Health officials work to control the spread of the mosquito-borne illness as hospitals on the Caribbean become inundated with patients. So far no deaths have been reported.
A community group known as Un Caribe Más Seguro is working with local business owners, police and politicians to improve security and change attitudes in the popular tourist town.
On Aug. 14, a U.S. student was reported kidnapped – and later found – in the Caribbean province of Limón. But little information about the case was made public by authorities, leaving residents unsure of what happened. The Tico Times retraces the events of that night.