- First of all you should check if the area you are going to visit is actual malaria infested. Remember – there are large parts of Africa which are malaria free!
- If you are going to visit a malaria infested area consult a doctor or a travel clinic. They will provide you with all kinds of info about the medication to take.
- Listen properly to what the doc is telling you and follow this. Stick to the schedule without forgetting to take your pill(s).
- Get yourself a mosquito net. They are not uber expensive and usually very light.
- Get yourself a mosquito repellent once you are there. Ask at a local pharmacy for their best selling one and you'll get a good one.
- Mosquito coils are usually doing a good job. They are burning for up to eight hrs. and Mosquito hate them. OK, some people don't like the smell of it, but you should give it a try!
- Never forget that mosquitos are attracted to light. Switch off the light when going to bed and keep reading in bed to a minimum as the light of your torch will also attracted those nasty little creatures.
- Clothing – shorts and shirts are no problem at all during the day, but during dusk and dawn you should wear long trouser and a jumper/long sleeve. Mosquitos are most active during dusk and dawn.
- You are on safari and not on a big night out, so don't use too much perfume / after shave. Mosquitoes are more attracted to it than anyone else around you.
- Stick to the rules, don't forget to take your medication and don't think that you will not get Malaria just because you just read this list!
Typical symptoms of malaria are:
- fever
- chills
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
