). Brazil reported 135,962 suspected cases to week 40 of 2026, with 56,759 confirmed and 58 deaths (PAHO). Costa Rica reported 690 suspected cases to week 38 of 2026, with 539 confirmed (PAHO). PAHO records a case fatality rate of 0.041% for the region in weeks 1 to 38 of 2026 (PAHO). The foundation's guide to chikungunya joint pain covers how long the symptoms can last.
Zika
Aedes mosquitoes carry Zika, and they usually bite during the day and mostly outdoors, although they can feed indoors (WHO). PAHO says Zika is endemic in the Americas (PAHO). WHO says transmission persists at low levels in several countries in the Americas (6 November 2025) (WHO). The foundation's guide to Zika virus and pregnancy sets out the testing and travel questions.
Oropouche
The Oropouche vector is the biting midge Culicoides paraensis, not a mosquito, and it usually bites from dawn to dusk (TravelHealthPro). PAHO's update of 13 August 2025 records 12,786 confirmed cases in 11 countries in epidemiological weeks 1 to 30 of 2025 (PAHO). Brazil reported 11,888 confirmed cases to week 31 of 2025, Peru 330, Cuba 28, Colombia 26 and Panama 501 (PAHO). WHO records possible negative outcomes of infection in pregnancy, including fetal death, miscarriage and microcephaly in newborns (WHO). CDC advises pregnant travellers to talk to their healthcare provider and to reconsider nonessential travel to a Level 2 area (CDC). The foundation's guide to Oropouche virus and imported cases in Europe explains what is known so far.
Yellow fever
Aedes mosquitoes carry yellow fever, and they bite during the day (WHO). PAHO's alert of 13 March 2026 records 346 confirmed cases and 143 deaths in seven countries in the Americas in 2025 (PAHO). In epidemiological weeks 1 to 7 of 2026 it records 34 cases and 15 deaths in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela (PAHO). Colombia reported 25 cases and 13 deaths in weeks 1 to 7 of 2026, all in the department of Tolima (PAHO). PAHO classifies the overall risk in the Americas as high, a classification from February 2025 updated in May 2025 (PAHO). The foundation's guide to the yellow fever vaccine and certificate covers who should not receive it.
Malaria
Anopheles mosquitoes carry malaria, and they bite mainly from dusk to dawn (CDC). WHO estimates 663,000 cases in 16 endemic countries of the Americas in 2024, and almost two thirds were P. vivax (WHO). WHO also says untreated P. falciparum malaria can progress to severe illness and death within 24 hours (WHO). Cuba is certified malaria-free, a status granted in 1973 (WHO). The foundation's guides to malaria and to WHO malaria-free certification cover how it spreads and which countries reached the status.
December to March: what changes
PAHO's dengue topic page gives the hemisphere rule. Most cases in the southern hemisphere occur in the first part of the year. Most cases in the northern hemisphere occur in the second half (PAHO). Brazil's 2025 pattern was an increase in the first half of the year, with a peak around epidemiological week 12 (PAHO). Panama's 2025 pattern was an increase in the first weeks of the year, with a peak at week 30 (PAHO). Mexico's 2025 pattern was a gradual increase from week 19 to a peak at week 43 (PAHO).
PAHO's 20 October 2026 update warns of the approaching peak season for dengue and chikungunya in South America (PAHO). It also warns of the anticipated intensification of El Niño over the coming months, which could create conditions favourable for dengue transmission (PAHO). For a December to March trip, that means the southern hemisphere is entering its higher season.
PAHO's hemisphere rule covers the Caribbean, and local country pages carry the current picture. Check the country page for the weeks you will be there.
Country by country
Brazil
PAHO's report of 23 October 2026 records 1,350,614 suspected dengue cases in Brazil to week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). PAHO's 20 October 2026 update records 135,962 suspected chikungunya cases to week 40, with 56,759 confirmed and 58 deaths (PAHO).
