Health warning

[KY-traveler]

Anyone leaving the ship to go on a shore trip should check the CDC web site for health warnings. I found out several months after I visited the ruins at Tulum Mexico, that I was visiting a MALARIA RISK area and was deferred from donating blood for a year. The Blood Center told me, the cruise company didn't, nor did my travel agent. The cruise company told me, after several e-mails to them, that I should have checked for warnings myself. It was not their job to warn me.

[Zeno]

1. The Yucatan Peninsula does have some MINOR malarial problems in REMOTE INTERIOR HEAVILY FORESTED areas in the rainy season. Periodically there are a few cases.

2. Tulum is on the ocean and has had NO instances of malaria reported for some years. I did not see ANY mosquitoes the 3 times I was there - the area is too windy, open and dry to attract mosquitoes.

3. It is NOT up to the cruise line to detail every remote possibility of illness.

MANY parts of the Caribbean and Central America have instances of tropical disease.

For example: Dengue fever occurs on several caribbean islands including Puerto Rico.

4. Is a tourist LIKELY to catch Malaria or Dengue fever - no. Local people continually exposed to the appropriate mosquitoes are the ones who catch these diseases.

5. If you are going to a heavily forested damp area - wear insect repellant.

6. The blood bank was just being ultra cautious (as they should be).

 

 Until NCL SKY

 

[crazzyd77]

That is good to know..

 

[reallyitsmema]

That is good to know..

 

Hey, welcome to cruise critic. That was some good searching you did to bring up a 9 year old thread!

[sail7seas]

Yes, this is an extremely old thread but it seems to me I read recently people who have visited Cozumel area are still banned from donating blood for one year.

 

Please verify and don't take my word for it but I know I've heard this far more recently than from 9 years ago. :)

 

[leaveitallbehind]

That is good to know..

 

 

Regardless of - and not challenging - the validity of the 2004 information, what was the point being made in bringing it up again now? Is it to suggest using caution when travelling to Mexico or to determine whose responsibility it is to advise tourists of this? Just curious.

[broberts]

I know the post is 9 years old, but I just have to comment on

4. Is a tourist LIKELY to catch Malaria or Dengue fever - no. Local people continually exposed to the appropriate mosquitoes are the ones who catch these diseases.

Catching Malaria is a little like getting pregnant.

[Keith1010]

It is always good to do the research up front.

 

Keith

[jansue1015]

I have donated both blood and plasma after being in Mexico, I did inform them and it was not an issue:)

[Krazy Kruizers]

I know that this thread is 9 years old.

But I always check to see if there are any warnings about diseases in the areas we will be traveling.

[johneeo]

My son volunteered to donate blood at his high school last month.

 

Because we stopped at Labadee, sorry, no go. They would not allow him to donate.

[xxoocruiser]

Excluding Canada and the main tourist areas of Mexico if you travel outside the USA within 12 months prior of wanting to donate blood you will be generally declined.

 

However for Mexico if your travel included outside of heavily traveled tourist area or into rural/jungle areas you will be denied to donate. Blood.

[donaldsc]

I know that this thread is 9 years old.

But I always check to see if there are any warnings about diseases in the areas we will be traveling.

 

I would suggest that if you want to do health research in places you visit, the NIH WEB site might be a better place to go than CC,

 

DON

[luddite]

I have donated both blood and plasma after being in Mexico, I did inform them and it was not an issue:)

 

Mexico isn't the concern.

Malaria risk areas are a BIG concern and they get blood donors on a twelve-month deferral list.

 

Side note: Kudos to whoever dragged out a thread from 3004. That's the oldest drag-up I've seen here.

[ducklite]

Excluding Canada and the main tourist areas of Mexico if you travel outside the USA within 12 months prior of wanting to donate blood you will be generally declined.

 

However for Mexico if your travel included outside of heavily traveled tourist area or into rural/jungle areas you will be denied to donate. Blood.

 

You are completely, totally, and utterly misinformed. Most of Europe and the Caribbean and good chunks of the rest of the world are not on the defer list as long as you are there for under 90 days. http://nybloodcenter.org/media/filer_public/2013/05/23/malaria.pdf

[RockeyBullwinkle]

My son volunteered to donate blood at his high school last month.

 

Because we stopped at Labadee, sorry, no go. They would not allow him to donate.

 

 

smart move on their part.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

1. The Yucatan Peninsula does have some MINOR malarial problems in REMOTE INTERIOR HEAVILY FORESTED areas in the rainy season. Periodically there are a few cases.

2. Tulum is on the ocean and has had NO instances of malaria reported for some years. I did not see ANY mosquitoes the 3 times I was there - the area is too windy, open and dry to attract mosquitoes.

3. It is NOT up to the cruise line to detail every remote possibility of illness.

MANY parts of the Caribbean and Central America have instances of tropical disease.

For example: Dengue fever occurs on several caribbean islands including Puerto Rico.

4. Is a tourist LIKELY to catch Malaria or Dengue fever - no. Local people continually exposed to the appropriate mosquitoes are the ones who catch these diseases.

5. If you are going to a heavily forested damp area - wear insect repellant.

6. The blood bank was just being ultra cautious (as they should be).

 

 Until NCL SKY

 

I don't entirely agree with this statement. It takes only one bite from a mosquito that carries malaria or dengue to make someone ill. I have had dengue.

 

It isn't a matter of constant exposure by virtue of living a long time in one place. It is a fact of being in a place where the exact mosquito comes along and bites you...being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So tourists can and do catch malaria and dengue. Wear insect repellant if you are in an area known for diseases carried by insects.

[kenly777]

I too have had dengue fever (worst experience of my life) from a trip to the Dominican Republic. I was only there five nights and did not go to the jungle. Bring insect repellant.

[MrsNancyG]

.

5. If you are going to a heavily forested damp area - wear insect repellant.

 

I was wondering about this. Would those Off things that you wear on your clothes work under these more, shall we say, intense areas?

[sail7seas]

There have been reports of dengue from mosquitos in San Juan.

 

[kish]

We stay on St.Maarten for several weeks a year and there are always reports every year about outbreaks of Dengue Fever both on the Dutch and French sides of the island.

[lady_cruiser]

Nine years, two years or twenty years old, is still a good idea to remind new comers to check for certain things when cruising.