Yellow Fever

[tikal]

I asked Holland America if any of their passengers who visited Brazil have ever been infected with Yellow Fever. I am trying to judge the risk for those who can not get the vaccine.They cited some legal reason why they can not answer the question. They do ask that you either get a vaccine or have a physician  give a waiver to not have one if traveling in a Yellow Fever area. Does anyone know if anyone of their passengers have ever been  infected with yellow fever?

[broberts]

What difference would it make? If HAL had no cases but another cruise line did, does that make a difference? I don't believe the mosquitos that transmit the yellow fever virus distinguish between people cruising or cruising on particular ships.

 

Consult a physician familiar with  your medical history and tropical diseases.

 

Some itineraries include countries that require proof of yellow fever vaccination for visitors arriving from an infected country.

 

This forum is intended for those with questions about using the website. You may get a better answer to the question posed in the https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/103-holland-america-line/.

[Mary229]

I don’t know which cruise you are going on. Mine is visiting Devil’s Island on the way and it is a requirement for that location.   The CDC covers this topic in full as does the state department website.  

[TxCityKat]

 

1 hour ago, tikal said:

 

I asked Holland America if any of their passengers who visited Brazil have ever been infected with Yellow Fever...

 

1 hour ago, broberts said:

 

... This forum is intended for those with questions about using the website. You may get a better answer to the question posed in the https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/103-holland-america-line/.

 

Howdy tikal! Welcome to the Cruise Critic message board and thank you for your first post! 😊

 

Broberts is correct about this not being the correct forum for your inquiry. The link you were given to the Holland America Line forum should be helpful with your research. Another forum that may be helpful is the Ports of Call - South America forum at https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/47-south-america/.

 

I hope this additional information will help and glad to have you aboard Cruise Critic!

 

Kat 🐱

 

Edited May 25, 2019 by TxCityKat
Typo due to fat fingers & skinny keys!

[Mary229]

State Department 

 

Yellow Fever Travelers Guide State department

 

CDC

 

CDC Yellow Fever Travelers Guide

 

i suggest you read these.  There is a major yellow fever outbreak currently 

[jackiel3290]

If you want to get the vaccine, you may have to travel to find a place to get it. The company that made the vaccine closed the US factory to rebuild. The same company manufactures it in France. The FDA is allowing a limited amount of this vaccine to be used in the US. Arkansas has only 2 locations that give yellow fever vaccine.

[ldubs]

On 5/25/2019 at 1:48 PM, tikal said:

I asked Holland America if any of their passengers who visited Brazil have ever been infected with Yellow Fever. I am trying to judge the risk for those who can not get the vaccine.They cited some legal reason why they can not answer the question. They do ask that you either get a vaccine or have a physician  give a waiver to not have one if traveling in a Yellow Fever area. Does anyone know if anyone of their passengers have ever been  infected with yellow fever?

 

Hi Tikal, and welcome to Cruise Critic.  

 

We were in Brazil last year.  Even though there was an outbreak alert at the time, we were advised the vaccine was not really needed if we stayed in Rio.  I can't remember which agency but I actually talked to someone at either CDC or WHO.  At that time there was an alternate vaccine available due to the YF vaccine shortage.  However, it was not recommended for senior folks as it had some potential nasty side effects.  Not sure of the current status with alternate vaccines.   

 

Anyway, that was then and this is now.   

 

I think the CDC and State Dept links that Mary229 provided are great resources.  And, your physician of course.  

 

PS: depending on your personal situation, you may also want to consider Zika exposure.  

[crystalspin]

This is not the forum for help with the website, which is here:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/859-need-help-using-the-forums-check-here/

But it is a pretty general forum for "cruise questions". Yellow fever is pretty specialized inquiry for CC at all, but maybe some will have input in the South America ports board.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/47-south-america/

 

The advice for State Dept, CDC, and your own doctor seems appropriate. Depending where you are, there may also be a travel clinic in your area, call your local health department.

[John Bull]

On 5/25/2019 at 10:09 PM, Mary229 said:

I don’t know which cruise you are going on. Mine is visiting Devil’s Island on the way and it is a requirement for that location..  

 

Devil's Island has an interesting and not-entirely irrelevant history. 

Before the French colonised the  coast of Guiana in the mid-18th century, the three islands had been called called Iles du Diable (Devil's Islands) because of the dangerous and unpredictable currents & winds which had caused many shipwrecks.