PAHO's yellow fever alert of 13 March 2026 records 120 confirmed cases and 48 deaths in Brazil in 2025. It records no new cases to week 7 of 2026 (PAHO). TravelHealthPro puts malaria at low risk in the Amazon basin, including Manaus, and very low risk in the rest of Brazil (TravelHealthPro). CDC lists all areas of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Rondônia and Roraima, with transmission in Maranhão, Mato Grosso and Pará (CDC). The two authorities differ in detail, so check with the travel clinic. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for the listed states and Iguaçu Falls, but not for Fortaleza or Recife (TravelHealthPro).
Mexico
PAHO's report of 23 October 2026 records 58,549 suspected dengue cases in Mexico to epidemiological week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). Mexico's own epidemiological panorama records 8,047 confirmed cases and 33 deaths to week 41, with data to 19 October 2026 (Secretaría de Salud). PAHO's 20 October 2026 update records 52,866 probable cases to week 37, with 5,859 laboratory-confirmed and 26 deaths (PAHO). The definitions differ, so do not compare the totals directly.
TravelHealthPro describes a very low malaria risk in Mexico without naming areas (TravelHealthPro). CDC names Campeche, Chiapas and southern Chihuahua, with rare cases in Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Sonora and Tabasco (CDC). The two authorities frame the risk differently, so check with the travel clinic. Yellow fever vaccination is not recommended for Mexico (CDC).
Costa Rica
PAHO's report of 23 October 2026 records 5,426 suspected dengue cases in Costa Rica to epidemiological week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). PAHO's 20 October 2026 update records 5,302 suspected cases to week 37, with 2,393 confirmed and no deaths (PAHO). It records 690 suspected chikungunya cases to week 38, with 539 confirmed (PAHO).
TravelHealthPro puts malaria at low risk in Limón Province but not Limón city, and very low risk in the rest of the country (TravelHealthPro). CDC reports malaria in Alajuela and Limón provinces (CDC). The two authorities disagree on the areas, so check with the travel clinic. Yellow fever vaccination is not recommended for Costa Rica. A certificate is required for arrivals from countries with risk, plus Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia (TravelHealthPro).
Colombia
PAHO's report of 23 October 2026 records 85,824 suspected dengue cases in Colombia to epidemiological week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). PAHO's 20 October 2026 update records 83,905 suspected cases to week 38, with 51 deaths. It says the endemic channel reached outbreak levels in week 38 (PAHO). PAHO's yellow fever alert of 13 March 2026 records 125 cases and 46 deaths in 2025. It records 25 cases and 13 deaths in weeks 1 to 7 of 2026, all in Tolima (PAHO).
TravelHealthPro puts malaria at low risk in rural areas below 1,600 m, and very low risk above that and in Cartagena (TravelHealthPro). CDC covers areas below 1,700 m and reports no transmission in Bogotá, Cartagena or Medellín (CDC). The thresholds differ, so check with the travel clinic. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended below 2,300 m. It is not recommended for Barranquilla, Cali, Cartagena and Medellín, or above 2,300 m, Bogotá and San Andrés y Providencia (TravelHealthPro).
Peru
PAHO's report of 23 October 2026 records 67,472 suspected dengue cases in Peru to week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). PAHO's 20 October 2026 update records 63,407 cases to week 38, with 49,650 confirmed and 71 deaths (PAHO). PAHO's yellow fever alert of 13 March 2026 records two cases in Madre de Dios in weeks 1 to 7 of 2026 (PAHO).
TravelHealthPro puts malaria at low risk in the Amazon basin along the Brazil border, especially Loreto. It puts no risk in Lima and the coast south of Chiclayo (TravelHealthPro). CDC covers all areas below 2,500 m east of the Andes, including Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado, with rare cases in Tumbes and Piura (CDC). The descriptions differ, so check with the travel clinic. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended below 2,300 m in the listed regions. It is not recommended for Lima, Cusco city, Machu Picchu, the Inca Trail or areas above 2,300 m (TravelHealthPro).
