Prevention is better than cure.
MEASURES TO PREVENT MALARIA It is most important to note that no preventative measures are 100% safe. Should flu-like symptoms and signs of malaria like body pain, headache and fever develop 7 to 20 days or longer after visiting a malaria area, daily testing for malaria should be performed until you are better or another definite diagnosis is made.
It is a well-known fact that malaria is one of the most serious and common tropical diseases in the world. Please note that if precautions are not taken and/or if the disease is not diagnosed and treated early, malaria is potentially fatal.
NOTE: Johannesburg does NOT fall under a malaria area.
MALARIA CAN BE PREVENTED IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:
- Remain indoors from dusk to dawn if possible as malaria mosquitoes usually feed in the early evenings and mornings.
- Cover your arms and legs towards evenings with light coloured clothing to cover exposed skin areas and especially the ankles.
- Wear long sleeved shirts, long trousers, socks and closed shoes.
- Burn insecticide coils or electrically
- Apply insect repellents to exposed skin areas every 4-6 hours.
- Heat insecticide tablets in the bedroom at night.
- Spray knock-down insecticide for flying insects inside the bedroom in the early evening with windows/doors closed if there are no window screens.
- Screened mosquito proof windows and doors and mosquito nets guard against mosquito bites.
- Clothes and nets impregnated with Pyrethroid could be used.
- Another way of preventing malaria is to take additional preventative drugs when visiting an endemic malaria area, especially in the warm and rainy months from October to May.
If you develop influenza-like symptoms, such as body pains, headache and fever, 7 to 20 days after visiting a malaria area, you must have your doctor test you for malaria immediately.
People may still contract malaria although prophylactic medicines have been taken. Other symptoms include body pain, diarrhoea and vomiting. While the usual incubation period for malaria is 14 days, it can take as little as a week to manifest and as long as six months in some cases.
If you are suffering from these symptoms after visiting a malaria area, contact your Medical Practitioner.