Majuro declared a dengue outbreak in August. Plan on repellent from breakfast.
- CDC Level 1 Global dengue (Marshall Islands listed)
The outbreak spread to Ebeye, health agencies reported, and CDC lists the Marshall Islands on its global dengue notice. There is no malaria, so the routine is daytime repellent, a sealed room and a check on the outbreak's status before you book.
Are there mosquitoes in the Marshall Islands? Yes, including three species of day-biting Aedes, and in 2026 they are spreading dengue. An outbreak was declared in Majuro in August 2026 and spread to Ebeye, health agencies reported, and CDC lists the Marshall Islands on its global dengue notice. There is no malaria, so the plan is repellent through the day and a well-sealed room.
The 2026 outbreak in Majuro
The Ministry of Health and Human Services declared a dengue outbreak in Majuro in August 2026, and cases later turned up on Ebeye, according to health-agency reports that cite the ministry. The World Health Organization's Pacific surveillance shows the same turn. Its charts had no dengue activity for the Marshall Islands in 2025. The first dengue-like illness reports of 2026 came in mid-August, and weekly reports rose into September and were still coming in at the start of October.
CDC's global dengue notice is a Level 1 notice for countries reporting higher-than-usual numbers of cases or more cases than expected among returning US travelers, and the Marshall Islands are on it. Check whether the outbreak has been declared over before you book. The routine stays the same either way.
What the last outbreak showed
The previous outbreak, DENV-3 from May 2019 to February 2021, shows how dengue moves on these atolls. CDC's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal counted 1,908 laboratory-confirmed cases, 716 hospitalizations and 2 deaths. It began on Ebeye, where island-wide mosquito control started early, and the attack rate ended at 1.3% there against 7.1% on Majuro. About half the Ebeye homes inspected in 2019 had Aedes aegypti larvae in containers, mostly drums of washing water.
Three Aedes species, Ae. aegypti, the tiger mosquito Ae. albopictus and Ae. marshallensis, were confirmed on Majuro and the outer atolls surveyed. They bite by day, with peaks after sunrise and in the late afternoon, around homes, gardens and water containers. Put repellent on over sunscreen in the morning, again after swimming or diving and again in the late afternoon. Choose an air-conditioned or well-screened room, and wear light long sleeves around town. Our dengue & Zika routine has the schedule.
CDC also lists Zika, with past transmission and no current outbreak, so if you're pregnant, talk to a healthcare provider about potential risks before the trip. CDC recommends no malaria medicine and no yellow fever vaccine for the Marshall Islands, and the vaccine isn't required for entry. Leptospirosis is on CDC's page too, so avoid floodwater and muddy fresh water.
When to go
Outbreaks here don't keep to a season. The 2019 outbreak started in May, spiked from December 2019 to March 2020 and rose again in late 2020. The drier, breezier months, roughly December to April, tend to be easier, and the wetter months run roughly May to November. Whether an outbreak is under way matters more than the month. Days out on Arno or Bikini bring less exposure than nights in Majuro or on Ebeye.
Where you're going
How the capital, Ebeye and the outer atolls compare across the year.
Majuro
The capital and main arrival point, and the center of the 2026 outbreak. It also had the higher attack rate in 2019–21, so the daytime routine and a sealed room matter most here.
Kwajalein & Ebeye
Kwajalein hosts a US Army garrison with restricted access. Ebeye, next door, has had 2026 cases, and early island-wide mosquito control there kept the 2019 outbreak smaller.
Arno Atoll
An outer atoll reached by boat from Majuro. Dengue mosquitoes live here and it had cases in 2019–21, while the 2026 reports mention cases only in Majuro and Ebeye.
Bikini Atoll
Wreck diving at the former nuclear test site, on a largely uninhabited atoll, so dengue exposure tends to be low. Keep the routine for the Majuro nights on either side.
Adding Micronesia or Guam to the trip? Our Micronesia and Guam briefings cover their quieter dengue pictures.
The Marshall Islands kit
- Picaridin 20% travel sprays: odorless in the heat, layers over sunscreen and quick to reapply after a swim or a dive. One 3.4 oz bottle covers about a week of daily use for one person.
- A full-size backup in the checked bag, since morning, afternoon and post-swim applications empty a travel bottle fast.
- A light long-sleeved shirt for walking around Majuro or Ebeye in the late afternoon.
One rule outlasts the trip. Any fever during or after your trip means a doctor visit, and you tell them you were in the Marshall Islands, especially with headache, rash or body aches in the two weeks after you get home. Our after-bites guide covers the warning signs.
Traveler questions
Is there a dengue outbreak in the Marshall Islands?
Yes, it was still under way in early October 2026. The Ministry of Health and Human Services declared an outbreak in Majuro in August 2026, and cases later appeared on Ebeye, according to health-agency reports. The World Health Organization's Pacific surveillance was still logging weekly dengue-like illness reports at the start of October, and CDC lists the Marshall Islands on its Level 1 global dengue notice. Check whether the outbreak has been declared over before you fly.
Do I need malaria pills or a yellow fever vaccine for the Marshall Islands?
No. CDC lists no malaria for the Marshall Islands and recommends no malaria medicine. The yellow fever vaccine isn't recommended, and the Marshall Islands don't require it for entry.
Is a dive trip to Bikini or a day on Arno lower risk?
Generally, yes. Bikini is largely uninhabited, and the 2026 reports mention cases only in Majuro and Ebeye, though Arno had cases in the 2019–21 outbreak and dengue mosquitoes live there. Most of the exposure on a dive trip comes from the nights in Majuro before and after, so keep the routine there and reapply after every dive.
Is it safe to visit the Marshall Islands while pregnant?
CDC lists Zika for the Marshall Islands, as an area with current or past transmission and no current outbreak. For those areas CDC tells pregnant travelers to "Talk to a health care provider about potential risks. If you decide to travel, prevent mosquito bites and sexual exposure to Zika."
Sources
Health authorities, surveillance reports and news coverage of official bulletins used for this briefing, last checked October 2026. Traveler reports are linked where they appear. This page summarizes public-health guidance and is not medical advice.
- CDC Travel Health Notice
- CDC destination page for travelers
- World Health Organization
- World Health Organization
- World Health Organization
- World Health Organization
- World Health Organization
- Health authority (travelhealthpro.org.uk)
- mesvaccins.net
- mesvaccins.net
- CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases journal
- CDC Travelers' Health