Cuba
PAHO's 20 October 2026 update records 1,746 suspected dengue cases in Cuba to epidemiological week 25 of 2026, with 62 confirmed and no deaths (PAHO). Cuba is not in the week 39 table of PAHO's 23 October 2026 report, so week 25 is the newest Cuban figure in these reports (PAHO). The same update records 2,716 chikungunya cases to week 26, with 254 confirmed and six deaths (PAHO). PAHO's Oropouche update of 13 August 2025 records 28 confirmed cases in Cuba in weeks 1 to 30 of 2025 (PAHO).
There is no malaria in Cuba. WHO certified the country malaria-free in 1973, and TravelHealthPro and CDC list no malaria section (WHO). CDC's Cuba page has no malaria section at all (CDC). Yellow fever vaccination is not recommended for Cuba, but a certificate is required for arrivals from countries with risk (TravelHealthPro).
Dominican Republic
PAHO's report of 23 October 2026 records 1,187 suspected dengue cases in the Dominican Republic to epidemiological week 39 of 2026 (PAHO). TravelHealthPro records chikungunya cases in the past or a land border with a country with recent cases, but gives no current figure (TravelHealthPro).
TravelHealthPro puts malaria at low risk, possibly higher near Haiti, and no risk in Santiago and Santo Domingo cities (TravelHealthPro). CDC reports malaria primarily in Azua, Elias Piña, La Altagracia, San Juan and Santo Domingo provinces, including resort areas. It also reports malaria in parts of Santo Domingo city (CDC). The two authorities disagree on Santo Domingo, so check with the travel clinic. Yellow fever vaccination is not recommended. A certificate is required for arrivals from Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states in Brazil (TravelHealthPro).
Pregnancy, babies and young children
Zika needs a specific conversation. NHS says: "You should consider avoiding travelling to a country with a risk of Zika virus if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy in the near future" (NHS). UKHSA says: "You should discuss the suitability of travel and the potential risk that Zika virus may present to pregnancy with your health care provider" (UKHSA). ECDC says pregnant women, women considering pregnancy and their partners should seek an individual assessment of risk. They should consider delaying non-essential travel to areas with ongoing Zika transmission (ECDC). TravelHealthPro says pregnant women should consider postponing non-essential travel until after pregnancy where transmission is current (TravelHealthPro).
The return windows differ by sex and by who travelled. UKHSA says women should avoid becoming pregnant for two months after return if only the woman travelled. The window is three months if both travelled or the male partner travelled alone (UKHSA). NHS says to use condoms for three months if both partners travelled or the male partner travelled alone. It says two months if the woman travelled alone (NHS). WHO recommends safer sex or abstinence for three months for men and two months for women returning from areas of active Zika transmission (WHO).
Oropouche needs its own warning. PAHO repeats CDC advice that pregnant women should reconsider non-essential travel to areas with a Level 2 Travel Health Advisory for Oropouche. The reason is the risk of mother-to-child transmission (PAHO). ECDC advises pregnant women to follow travel advisories for both Oropouche and Zika, because the associated risks are similar (ECDC). WHO records possible negative outcomes of infection in pregnancy, including fetal death, miscarriage and microcephaly in newborns (WHO). UKHSA records possible fetal infection (UKHSA).
Repellent age limits are narrow and clear. TravelHealthPro says 50% DEET is recommended for all travellers over two months, and DEET is not recommended for babies under two months (TravelHealthPro). CDC says DEET, picaridin, IR3535 and 2-undecanone can be used on children without age restriction. OLE and PMD should not be used on children under three (CDC). For babies under two months, TravelHealthPro advises protective clothing and insecticide-treated nets over cots and prams, secured around the edges (TravelHealthPro).