The French colonists settled on the nearby Guiana coast but within the space of 18 months they had been decimated by diseases including YF, and the survivors saved themselves by sailing to the islands which were (still are?) disease-free.

As a result they were re-named Ils du Salut (Salvation Islands). 

The larger islands were named Ile Royale and Ile Sainte-Joseph, and in recognition of their history the smallest remained Ile du Diable (Devil's Island).

So in theory at least they're possibly the safest place in equatorial South America for YF. 

But yes, because it was on our itinerary we needed YF inoculation 

 

An amazing place to visit, Mary. 

You'll be tendered to the largest island, Ile Royale, where the prison was built and and most of it remains together with the governor's residence, the wardens' homes, the hospital & the cemetery, though most of it derelict - all very spooky and thought-provoking.

Devil's Island itself, where Papillon ended up,  is mebbe one hundred yards away but inaccessible - it used to be serviced from Ile Royale by a primitive cable-car system.

 

JB 

ps to Crystalspin - the thread was moved here by the moderators, hence the early references to wrong-forum.

Edited July 4, 2019 by John Bull

[crystalspin]

5 hours ago, John Bull said:

ps to Crystalspin - the thread was moved here by the moderators, hence the early references to wrong-forum.

Oh I missed that note -- usually I see that fore-note with the arrow. Now I get it.

[SRF]

On 7/3/2019 at 1:06 AM, ldubs said:

 

Hi Tikal, and welcome to Cruise Critic.  

 

We were in Brazil last year.  Even though there was an outbreak alert at the time, we were advised the vaccine was not really needed if we stayed in Rio.  I can't remember which agency but I actually talked to someone at either CDC or WHO.  At that time there was an alternate vaccine available due to the YF vaccine shortage.  However, it was not recommended for senior folks as it had some potential nasty side effects.  Not sure of the current status with alternate vaccines.   

 

Anyway, that was then and this is now.   

 

I think the CDC and State Dept links that Mary229 provided are great resources.  And, your physician of course.  

 

PS: depending on your personal situation, you may also want to consider Zika exposure.  

 

Yeah, the mosquitoes know they are not allowed in the city, so they stay away.

 

I got malaria in Bangkok.  Same deal, "oh, no problem in the city." 

 

 

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

Yeah, the mosquitoes know they are not allowed in the city, so they stay away.

 

I got malaria in Bangkok.  Same deal, "oh, no problem in the city." 

 

 

 

Yikes, sorry to hear that.  Sounds like someone gave you bad advice.  I hope all is well now.   

 

In my case the CDC or WHO said the YF exposure in Rio was very low.  I was also advised using the temporary alternate vaccine, if I could even get it,  would be more dangerous than not using it.  

[SRF]

It WAS CDC and WHO.

 

The mosquitoes do not know about city limits.  That truck of flowers that just drove by could have been harboring a sleeping mosquito, who woke up hungry, and there you were.

 

Heck, I was in Harare and talking to a nurse there.  And malaria came up.  So she asked it I was taking anti-malarial.  I said yes.  She then pointed out that Harare is over 5400 feet above sea level, and the anopheles mosquito does not live above 4800 feet.  I told her, I did not care, better safe than sorry. She said good, her 3 year old daughter, who had never been out of the city, had had malaria.

 

Some areas may be LOWER risk, but if it is around, there is some risk.

 

In most cases, the countries that require YF vaccination, do NOT have it in the country.  They are trying to keep you from bringing it in.

 

 

[John Bull]

4 hours ago, SRF said:

 

 

In most cases, the countries that require YF vaccination, do NOT have it in the country.  They are trying to keep you from bringing it in.

 

 

 

 

Absolutely.

Of course it protects the traveller as well, but the primary aim of mandating it is to prevent the traveller from unwittingly introducing it  - YF has an incubation period of about 10 days before the carrier is aware of any effects.

 

Be aware also that you should be inoculated a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks before before travelling to an infected area, to allow the vaccine to do its job.

 

There are exemptions, the main one being for travellers over  60 years of age. 

But those who are exempt must provide a certificate of exemption or an acceptable letter from their medical practitioner - for whatever reason simple proof of age isn't sufficient.

 

JB 

 

 

[clo]

On 7/7/2019 at 8:21 AM, SRF said:

Yeah, the mosquitoes know they are not allowed in the city, so they stay away.

 

We used to have an apt in Rio and saw ONE mosquito there.  We called it "The Fly of Rio."  But that was some time ago and we were advised by a travel medicine clinic that it was just a matter of time.