Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MALARIAL OR NOT?
Areas infected with malaria are constantly changing, so find out what the current situation is
from your doctor before travelling.
Brunei
Extremely low malarial risk.
Cambodia
Malarial in all forested and hilly
rural areas, in Siem Reap and along the Thai
and Laos borders. Phnom Penh,
Sihanoukville and Battambang have a very
low malarial risk.
Hong Kong and Macau
Extremely low
malarial risk outside of northern rural areas.
Indonesia
Very malarial, though low risk on
the tourist resorts of Bali and Java.
Laos
Very malarial though risk is minimal
in Vientiane.
Malaysia
Malarial, especially in Sabah and
Sarawak, but low risk on the Peninsula.
Myanmar
High risk of malaria across the
country, apart from Mandalay and Yangon.
Philippines
Malarial except on the
majority of the Visayas Islands (except
Romblon Island).
Singapore
Extremely low malarial risk.
Thailand
Generally low malaria risk, but
very high risk along the borders with
Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, as well as
northern Kanchanaburi province, and parts
of Trat province (but low risk on Ko Chang).
Vietnam
Malarial, but low risk in Hanoi,
Ho Chi Minh City, the coastal plains between
them and the northern Red River Delta.
flu-like symptoms any time up to a year after
returning home, you should inform a doctor that
you have been to a country where malaria is
present and ask for a blood test.
hospital, though.
Heat rashes
,
prickly heat
and
fungal infections
are also common: wear loose
cotton clothing, dry yourself carefully after bathing
and use medicated talcum powder.
Dengue fever
Stomach problems
A nasty disease that's becoming more and more
widespread is
dengue fever
, a virus carried by
mosquitoes which bite day and night. There's no
vaccine or tablet available to prevent the illness,
which causes fever, headache and joint and muscle
pains, as well as possible internal bleeding and
circulatory-system failure. There is no specific drug
to cure it, and the only treatment is lots of rest,
liquids and Panadol (or any other acetaminophen
painkiller,
not
aspirin, which can increase chances
of haemorrhaging), though more serious cases
may require hospitalization. It is vital to get an early
medical diagnosis and get treatment.
If you travel in Asia for an extended period of
time, you are likely to come down with some
kind of stomach bug. For most, this is just a case
of
diarrhoea
, caught through bad hygiene, or
unfamiliar or affected food, and is generally over in
a couple of days.
Dehydration
is one of the main
concerns if you have diarrhoea, so rehydration salts
dissolved in clean water provide the best treatment.
Gastroenteritis
is a more extreme version, but
can still be cured with the same blend of rest and
rehydration. You should be able to find a local
brand of
rehydration salts
in pharmacies in most
Southeast Asian towns, but you can also make up
your own by mixing three teaspoons of sugar and
one of salt to a litre of water. You will need to drink
as much as three litres a day to stave off dehydra-
tion. Eat non-spicy, non-greasy
foods
, such as
young coconut, dry toast, rice, bananas and
noodles, and steer clear of alcohol, coffee, milk and
most fruits. Since diarrhoea purges the body of the
bugs, taking blocking
medicines
such as Imodium
is not recommended unless you have to travel.
The next step up from gastroenteritis is
dysentery
,
diagnosable from blood and mucus in the (often
blackened) stool. Dysentery is either amoebic or
bacillary, with the latter characterized by high fever
and vomiting. Serious attacks will require antibiotics,
and hospitalization.
Heat problems
Travellers unused to tropical climates regularly
suffer from
sunburn
and
dehydration
. The
important thing is to make sure that you drink
enough water, wear suntan lotion and limit your
exposure to the sun. As you sweat in the heat you
lose salt, so you may want to add some extra to
your food. A more serious result of the heat is
heatstroke
, indicated by high temperature, dry
red skin and a fast, erratic pulse. As an emergency
measure, try to cool the patient off by covering
them in sheets or sarongs soaked in cold water
and turn the fan on them; they may need to go to
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