Americas and Caribbean
Travel vaccinations for Cuba: recommended vaccines, dengue and medical care
Entry rules for Cuba: certificate only if arriving from a yellow fever area. The German Federal Foreign Office recommends Hepatitis A for all travellers, with further vaccines depending on your trip. Malaria: no known risk.
Editorial team promovax.eu · As of Oct 2026 · Sources: German Federal Foreign Office, WHO, DTG
Cuba at a glance
Entry: yellow fever certificate
Certificate only if arriving from a yellow fever area (from 9 months of age)
According to the German Foreign Office, no vaccination is required for direct entry from Germany. However, the WHO states that Cuba requires a yellow fever certificate from travellers aged nine months or over arriving from a risk country or after more than twelve hours in transit there; Cuba itself is not a risk area.
Malaria
No known risk
The German Foreign Office does not mention a malaria risk for Cuba, and the DTG country list does not include Cuba as a malaria area. Mosquito protection is still important because of dengue, chikungunya, Zika and Oropouche fever, especially as repellents are often unavailable locally.
Other health advice
- Dengue is transmitted all year, especially in the rainy season; a vaccine is available.
- Oropouche fever is mainly transmitted in the evening and at night, and the German Foreign Office advises pregnant women against non-essential travel.
- Chikungunya occurs; seek individual advice on vaccination.
- Since 2012, occasional cholera cases, including among tourists, have been reported from several provinces, including Havana.
- Because of the energy crisis and severe shortages of medicines, emergency care cannot be relied upon, according to the German Foreign Office.
No doses or schedules: what applies to you is decided in a travel health consultation.
Cuba does not require any vaccination for travellers arriving directly from Germany. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) recommends hepatitis A, and for long stays or particular exposure also chikungunya, dengue, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies. One point comes first, though: the Foreign Office currently strongly advises against travel to Cuba, because a severe energy crisis is seriously limiting medical care and medical repatriation.
Current situation: the Foreign Office advises against travel
According to the Foreign Office, Cuba is facing an acute energy crisis. Scheduled power cuts of up to 20 hours a day are the norm, and supplies of tap water, food and medicines are restricted. In the Foreign Office’s assessment, you cannot assume that medical care will be available in an emergency, and repatriation to Germany is not currently assured. Many airlines have reduced or suspended their flights.
The Foreign Office explicitly urges travellers with pre-existing conditions to reconsider any trip to Cuba very critically. If you must travel, take enough of your regular medication and an emergency supply of dressings. Since June 2026, payments with the major credit cards are no longer possible, according to the Foreign Office, so plan to carry enough cash. The situation can change quickly, so check the Foreign Office advice again shortly before you leave.
Entry rules: yellow fever proof and health insurance
According to the Foreign Office, no vaccination is required for direct entry from Germany. However, the WHO country list states that Cuba requires a yellow fever certificate from travellers aged nine months or over who arrive from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or spent more than twelve hours in transit there. Cuba itself is not a risk area. This mainly matters if you have been travelling in South America beforehand. Find out more in our guide to yellow fever vaccination.
You must also show health insurance valid in Cuba for your entire stay when you arrive. The Foreign Office notes that the Cuban authorities do not accept every medical repatriation provider, so ask your insurer before you travel whether it has a suitable agreement with Cuba.
Vaccinations recommended by the Foreign Office
The table at the top of this page summarises the recommendations:
- For all travellers: hepatitis A.
- For long stays or particular exposure: chikungunya, dengue, hepatitis B, typhoid and rabies.
- Routine vaccinations: check that you are up to date with the German routine schedule set by STIKO, the Standing Committee on Vaccination. The Foreign Office highlights adequate measles protection.
With rabies, bear in mind that post-exposure treatment after a bite is not reliably available in the country, according to the Foreign Office. If you are staying a long time, discuss vaccination with a doctor before you go. STIKO only recommends dengue vaccination for people with a confirmed previous dengue infection. The Foreign Office considers cholera vaccination necessary only very rarely, for example when working with cholera patients.
