Includes health and sanitation standards within the country, as well as any potential health risks that businesspeople should be aware of. Includes any mandatory or highly recommended vaccinations.
Last Published: 8/2/2016

Travelers to Quito may require some time to adjust to the altitude (close to 10,000 feet), which can adversely affect blood pressure, digestion, and energy level. Travelers are encouraged to consult with their personal health care providers before undertaking high-altitude travel and may wish to purchase travelers’ insurance. In particular, travelers with heart or lung problems and persons with sickle cell trait may develop serious health complications at high altitudes.

Vaccines

All travelers should be up to date on their routine vaccinations, including the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, and polio vaccine. In addition, the CDC recommends that travelers to Ecuador receive the Hepatitis A vaccine and the typhoid vaccine. Some travelers should consider additional vaccines depending upon the nature of their travel, including rabies vaccine, Hepatitis B vaccine, and Yellow Fever Vaccine. 

More Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or via the CDC’s internet site (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ecuador?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001).

Zika and Chikungunya

In the past few years, Ecuador has experienced local transmission of both Chikungunya and the Zika virus. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with these pathogens and are spreading them to people. The CDC recommends that travelers to certain parts of Ecuador protect themselves from mosquito bites. Please note that the mosquitoes that spread these diseases usually do not live at elevations above 6,500 feet (2,000 meters). Travelers who plan to be only in areas above this elevation are at a very low risk of getting Zika and Chikungunya from a mosquito. Travelers are still at risk of sexual transmission of Zika from a male partner who has been in areas with local transmission.

For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, please consult the World Health Organization’s website (http://www.who.int/en/). Additional information on health, safety, and security is available at the Bureau of Consular Affairs- Country Specific Information website (http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/ecuador.html). Further health information for travelers to Ecuador can be found at the World Health Organization’s website (http://www.who.int/countries/ecu/en/).

Special Considerations in the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos archipelago is located more than 600 miles to the west of continental Ecuador. Geographic isolation and a lack of local resources may present challenges to travelers there. Dangers posed by relaxed enforcement of marine safety laws and rudimentary medical facilities are exacerbated by the difficulty of performing medical evacuations from the islands. A significant number of Ecuadorian tour vessels operating in the Galápagos do not meet international safety standards. The Government of Ecuador requires that vessels carrying more than 16 passengers comply with the International Safety Management Code established by the International Maritime Organization. However, the quality of oversight, crewmember proficiency, and other requisites for safe vessel operation may vary substantially. Travelers should inquire about safety features when boarding vessels. Be sure to look for lifeboats, flotation devices and, if possible, take a moment to inspect the life vest you would be using if there were an accident.

Medical resources in the Galapagos Islands are severely limited. Acute surgical, cardiac, and other types of specialty medicine are not available. There are two hospitals, located on the Santa Cruz and San Cristobal Islands. These facilities have limited personnel and resources, and often do not have basic medical supplies. Some cruise ships have on-board physicians available, who charge a fee for their services. Scuba divers in the Galapagos Islands should be aware of limited facilities for decompression. Serious injury or illness in the Galapagos typically requires costly medical evacuation to the Ecuadorian mainland or the United States for treatment. Medical evacuations by air ambulance can cost $60,000 or more and take significant time to arrange. For that reason, we strongly recommend that you purchase traveler’s health insurance that includes air evacuation before your trip.

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