Latest posts from our Rio de Janeiro expert:
Dengue outbreak in Rio - advice for travellers
At the time of writing (April 2008), Rio de Janeiro has been hit by an outbreak of Dengue fever - over 60 people in Rio state have been killed by the mosquito-borne disease so far this year. However, travellers planning to visit the city should try not to panic. In the city itself, spread of the disease has been largely limited to the favelas of the Zona Norte (North Zone), an area little visited by tourists.
Certainly, the problem here has reached crisis point - with thousands of suspected new cases each week, the hospitals are ill-equpped to deal with the outbreak and the armed forces have been drafted in to set up emergency health care posts. Many travellers report being sprayed with antibacterials before boarding aeroplanes leaving the city.
While the risk for travellers is relatively low, precautions should still be taken, and as with any disease carried by mosquitoes, the best course of action is to try to avoid mosquito bites. Bring a high strength repellent - preferably containing DEET. Brands bought locally in Rio are likely to be less effective as mosquitoes have built up a tolerance to many products.
The usual advice - keep covered up, wear long sleeves etc - may be a little impractical here in a city where people tend to expose as much skin as possible, but do reapply repellent on a regular basis, and if you happen to be camping in Rio state, use a mosquito net impregnated with DEET.
Most at risk are children and the elderly, so take extra care when it comes to protecting family members. But don’t panic! Just be careful and keep an eye on the news for stories about any new outbreaks or trouble spots.