Mosquitoes: dengue, Oropouche, chikungunya and Zika
The Foreign Office does not mention a malaria risk for Cuba, and the DTG country list does not include Cuba as a malaria area. Mosquito-borne viral diseases, on the other hand, play a major role:
| Disease | Notes from the Foreign Office |
|---|---|
| Dengue | all year, especially in the rainy season, day-biting mosquitoes |
| Chikungunya | day-biting mosquitoes, seek individual advice on vaccination |
| Zika | risk to the unborn child during pregnancy |
| Oropouche fever | mainly transmitted in the evening and at night, no vaccine or treatment, pregnant women should avoid non-essential travel |
Because these insects bite at different times of day, you need protection around the clock: long clothing, insect repellent and a bed net at night. The Foreign Office warns that repellents are often unavailable locally, so bring enough from home. Tips are in our guide to dengue and mosquito protection.
Hygiene, water and food
Diarrhoeal illness is common. Drink only water from safe sources, never tap water, and use it for brushing your teeth too. Cook or peel food, keep flies away and wash your hands often. Since 2012, the Foreign Office has reported occasional cholera cases, including among tourists, mainly from Havana, Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Camagüey and Cienfuegos. Careful food and water hygiene protects you. From April to September, eating tropical sea fish also carries a risk of ciguatera poisoning, so follow local warnings.
Animals and rabies
In Cuba, rabies is mostly transmitted by dogs, cats or bats, according to the Foreign Office. Avoid contact with stray animals. After a bite, a scratch or contact of saliva with a wound or mucous membrane, wash the area thoroughly with soap and seek medical help at once. As post-exposure treatment is not reliably available in the country, work out in advance what you would do in that situation. Read more in our guide to rabies when travelling.
Medical care in Cuba
Foreign visitors are treated in designated hospitals or hospital wards for foreigners, and costs can exceed those in Germany. According to the Foreign Office, there is no reliable emergency rescue system. Many medicines, pharmacy items and hygiene products that are easy to buy in Germany are not available. Pack a generous travel health kit and protect it from heat on the way.
What depends on your type of trip
| Type of trip | What matters most |
|---|---|
| Beach or package holiday | hepatitis A, mosquito protection, hygiene, confirm return travel with your tour operator |
| Tour of Havana and Trinidad | round-the-clock mosquito protection, drinking water, cash and medicines |
| Independent travel, private guesthouses | hygiene, travel health kit, rebooking yourself if flights are cancelled |
| Long stays | hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, chikungunya and dengue weighed up individually |
If you are combining Cuba with other destinations in the region, see the advice for Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
Timing: when to get advice
Get advice early, especially if you have a pre-existing condition. STIKO and DTG recommend that travel vaccinations are completed at least two weeks before departure. Our travel vaccine check gives you a first overview, and the travel clinic directory helps you find a practice near you in Germany.
FAQ: Cuba
Do I need a yellow fever vaccination for Cuba?
Not if you arrive directly from Germany. According to the WHO, however, Cuba requires proof from travellers aged nine months or over who arrive from a yellow fever risk country or spent more than twelve hours in transit there. Cuba itself is not a risk area.
Can I travel to Cuba despite the travel warning?
The German Federal Foreign Office currently strongly advises against travel to Cuba, as emergency care and medical repatriation cannot be relied upon. It urges travellers with pre-existing conditions to review their plans very critically. Check the latest advice shortly before you leave.
Is there malaria in Cuba?
The Foreign Office does not mention a malaria risk for Cuba, and the German Society for Tropical Medicine (DTG) does not list Cuba as a malaria area. Mosquito protection is still important because of dengue, chikungunya, Zika and Oropouche fever.
Do I need health insurance for Cuba?
Yes. According to the Foreign Office, travellers must show health insurance valid in Cuba for their entire stay when they arrive. Also check with your insurer whether its repatriation provider is accepted by the Cuban authorities.
Sources
- Auswärtiges Amt: Kuba, Reise- und Sicherheitshinweise (Aktuelles, Gesundheit) (as of 2026-10)
- WHO: Countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and countries requiring yellow fever vaccination (as of 2022-11)
- DTG: Empfehlungen zur Malariaprävention 2026 (as of 2026)
- RKI: Epidemiologisches Bulletin 27/2026, STIKO and DTG travel vaccination recommendations (as of 2026-07)