Even if you are not an American citizen, the US government’s CDC website should be your starting point for any consultation on health issues related to your upcoming trip to Brazil. You will find the information under the section Health Information for Brazil.

It contains thorough, reliable and up-to-date information on all health issues, including a section on vaccines and another section on items you might want to bring with you on your trip.

Whenever a new fact emerges the CDC releases a travel notice. On the last few days there have been notices on yellow fever, dengue, H1N1 flu and measles.

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RELATED POSTS:
10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil
10 facts about yellow fever in Brazil
swine flu (H1N1) in Brazil
yellow fever: important update

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The considerable increase in the number of cases of dengue fever in Natal has forced its local authorities to declare state of emergency (Dengue: Prefeito Carlos Eduardo decreta estado de emergência).

In the first three months of 2008 there were 2.568 cases of dengue fever and 272 of hemorrhagic dengue fever, resulting in two deaths (in comparison, in the entire 2007 there were 6.107 cases of dengue fever and 163 of hemorrhagic dengue fever). The number of cases might seem small when compared with Rio de Janeiro, but do bear in mind Natal is considerably smaller than Rio. There are also reasons to suspect the number of deaths might be higher than what the authorities are acknowledging.

At the entry 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil you have the basics of what you need to know about dengue fever. If you are planning a trip to Natal, be informed beforehand. For the time being, we do not recommend cancelling your trips to the region.

We are informing about the situation in Rio at Dengue fever epidemic in Rio.

I’ve posted a similar warning, in Spanish, at Dengue en Natal.

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UPDATE: 10 facts about dengue fever in Brazil

With the arrival of the tropical summer, dengue fever returns to the headlines. This year’s dengue epidemic is particularly virulent. 2006 registered more than 300.000 cases. This year there have been outbreaks everywhere, with special concern for the one in Campo Grande (Mato Grosso do Sul)

Here I cross-refer you to the text I wrote on disease. And would like to take the opportunity once more to remember to fundamental issues regarding dengue: there is no prophylaxis other than avoiding being biten by the mosquito Aedes aegpyti, carrier of the disease; dengue symptoms appear between three and seven days after the bite, and include discomfort, lack of appetite, headaches and muscular pain, and in the most serious cases, nose bleeding. Red spots on the skin can appear, as well as intense backache.

Visitors to Brazil should try to minimise the risk of mosquito bites by covering up at dawn & dusk, using insect repellent liberally & sleeping under mosquito nets. It is also important for all visitors to Brazil to have travel insurance with comprehensive medical cover.

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RELATED POSTS:
Dengue fever epidemic in Rio
Dengue fever in Natal

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Public health care provision in Brazil is precarious. The health system is saturated, understaffed and underfunded, and it is quite normal to find hospitals where there are no doctors to attend an emergency or where medicine stocks are empty. In touristic places the public health system is slightly better than what is found in large cities, but it’s better not to take any risks. Get private insurance.

SEE ALSO: disease