01 September 2017

South Africa: Malaria season update!

South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has released a new malaria season update (28 Aug 2017). According to the NICD, the past 2016/17 malaria season was a particularly busy one due to relatively warm temperatures in malaria areas. Large numbers of cases were reported in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, as well as in Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

South Africa, Malaria, Malaria Risk Map
Malaria Risk Areas in South Africa
via http://www.nicd.ac.za/index.php/malaria-alert-03-may-2017/

The summer 2017 malaria season is due to start in September. The NICD therefore recommends that all travellers to malaria risk areas, including the Kruger National Park, should take precautions against mosquito bites, consider the use of malarial preventive drugs, and most importantly, should seek medical help if they develop fever or a "flu-like illness" in the month after returning.

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