We love St Barth and visited it just in February of this year with hopes to return in April/May. However, just in February 2014, there were 300 cases of people getting Dengue Fever! A lot of friends of ours cancelled their trips for this year hoping that the next year will be under control. Can anybody tell me what steps are/will be taken to assure travelers of their safety?
Chikungunya Virus and Dengue Fever in St. Barts!!!??
- Thread starter anthonys
- Start date
andynap
Senior Insider
Welcome Anthony. This site has documented every step that the St Bart's Collective has done to alleviate the mosquito that causes the two problems you mention from spraying everyday to instructions on how to protect yourself and the property where you stay.
This site has numerous threads on how to protect yourself from those mosquitoes. I was there in February as I am every February and documented the steps I take. As much reporting as there is I have not seen reports of 300 cases of Dengue on St. Barts in February alone.
This site has numerous threads on how to protect yourself from those mosquitoes. I was there in February as I am every February and documented the steps I take. As much reporting as there is I have not seen reports of 300 cases of Dengue on St. Barts in February alone.
JEK
Senior Insider
Anthonys, welcome to the forum.
Last report I read the cases had peaked and were on the decline, but perhaps Ellen has a more current assessment. The COM has been spraying insecticide aggressively -- this from today's Le News
As always, the best defense is on your own person. I was very careful on my last 3 week trip to spray myself morning and evening and I believe I escaped without a single bite. One quickly learns to discern the "good" mosquito (larger and black) from the "bad" mosquito (much smaller and brown) and apply the electronic paddle to all!
Last report I read the cases had peaked and were on the decline, but perhaps Ellen has a more current assessment. The COM has been spraying insecticide aggressively -- this from today's Le News
As always, the best defense is on your own person. I was very careful on my last 3 week trip to spray myself morning and evening and I believe I escaped without a single bite. One quickly learns to discern the "good" mosquito (larger and black) from the "bad" mosquito (much smaller and brown) and apply the electronic paddle to all!
KevinS
Senior Insider
There has been Dengue Fever on St Barth for longer than I've been visiting the island. I remember seeing warning posters about it in Le Select decades ago. Dengue Fever is likely endemic, and isn't going to disappear until the mosquitoes that carry it disappear, which isn't going to happen. Chikungunya is new to the region, or at least newly recognized, and the press coverage has raised awareness of both Chikungunya and Dengue. It's my impression that the increase in Dengue cases this year is not really any different than in any other year. Many residents have previously had one or more Dengue serotype, which makes them resistant to that same serotype, but Chikungunya is new. The presence of a new virus suggests that there will be more people impacted, at least in the short term.
The island appears to be acting aggressively to respond to the problem. Tons of old tires, which make great mosquito breeding areas, have been removed from the island. Insecticide spraying has been repeated multiple times, as is noted above, much more frequently than in the recent years. Education continues, reminding people to remove potential breeding areas, which are basically anything that holds standing water, even something as small as a bottlecap.
At the end of the day, it's up to each of us to protect ourselves. Awareness, proper use of repellants, and zapping mosquitoes with a skeeter racket are all part of that.
The island appears to be acting aggressively to respond to the problem. Tons of old tires, which make great mosquito breeding areas, have been removed from the island. Insecticide spraying has been repeated multiple times, as is noted above, much more frequently than in the recent years. Education continues, reminding people to remove potential breeding areas, which are basically anything that holds standing water, even something as small as a bottlecap.
At the end of the day, it's up to each of us to protect ourselves. Awareness, proper use of repellants, and zapping mosquitoes with a skeeter racket are all part of that.
stbartshopper
Senior Insider
Our friends who own Villas on the island, and stay for months on end, have all had dengue at some time or another. They have told us it is not pleasant but all have gotten over it and are fine. We visit every year and try to avoid mosquitoes as best we can. We always rent in Pte Milou where there is constant wind but not too much and that keeps the bugs away. At restaurants with little airflow, like Table de Jules, we spray our exposed areas with repellent. We usually end up with a bite of two, but (cross our fingers) have never had anything other than a little itch. The artlcles about dengue and chikungunya have not deterred us from rebooking year after year.
MantyPam
SBH Insider
I've started my B1 vitamins and stocked up on the Deet! I'm ready to go in week!
andynap
Senior Insider
:up:I've started my B1 vitamins and stocked up on the Deet! I'm ready to go in week!
JEK
Senior Insider
Andy is asleep now. My advice is to spray with 98% DEET morning and evening and rest easy. Andy takes vitamins, wears long pants, socks, leather shoes and long-sleeve shirts. Also has his place (you know which one) sprayed on a daily basis. Get a racket. The electronic kind to zap the strays.
KevinS
Senior Insider
Joe,
I'll be on-island later this month too. Andy will respond for himself, but I can tell you what I plan to continue doing. First, I'll trust my villa-owner, who I have know for many years, to have done everything that she can do to remove any sources of standing water, which reduces mosquito breeding opportunities. I will be using two DEET products which I carry with me, Mosquito Milk and OFF, as repellants. I will also be using a Skeeter Racket to chase down and incinerate any mosquitoes that I can find in the villa (check the corners where there is minimal airflow), especially in the bedrooms. I keep the A/C going in the bedroom, primarily for comfort, but also to keep the skeeters out. So far I've been successfully dodging Dengue for 30 years, and hope to continue that record with Chikungunya.
I'll be on-island later this month too. Andy will respond for himself, but I can tell you what I plan to continue doing. First, I'll trust my villa-owner, who I have know for many years, to have done everything that she can do to remove any sources of standing water, which reduces mosquito breeding opportunities. I will be using two DEET products which I carry with me, Mosquito Milk and OFF, as repellants. I will also be using a Skeeter Racket to chase down and incinerate any mosquitoes that I can find in the villa (check the corners where there is minimal airflow), especially in the bedrooms. I keep the A/C going in the bedroom, primarily for comfort, but also to keep the skeeters out. So far I've been successfully dodging Dengue for 30 years, and hope to continue that record with Chikungunya.
