The U.S. Embassy informs U.S. citizens traveling to and residing in Chile that the Chilean Ministry of Health declared a Dengue Alert for Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) on February 12, 2016. There are now four confirmed cases of locally transmitted dengue. While the Aedes egypti mosquito which carries dengue is not present in continental Chile, this mosquito is found on Easter Island. For general travel information about Chile, please visit the CDC website. To obtain Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) travel notices, call the CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) from within the United States, or 1-404-639-3534 from overseas or visit the CDC website. Additional travel information can be found by visiting the Chilean Ministry of Health website.
The CDC recommends the following for preventing mosquito bites:
Prevention:
- Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
- Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
- Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
- Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
- Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors, since Aedes are day biting mosquitos this is most important for children who may be napping during the day.
Insect repellent:
- FOR PROTECTION AGAINST MOSQUITOES ONLY: Products with one of the following active ingredients can also help prevent mosquito bites. Higher percentages of active ingredient provide longer protection.
- DEET at least 25%
- Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD
- IR3535
- Always use insect repellent as directed.
Additional information can be found on the CDC website
For further information:
- See the State Department’s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Chile’s Country Specific Information.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Contact the U.S. Embassy in Chile, located at Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (telephone number: +56 22 330 3716). After-hours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +56 22 330 3000.
- Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries from8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
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