Magda Crespo No Comments

A health warning has been issued for people traveling to San Blas. There have been over 42 people in the San Blas islands which have become victims of the Zika virus. Panama had the first confirmed cases of Zika in December.

The only way to contract the virus is to have been bitten by mosquitoes, specifically the mosquitoes of the Aedes species. While the virus itself feels like the flu for most people, women of child bearing age are at a dangerous risk of bearing children with a birth defect called microcephaly (children born with smaller-than-usual heads and less developed brains). This is serious enough that the Center for Disease Control has issued a Level 2 travel warning.

Even though this is a risk for most people simple precautions and actions will prevent mosquitoes from biting you. Wearing long sleeves and pants to cover up is the number one prevention, followed by insect repellent, staying indoors in the evenings and make sure windows have screens. Common sense regarding this should not make you have to change travel plans, but only to be cautious and protect yourself.