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Americans traveling to Costa Rica are being urged to take extra precautions after U.S. health officials issued a new travel warning over an outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus chikungunya.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Province, where most cases have been reported in the popular beach destination of Playa Langosta.
Known for its beaches, surfing and hiking, Guanacaste is one of Costa Rica’s most popular tourist regions.
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The agency is advising travelers to protect themselves against mosquito bites while visiting the area.
Chikungunya is spread through mosquito bites; it typically causes fever and severe joint pain, the CDC said in the travel notice.
Symptoms usually begin three to seven days after an infected mosquito bite and may also include headache, muscle pain, joint swelling and rash.
While most people recover within a week, “some can have severe joint pain for months to years following acute illness,” the CDC warns.
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There is no specific treatment for chikungunya, according to the agency.
Prevention is the best way to avoid infection.
The CDC recommends using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, and staying in accommodations with air conditioning or window screens. Vaccination is also recommended for eligible travelers visiting an outbreak area.
Officials have confirmed four cases and identified another 17 probable cases linked to the outbreak, according to a notice from Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health. Both Costa Rican residents and foreign visitors are among the cases under investigation.
The Costa Rica advisory is the latest in a series of chikungunya-related travel alerts.
Specialized teams have fumigated approximately 5,000 homes and eliminated mosquito breeding sites in an effort to contain the outbreak, the notice stated.
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The CDC also advises pregnant women to reconsider traveling to the affected area, particularly if they’re close to delivering their baby, because the virus can be passed to a newborn around the time of birth.
Travelers who develop fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling or a rash during or after their trip should seek medical care, the agency said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the CDC for comment.
The Costa Rica advisory is the latest in a series of chikungunya-related travel alerts.
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Fox News Digital previously reported that the CDC issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Bolivia earlier this year after a chikungunya outbreak in the country’s Santa Cruz and Cochabamba departments.
The agency also issued Level 2 advisories for the Seychelles, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, as well as Cuba, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China’s Guangdong Province following chikungunya outbreaks.
Ashley DiMella of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
