Malaria & Yellow Fever in Northern Peru
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, epidemic malaria rapidly emerged in the northern Amazon most recently in the 1990s. Peru has the second-highest number of malaria cases in South America (after Brazil), with the majority of cases from the Loreto department. From 1992 to 1997, malaria increased 50 times in Loreto, a rate more than 10 times greater than in the rest of the country. Malaria around the city of Iquitos accounts for the greatest number of cases in Loreto.
In 2001, the Peruvian Ministry of Health also reported an outbreak of yellow fever in the Loreto department in three districts, including Iquitos. Eight cases of yellow fever were confirmed, with two deaths. In 2003, the Pan American Health Organization recorded 22 cases and 13 deaths in Peru, just one of five Latin American nations grappling with an outbreak that claimed 99 lives by the end of the year.
These outbreaks should not deter most travelers from visiting the Amazon of northern Peru, but they should emphasize the need for proper vaccinations and medication before (and during) traveling to the region.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
