Malaria

It is a potentially fatal disease caused by a parasite transmitted to humans bitten by infected mosquitoes.

Travellers are particularly susceptible to severe Malaria as they are not immune wheras people living in highly endemic areas develop some form of semi immunity which they rapidly lose when they leave the area.

In South Africa the risk areas are confined to the far north of Kwa Zulu Natal, north – western parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo and the risk of contracting Malaria is high from September to May.

Other parts of Africa include Angola, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, Uganda and all the West African countries. Seasonal Malaria occurs in Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Symptoms include a flu like illness, high fever, chills, headaches, myalgia and diarrhoea and nasea.

Travellers should also take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites by applying insect repellannts containg DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide), wearing long sleeved clothing, sleeping under mosquito-proof nets which are treated with approved insecticides.

Travellers to these area are urged to take anti malaria prophylaxis.