[jbe813]

Chikungunya Virus
Anyone currently sailing around the Windward islands concerned about the increasing
trend of cases of Chikungunya in the islands? We were preparing for a trip around
Guadeloupe and surrounding islands and are growing increasingly concerned from what we
are hearing from the CDC.

 

[TQA]

This is my 5th year as a full time liveaboard in this area. Yes it is about mostly in the locals. The odd cruiser has caught it. I would not be too concerned.

I am carefull to anchor a little way out preferably where the breeze is good as the little barstewrds don't fly well.

I avoid dark poorly ventilated shops if I can and in the evenings if I am ashore slather on the deet and cover up.

BTW Guadeloupe is my favorite island. It is a pity the Salee bridge is out of commission but try and get into Cul de Sac du Marin and don't miss Marie Galante and of course the Saintes.

 

[hellosailor]

CDC seems to say it is going to be endemic to the entire Carib, Florida, and other points as well. On the plus side it is supposed to knock you flat and put you through the wringer for a week, but rarely do lasting harm. Sounds worth slathering up with DEET and using nets because *spreading* means someplace that was safe last week, won't be safe "sooner or later" anyhow.

 

[capta]

We are taking above average precautions with this one. As mentioned above, it is rare among the cruising community and like TQA, we anchor a bit farther out than most. If ashore at dusk, we will use the local (British islands) anti-mosquito cream, which has no deet and is safe even for children; Odomos. Works wonderfully well and even smells OK.
After 5 bouts with Dengue in the SoPac, I'd rather neither one these days.

 

[Livia]

From "the other ocean" , the first case was reported in French Polynesia last week. They are hoping they've isolated it.

 

[FarCry]

I see comments about being careful around dusk. According to the CDC, the mosquitoes most apt to carry it typically bite in the daytime.

 

[full count]

Does anyone have an update on chikungunya in the BVI? I see that some of these posts are from last year. I am planning a charter trip out of Tortola with guests and need to provide them with the best info available. The CDC website is worrisome and I am sure the BVI tourist folks will downplay the issue. We are considering postponing the trip and waiting to see if the outbreak can be brought under control (may take years?). I've cruised these waters 5 times in the past 10 years and hate to miss another trip. Any guidance as to how prevalent the problem is and how to best mitigate it while there would be awesome ! Thanks

Full Count

 

[christian.hess]

ja I had it, the mild version very rampant in central america especially el salvador....

anywhoo....nothing much you can do about it but double doses of acetaminophen and cold compresses all day long..

you get shingles like shivers after the initial fevers that last a week then your whole body is left aching for weeks but it does go away...

anyways

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

I don't think you will get a response. We havent heard from anyone in the BVIs for a week now. The Navy sent a ship and.... Nothing... Never heard of it again!

I think everyone is, well, D E A D





Have a nice charter.



.

 

[capta]

We haven't heard a thing about Chik V down here in the Windwards in months. Could be the worst has passed us by? My wife and I had a pretty mild case some time back and that was nothing to worry about. We hardly felt sick at all but the residual joint pain was a bit bothersome.
Basically, stay aboard, anchored (moored) as far from shore during sunset/sunrise high mosquito times and use repellant liberally when ashore. You should be fine for a week or so. Long pants, shoes and socks and long sleeves should help for evenings ashore.
We sailed through many islands where it was at epidemic levels, but didn't get it until we reached Bequia, maybe 5 months. Being around large concentrations of locals or cruisers would be the most likely way of contracting it, neither of which you should encounter if you are bareboating in the BVI's for a week.

 

[mbianka]

Does anyone have an update on chikungunya in the BVI? I see that some of these posts are from last year. I am planning a charter trip out of Tortola with guests and need to provide them with the best info available. The CDC website is worrisome and I am sure the BVI tourist folks will downplay the issue. We are considering postponing the trip and waiting to see if the outbreak can be brought under control (may take years?). I've cruised these waters 5 times in the past 10 years and hate to miss another trip. Any guidance as to how prevalent the problem is and how to best mitigate it while there would be awesome ! Thanks

Full Count

Recently back from from 12 days in the U.S. & Spanish Virgins including a few days on land in Vieques Puerto Rico. I'm still vertical with no signs of Chikungunya or Dengue and staring at snowflakes here on the Isle of Long. I'd be glad to take your place on the charter if you've already paid for it and report back.

 

[Minnewaska]

Looks to me like the number of newly reported cases has dropped off to near zero.

http://www.healthvi.org/news/chik-weekly-report/wk53_chikungunyasurveillanceweeklyreport_usvi.pdf

 

[hellosailor]

Another good reason to repopulate the Northeast Rust Belt.(G)

The CDC and others are saying that right now, IF you get bit, you'll be perfectly fine after a couple of weeks, or maybe a year, in such agony that you can't get on or off the toilet or bed.

Given the attraction of that scenario...their advice to use nets and copious amounts of repellents doesn't seem totally unreasonable.

It isn't yellow fever season while building the Panama Canal, but it still is something quite debilitating if you're the lucky guy who catches it.

 

[FarCry]

Knock wood, still Chikun nuggets free!!! I'm not hearing about many new cases. I think the last one was about 2 weeks ago. Going out with charter guests the last couple of trips I was dubbed the DEET Nazi. With liberal use and reapplication of products that have a 90% or higher level of DEET, none of the people I was with caught Chik or Dengue.

 

[hellosailor]

I understand Permethrin (synthetic of a toxin found in chrysanthemums) also works on mosquitos. You soak your cloths in it, allow them to dry before wearing, and any critter than lands on the cloth keels over and dies.

Typically used for ticks, supposed to be harmless to people and to last for 40-50 washings of the clothing.

 

[TQA]

I am a full time liveaboard based in the Eastern Caribbean. My post [ 2 ] sounded like I was not concerned. Well I got it and so did the majority of the liveaboards and I believe that a high percentage of the local population got it. Reported figures will understate the severity of the epidemic as most do not bother going to a doc as they can do little or nothing. Just take the correct painkillers and wait it out.

Initially I had one bad evening but was back to normal the next day. A couple of months later I think I had the muscle pains but as I am getting creaky I expect the odd twinge so was not sure. Anyway for me it was not a big deal. For others mostly women it has been a big deal with really severe joint pain and weakness. People have not been able to get out of bed for days.

It does seem to have burnt itself out in the windwards/leewards and I do not hear the locals talking about it anymore.

But it was worse than I had first thought.