Main health risks for Mauritius

Diseases transmitted by insects or animals

The country is occasionally confronted to cases of malaria. Malaria has been eradicated from Mauritius: all the cases reported (50 in 1998, 62 in 1999, 50 in 2000 and 38 in 2002) were imported from India or Africa. However, the vector is still present in the country, and following an imported case, a few indigenous cases could occur. 48 cases were reported in 2004, all imported.

There are occasional outbreaks of dengue fever in Mauritius. In June 2009, 70 cases of dengue fever were reported. Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne disease. Symptoms are fever, headache, rash, muscle and joint pain, nausea and, in severe cases, hemorrhagic manifestations.

Over the past ten years, only a few cases of chikungunya have been reported. On January 19th, 2011, the first chikungunya case reported in 2011 has been detected in Mauritius. Infections by this virus have not been reported in the island since 2006. The symptoms of this mosquito-borne disease are fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea. In severe cases, the pain associated with the infection of the joints persists for weeks or months.

Diseases transmitted by food, water or through the environment

Diarrheal diseases are occasionally reported.

Protect yourself carefully from sun and heat to avoid burns and sunstrokes.

Diseases transmitted by contact with infected people

HIV is highly prevalent: according to UNAIDS, 2% of the adult population (15-49) is HIV-positive. HIV is regularly associated with an increase in the number of tuberculosis cases.