18 Vacation Destinations Listed as Dengue Hot-Spots

International travelers should note that since the initial travel alert in 2019, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed Dengue fever outbreaks in many parts of Central and South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Because dengue is spread by mosquito bites, all vacationers to outbreak destinations are at risk, says the CDC.

On February 28, 2024, the CDC expanded its Level 1 - Practice Usual Precautions, Travel Health Advisory to include 18 countries. The countries listed below are reporting higher-than-usual dengue cases in 2024, and travelers visiting these countries may be at increased risk.

The updated CDC list includes Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin, and Turks and Caicos Islands.

Of the total dengue cases reported in 2023, the subregion of the Southern Cone accounted for 71% of the Americas cumulative cases, followed by the subregion of the Central American Isthmus and Mexico with 14%, and the Andean subregion with 13% of cases.

Compared to 2022, there was a 62% increase in dengue cases reported in 2023. 

Dengue is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus spread through mosquito bites. Dengue can become severe within a few hours. In severe cases, health effects can include hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), shock (seriously low blood pressure), organ failure, and death, says the CDC.

According to recent announcements, people have two Dengue vaccine options. 

In June 2021, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended Dengvaxia vaccine for children aged 9–16 years with laboratory-confirmed previous dengue infection who are living in areas of the United States where dengue is endemic. These areas include Puerto Rico.

However, Dengvaxia is not approved for use by US travelers who are visiting but not living in areas where dengue is endemic.

Last year, a second-generation Dengue vaccine was approved by various countries in the Americas.

Takeda's two-dose Qdenga® (Dengue Tetravalent Vaccine [Live, Attenuated]) has demonstrated efficacy against all four dengue serotypes in baseline seropositive children in endemic countries and against serotypes 1 and 2 in baseline seronegative children.

Furthermore, Qdenga does not require a pre-admission test.

News posted on February 26, 2024, indicates there could be 100 million Qdenga vaccine doses available annually by 2023.