Cuba & Costa Rica Blog
About this blog
Written by Cuba and Costa Rica expert Christopher P. Baker, this blog will update readers on life in these two diverse and exciting countries.
Recent Posts
- Last blog post on Costa Rica and Cuba
- First-ever group motorcycle tours of Cuba successful
- Cuba’s Mariel port readying for Panama Canal expansion
- Musings on wildlife encounters on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula
- Cuba’s Steam Trains puffing their last gasp
- My top five thrilling activities in Costa Rica
- Cuba’s fun February festivals include Harleys, Books, Cigars
- Five top volcano viewing experiences in Costa Rica
- New road along Costa Rica / Nicaraguan border mired
- Cuba’s Hotel Campoamor at Cojímar to be restored?
- Cuban revolutionary Celia Sánchez honored in new book
- Christmas challenge for Costa Rica’s sexually abused girls
- Costa Rica opens Chinatown in downtown San José
- David Soul films Hemingway’s car restoration in Cuba
- National Geographic Expeditions receives license for Cuba tours
Two cases of swine flu identified in Costa Rica
Print
Email
Save to Favorites
The first two confirmed cases of H1N1 ("swine flu") surfaced last week in Costa Rica, triggering activation of the nation's influenza pandemic plan by the Costa Rican Nutrition and Health Research Institute (INCIENSA). Both individuals arrived in Costa Rica from Mexico on separate flights. Officials have attempted to contact all other passengers who traveled on those two flights. An additional two cases – one involving a 53-year-old man with no known ties to Mexico -- were reported in Costa Rica over the weekend.
Costa Rica is the first Latin American country outside Mexico to confirm the presence of H1N1. Colombia became the second when it confirmed a single case over the weekend.
President Oscar Arias immediately decreed the disease a national emergency, releasing funds for the nation's containment plan. "Controlling the proliferation of this virus is practically impossible,” said Arias in a televised press conference last Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mexico's health minister has announced that the epidemic, which began and has been centered in Mexico, has passed its peak almost two months after the influenza strain was first identified. As I write, about 800 cases of the virus have been confirmed in 19 countries, with the majority in Mexico and the United States. And 23 confirmed deaths have been reported so far worldwide, with 22 in Mexico and one in the United States.
I shall be traveling to Costa Rica this week without fear. If you're planning on traveling, be sure to follow the current travel guidelines of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO).
See you there!
Buy Moon Travel Guides
Search
Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.