There are so many dengue cases here, I have personally at least six friends with it since October. The island is not warning the public correctly nor are they spraying. Good luck, be careful, if you are somewhere with a lot of people make sure you use deet. The dengue mosquito is found mostly in heavily populated areas.

I'm a mosquito magnet so I've been following the Dengue threads on TTOL closely. I found out a few things that you might find helpful ...
- the mosiquito that carries dengue is out during the DAY, not at night
- the mosiquito is black and white - actually nasty looking
- the recommended spray is Deep Woods Off 25% DEET

Just got back from SXM and there are many cases of Dengue fever at this time. Everyone is concerned that they are not spraying on Dutch side. French side is spraying. This could be very serious for tourist business.

I just read today they have 26 cases for NOV.We returned on the 7th and didn't see much spraying taking place on either side. I didn't read about spraying in the DH either.I will say I recieved the least amount of bites this past trip than during our other yrs trips. Maybe because of the stronger Dec. winds this season.

[www.smn-news.com]

[barcann.livejournal.com]

I just got back as well. I saw them spraying in our complex and we are on the Dutch side. The entire time we were there, I never saw 1 mosquito (day or night)but lots of no see ums and I did not use any repellant the entire 2 weeks.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Coming to SXM December 26th for the new year. My family and I have been to the island many times yet we had been bitten many times but never gotten sick. We are staying in a condo in Cupecoy, having they been spaying there? How are the winds now? We have always stayed on the French side in Terre Basses but are staying in a complex this time. Do you think there will be less chance of being bitten being on the top floor of a high rise?

If you are staying at the Cliff, then being that high will afford you some protection but we were on the 6th floor of Rainbow next door and that did not stop the no see ums from hanging out on the balcony. This time though they were not really a bother and I wasn't bitten at all. Consider that I was about 5 floors lower than you. But to answer your question truthfully, unless you stay on the top floor and don't venture out at all the whole time you are on the island, then obviously your chances will be better but logic suggests that you will venture past the property and thus be in possible contact with a mosquito or two, or not. The winds were great for the last 2 weeks. I didn't see one mosquito and so maybe the breezes did help. The breeze was there but so was the hot sun which made it perfect for everything. Enjoy your trip and don't worry about the small stuff.

[www.vrbo.com]

Life is not a child's game of follow the Leader. Instead, life is more about finding one's own purpose in life....your life's plan, and then making a positive difference on earth.

Thanks John! Just traveling with my kids and my son was bitten one time while on the island 32 times! It didn't matter how many citronella candles were burning or spaying off on him.

We will have a great time, that's why we are coming back for the 7th time!!!

Mark, We stayed in the Sapphire area and that's where I recieved a few bites. On Orient we experienced the usual Dec winds and no bites there.I try to avoid garden areas and outdoor tables during dinner.Plus I usually don't wear shorts at night but this trip I did.One night I lite one of the candles provided by a Dutch side restaurant as soon as we sat down for dinner.I doubt you will have problems in the high rise or on a beach.Good luck.

as far as dengue goes,watch out for the ones that bite during the day.
They are the ones that cause dengue.

[barcann.livejournal.com]

I dunno about those Citronella candles though. In my experience they only work if you pick it up, throw it, and smash the mosquito with it.


BobP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mark, We stayed in the Sapphire area and that's
> where I recieved a few bites. On Orient we
> experienced the usual Dec winds and no bites
> there.I try to avoid garden areas and outdoor
> tables during dinner.Plus I usually don't wear
> shorts at night but this trip I did.One night I
> lite one of the candles provided by a Dutch side
> restaurant as soon as we sat down for dinner.I
> doubt you will have problems in the high rise or
> on a beach.Good luck.