Basics - Rough Guide to Fiji - page 46

add to the stuffiness, especially in the humid nights of summer. The best type of repellent is
the Good Knight electric mat heaters which cost around F$4 from supermarkets, plus F$1.50
for a packet of ten mats, one mat being sufficient per night. You'll need constant electricity to
use them and when this isn't available, you may have to resort to mosquito coils, which can
be slightly noxious on inhalation. Roll-on mosquito repellent works for both mosquitoes
and sand flies on a temporary basis, and there are now brands that are more environmentally
sensitive and safer on your skin - try Rid, an Australian product costing around F$10 a bottle
and available from most pharmacies.
Sand flies can cause irritating rashes through their bites, usually spreading over a larger
area than a mosquito bite, and are found not surprisingly along sandy beaches, appearing at
dusk and dawn. Sea lice can also cause a small rash and appear on occasions in sandy-bottom
shallow lagoons between December and April.
DENGUE FEVER
Although there is no malaria in Fiji, occasionally dengue fever outbreaks occur. It's a sim-
ilar but not nearly as threatening disease - the last widespread outbreak was in early 2014.
Outbreaks are usually restricted to urban areas after prolonged heavy rains and are acted
upon swiftly by the authorities with spraying to kill the dengue-spreading mosquitoes - it's
only the black and white striped day-biting mosquito that causes dengue infection. If you
become infected, tell-tale signs include aching joints accompanied by intense headaches,
a sudden high fever, chills, nausea and sometimes a red rash which usually first appears
on the lower limbs or chest. The symptoms will last anywhere from five to fifteen days.
Although the recommended cure is simple - stay in bed, drink plenty of water and wait it
out - it's advisable to consult a doctor. In more severe cases, a doctor will administer intra-
venous fluids to prevent dehydration and acetaminophen to reduce fever. Avoid aspirin as
this can often cause complications. Whilst the fever is rarely life-threatening in fit adults,
the elderly and children are prone to complications and death can result - if an outbreak is
present, take extra precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes.
Ciguatera fish poisoning
Ciguatera fish poisoning is a fairly common ailment amongst rural Fijians and can be caught
by consuming reef fish which have been feeding on toxic algae. Although seldom life-threat-
ening, the poisoning causes nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and a numbness or tingling sensation
often in the fingers; it usually commences within 24 hours of consumption. If you believe
you have the symptoms of ciguatera, head straight to a doctor or local hospital where you
can receive treatment via an injection. Although not confined to any particular fish, it is most
common in older and larger reef fish, typically grouper, red snapper, Spanish mackerel and
barracuda. Most villagers know which fish to avoid at certain times of the year.