Preventing Malaria

In addition to the medication, a few basic precautions should be followed to decrease the risk of contracting malaria. The disease is transmitted by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, which are active in the early evening and at night - 95% of Malaria infections take place between 8pm and 6am.

An Ounce of Prevention

Personal protection measures against mosquito bites include the use of an appropriate insect repellent containing di-ethyl toluamide (also known as DEET) on exposed areas of skin, wearing long-sleeved shirts or jackets, long trousers and socks after sunset, sleeping under mosquito netting, and spraying your room or tent at night with a suitable pyrethroid containing insecticide (or burning an insecticide laden coil). Although most camps and lodges provide insect-repellent and mosquito coils, consider taking a small bottle of repelant with you, especially if you travel during times of rain.

Symptoms

There is a slight chance that you could contract malaria despite taking prophylactic tablets and following the recommended precautions, but fortunately if treated early enough, the disease is easily cured. If you should become ill within a period of 6 months following your safari it is important to inform your medical practitioner that you were in a "malaria area", so that s/he can test accordingly. Typical symptoms resemble influenza and include fever/chills, headaches, body aches, fatigue, nausea, etc. For more information on malaria in Africa, the WHO site (https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/malaria) provides helpful information.