The latest report from the Health Ministry released last week states that there are 107 confirmed cases of Zika virus, 67 of them in the Central Pacific canton of Garabito.
Researchers said Thursday they have found a way to fashion a cheap mosquito trap out of old tires that can collect thousands of eggs that may carry the Zika virus.
The study was done in the United States, where dengue does not circulate in the population. This helped researchers identify the vaccine's effectiveness in people who had not been previously exposed to any strain of dengue.
The increase in cases of mosquito-borne diseases around the country prompted officials of the Public Health Ministry and the National Emergency Commission on Thursday evening to declare a state of emergency for 31 cantons at all seven provinces.
While the mosquito-borne Zika virus captures headlines, dengue and chikungunya cases in Costa Rica have both quietly jumped more than 600 percent in 2016 compared to the same period last year.
A criminal complaint alleges impacts on waterways, protected areas and forest cover at a luxury hotel project in Manuel Antonio, including sediment runoff toward Playa La Vaca. The developer disputes the accusations and says it has complied with environmental requirements.
