THE National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) has advised travelers who will be hitting the road during the upcoming long weekend, to take precaution and protect themselves against malaria.
“Travellers should tell healthcare workers about travel and possible exposure, as they may forget to ask. Using anti-mosquito measures (nets, repellents etc.) and/or prophylactic medicines does not guarantee perfect protection from malaria,” said the NICD.
Preliminary data from the National Department of Health indicate that the total number of cases across the three malaria-endemic provinces, such as north-eastern Limpopo, eastern Mpumalanga, and northern KwaZulu-Natal, has risen in the last three weeks. Some of these are likely to be travellers returning from neighbouring countries, particularly Mozambique.
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Mosquitoes may hitchhike in vehicles returning from malaria areas and transmit the infection to non-travellers, which is so-called “suitcase malaria”.
“Anyone who has been in a malaria risk area in the past 10 days to three weeks and who gets ill with flu-like symptoms (headache, muscle and joint pains, chills, fever and sweating, vomiting and loss of appetite in young children) should remember that malaria is a possibility and seek medical attention, which should include a malaria blood test, repeated if necessary,” said the NICD.
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