Published on Tuesday, September 1, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Costa Rica has expanded its yellow fever vaccination requirement to travelers heading to several countries in Latin America and Africa, citing outbreaks of the mosquito-borne disease in those regions.

The Ministry of Public Health issued a decree requiring Costa Ricans, foreign residents and tourists traveling to designated countries to provide proof of yellow fever vaccination.

In May 2025, Costa Rica began requiring proof of yellow fever vaccination for travelers entering the country from Colombia. The new order expands the requirement to travelers coming from Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana and certain African countries.

Health authorities said travelers must receive the vaccine at least 10 days before leaving Costa Rica. Proof of vaccination will be required before departure.

Officials said the measure is a direct response to yellow fever outbreaks in the affected regions.

Yellow fever is a viral disease caused by the yellow fever virus, an RNA virus in the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito.

Common symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pain, particularly in the back, and headaches.

Most people infected with yellow fever recover within five days. In severe cases, however, the disease can cause abdominal pain, liver damage, jaundice, an increased risk of bleeding and kidney complications.

Health officials warned that the vaccine is not recommended for certain groups, including infants younger than 6 to 8 months, adults older than 60, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with severe immunosuppression, including those with symptomatic HIV, and people who are allergic to components of the vaccine.

In addition to the travel requirement, the government is conducting a targeted vaccination campaign for workers considered to be at high risk of exposure.

The campaign includes employees of the Ministries of Health, Public Security, Environment and Agriculture, as well as members of the Red Cross and Fire Department.

The Social Security Fund (CCSS), is also providing free yellow fever vaccinations at public cantonal clinics, commonly known as Ebais.

Officials said the vaccination requirements could be expanded in the future to include other high-risk countries, depending on global health conditions.

As of Tuesday, health authorities reported no active yellow fever cases in Costa Rica.

In October 2025, officials confirmed the country's first yellow fever case in nearly 70 years. The patient was a 29-year-old U.S. woman who entered Costa Rica after traveling from Peru. She had not been vaccinated.

The latest yellow fever measures come as Costa Rica continues other nationwide vaccination efforts.   Recently, the Social Security launched its annual influenza vaccination campaign, with an estimated 1.5 million people expected to receive the flu vaccine this year.

In April, Costa Rica launched a nationwide vaccination campaign against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, targeting pregnant women.

The Ministry of Public Health oversees Costa Rica's public and private health care systems and is responsible for implementing and enforcing health regulations.

The CCSS is the state-run organization responsible for Costa Rica’s public health care system.

A.M. Costa Rica encouraged readers to share the health advisory within their communities.

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