Tips for Malaria Prevention
The humid summer months are upon us in the City of Mbombela and along with it the heavy downpours. We always welcome the summer rains knowing full well that soon after we can expect an infestation of mosquitos that appear from the puddles in the twilight hours. Mosquitoes are horribly annoying and while you might think that the worst thing they can do is buzz around your ear while you’re trying to sleep, they are also the carriers of what can become a dangerous illness: Malaria.
Malaria in our part of South Africa is quite a common occurrence and something that many of those living in the Mbombela area are infected with at some time or another. The illness is passed on by the mosquito and after years of Malaria causing fatalities, medicine has advanced in such a way that while Malaria is no longer deadly (if treated), it is also quite easy to prevent.
If you are planning a trip to our Mbombela accommodation this summer, you might find some of our prevention tips quite handy.
- Find out just how at risk you are
Mbombela is definitely in a Malaria area, but we are not in the worst area. If you were to visit an area further North like the Kruger National Park, or if you were to keep on going East towards Mozambique, then you’d be in a much higher risk area. - Screen yourself in the evenings
The evenings are the worst when it comes to our mosquitos as they choose this time of the day to get a little over friendly. This means infections often happen at night. One of the best ways to stay safe is to stay, as much as possible, behind a screen through which the insects can’t pass. Screened verandas, and having screened doors and windows is a must. - Keep a repellent close by
Mosquito repellents are a wonderful product to keep these bugs away. You can buy really good quality repellents in most shops and they should be applied to the skin in the evenings and at night before going to bed.
- Long sleeves and long pants
If you’ve been in Mbombela during the summer months you probably just gasped in horror at this suggestion quite simply because you know that this tip is next to impossible during the intense heat. But wearing long sleeves and pants is a great way to prevent the mosquito from taking a bite. - Use a mosquito net
Quite literally, a mosquito net is placed over the bed at night and it is used to prevent the mosquito from getting close enough to bite. For an extra bit of protection, the net can be sprayed with a repellent.
