Zika first made it into the news big time in February 2016. Back then, we published a blog recommending that pregnant women or women who were actively trying to get pregnant should not be traveling to Costa Rica. Two and a half years on, how is the situation looking now in Costa Rica in mid-2018?
Much better. Seldom is there talk of Zika and the number of confirmed cases is ever fewer. In fact, in the first quarter of this year, Costa Rica saw a reduction of more than 80% in the number of cases relative to 2017, none of which have involved any complications at all. In comparison to other countries in the region such as Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and El Salvador, cases in Costa Rica have always been far lower, but these latest stats are comforting.
That said, we continue to keep the health of our guests front of mind and uphold our recommendations for pregnant women and those wishing to conceive within a short period of a visit to the region.
However, if there are no children on the cards in the near future, there’s little reason to be worried about visiting Costa Rica or Panama with the Cayuga Collection. For one, many of our hotels and lodges are located in areas with very few mosquitos. They’re located on hillsides, meaning no standing water for mosquitos to breed, or they’re based in ecosystems where the mosquitos are at the very bottom of the food chain and are quickly eaten up. In our remote destinations, it’s much less common to find mosquito-transmitted diseases in general. Either way, we’ve been actively involved in successful educational campaigns over the last two years on how to prevent Zika in the communities where we operate.
Mosquitos aside, a vacation to Central America is likely to do far more good for your wellbeing than anything – getting back to nature, soaking up some sunshine and traveling authentically can do wonders for the soul. We are confident that it is safe to travel to Costa Rica, and are always happy to answer any specific questions on the topic. Chat with us below or send us a note at info@cayugaonline.com and we’ll be glad to advise you. Meanwhile, the ultimate authority on all things Zika is the Center for Disease Control – you can find updated CDC information here.
