North and Central America and Caribbean

The medical facilities on the islands are limited to one hospital, which can deal only with routine medical cases.  More serious cases will need to be dealt with in Puerto Rico, USA once the patient is in a stable condition.

There are confirmed human cases of Influenza A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in St Kitts & Nevis, including reports of one death (source: the Ministry of Health). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html has further details. There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on this website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk.

 

Dengue fever occurs in Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. In 2007 there was a marked increase in the number of reported cases of dengue across the region.  It is found throughout St Kitts and Nevis.

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 St Kitts & Nevis 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 Heath 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.