Dominican Republic, North America And Caribbean
Malaria Risk & Vaccination Information
The risk of malaria in the Dominican Republic is considered to be low, especially in urban areas and popular tourist hotspots like Punta Cana. In low-risk countries, UK advisory bodies recommend you only use insect repellents.
What else can I do to prevent malaria?
For more information and advice on how to prevent malaria, see our How To Avoid Insect & Mosquito Bites guide. Malaria is spread through the bite of a mosquito and like all mosquito or other insect-spread diseases, they can be prevented by avoiding insect bites. We stock a wide range of tropical-strength insect repellents which are available to buy online.
Chikungunya virus infection in Caribbean islands and the Americas
This is a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito.
The incubation period is typically 3–7 days and symptoms include acute onset of fever and joint pain. Other symptoms may include headache, conjunctivitis, nausea/vomiting, or rash. The symptoms usually settle within 10 days but some patients may have symptoms that last months especially the elderly and people with underlying health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
As this is a virus, there is no medication to prevent or treat the disease and anti-malarial tablets such as Chloroquine are not effective either.
Bite avoidance measures should be taken and followed firmly to reduce the likelihood of being bitten.
Chikungunya, like Dengue fever, tends to be acquired during the day so wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers wherever possible and ensure that a strong insect repellent is used and reapplied regularly, especially after swimming.
You should also sleep under a mosquito net and if staying for an extended period, it would be advisable to take a battery-operated or plug-in mosquito killer for your room to kill any lingering mosquitos.
