North and Central America and Caribbean

There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance about pandemic flu is available through the UK Department of Health.  

Medical care in Costa Rica is of a high standard.  Only emergency medical treatment is available without charge for visitors.

Malaria is endemic close to banana growing areas. Dengue Fever is endemic to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. San Jose and the Central Valley can be particularly affected.  There is no vaccine or immunisation to prevent dengue fever and you should take usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.  

Malaria is also common in Costa Rica, especially in areas close to banana growing areas.  In October and November 2006, there was a significant increase in the number of cases reported in Limon Province. There have been more cases, reported in June 2008, in areas around Laurel close to the border with Panama.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 9,600 adults aged 15 or over in Costa Rica were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.4% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Costa Rica and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.