The foundation's guides to Zika in pregnancy and to repellents for babies and children go further. A travel clinic can check the current advice for the exact country and week.
Before you go
See a travel clinic early, and check the TravelHealthPro country page for the places you will actually visit (TravelHealthPro). The country page is the place to confirm the malaria areas, the yellow fever recommendation and any certificate rule for your route.
Yellow fever certificate rules differ by country and by authority. For Colombia, TravelHealthPro requires a certificate for arrivals from Angola, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda (TravelHealthPro). CDC says the vaccine is required for all arriving travellers aged 1 year and over (CDC). Those two positions do not match, so check with the travel clinic before you book. A certificate rule can apply even when the vaccine is not recommended for the country itself.
Malaria tablets are not a single decision for the whole region. TravelHealthPro says tablets may be considered in low-risk areas for travellers at higher risk of malaria, and are not advised in very-low-risk areas (TravelHealthPro). CDC says tablets are recommended in its listed transmission areas (CDC). The country sections above show where the two authorities agree and where they do not.
After you come home
TravelHealthPro says a fever of 38°C or more after travel needs urgent medical help, and you should tell the doctor every country you visited (TravelHealthPro). NHS says malaria is an emergency and needs quick treatment (NHS). UKHSA says suspected malaria is a medical emergency and must be quickly excluded or treated (UKHSA).
Malaria symptoms can appear up to a year after travel (TravelHealthPro). NHS says symptoms can take months, and rarely years, to appear (NHS). UKHSA says to tell your doctor about trips abroad in the past year. It says to ask for a malaria blood test after a tropical trip (UKHSA).
Dengue needs the same care. NHS says to seek urgent advice if you feel unwell after travel to a country where dengue is found. Tell the clinician about your recent travel (NHS). If you are pregnant, or your partner is pregnant, seek advice after travel to a Zika risk country (NHS).
Questions travellers ask
Do I need a mosquito net in an air-conditioned resort?
Not for malaria if the room is well screened or has working, switched-on air conditioning. TravelHealthPro makes that exception (TravelHealthPro). CDC says to choose lodging with air conditioning or window and door screens (CDC). A net still helps if you sleep by day, because Aedes mosquitoes bite in daylight (WHO). Check the room before you unpack.
Is there malaria in Cuba?
No. WHO certified Cuba malaria-free in 1973, and TravelHealthPro and CDC list no malaria risk for the country (WHO). Dengue, chikungunya and Zika are present, so bite avoidance still matters (TravelHealthPro). If you have a fever after travel, tell the doctor you went to Cuba (TravelHealthPro).
Is dengue lower this year?
Yes at the regional level. PAHO counted 1,813,577 suspected cases to epidemiological week 39 of 2026, 55% below the same period of 2025 and 62% below the five-year average (PAHO). But PAHO's 20 October 2026 update reports increases in parts of the Andean, Central American and Caribbean subregions. Colombia reached outbreak levels in week 38 (PAHO). A lower total is not an all-clear.
Does a net protect against dengue?
Partly. Aedes mosquitoes bite mainly by day, so a net does little while you are awake (WHO). WHO, PAHO and NHS advise a net for people who sleep during the day, including young children and sick people (WHO). WHO says nets are less effective for yellow fever because those mosquitoes bite by day (WHO). Use repellent, clothing and screens in daylight.
Which repellent should I choose?
TravelHealthPro and UKHSA make 50% DEET the first choice for everyone over two months (TravelHealthPro). Icaridin at 20%, PMD and IR3535 are alternatives (TravelHealthPro). WHO names DEET, IR3535 and icaridin (WHO). Apply sunscreen first and repellent after, and reapply as the label allows (CDC). UKHSA advises asking a doctor or pharmacist before you travel with a baby under two months (UKHSA).
Travelling to the Indian Ocean instead? Zika and chikungunya in Mauritius: a guide for travellers.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Ask a doctor or pharmacist about your own health.