Travel Health: Health insurance, with provision for emergency repatriation, is
compulsory for visitors to Cuba. Those travellers without adequate
health insurance will be obliged to purchase Cuban health insurance
on arrival. No vaccinations are officially required, however
visitors are advised to take precautions against typhoid if
travelling to rural areas. Most of the more serious tropical
diseases are rare in Cuba, but viral meningitis and dengue fever do
occasionally break out, including in urban areas like Havana.
Dengue fever is on the increase and the best prevention against it
is mosquito repellent and suitable clothing to avoid being bitten.
Hepatitis A is common. Food is considered safe. Bottled water is
available and advised for the first few weeks, although mains water
is chlorinated. Cuban medical facilities are mediocre and many
medicines are unavailable, so those requiring regular prescription
drugs should bring them, along with a copy of the prescription and
a doctor's letter to facilitate entry through customs.
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