Yellow Fever

Urban and jungle yellow fever  only occur in parts of Africa and South America, Urban Yellow fever is an epidemic disease transmitted to humans via mosquitoes . Jungle yellow fever is essentially transmitted among animals and occasionally to humans via mosquitoes. The international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is valid for 10 years ,beginning 10 days after vaccination. Immunisation in the United Kingdom is undertaken only at recognized yellow Fever vaccination centers.

 

Food hygiene

Food should never be assumed to be safe unless it is known to have been freshly and thoroughly cooked . Make sure meals have not been re-heated and re-arranged. Avoid complicated delicacies that have received much handling during preparation ,and cold platters left out in the open as they are likely to be contaminated. Shellfish can be a particular hazard especially where water quality may be poor. Fruit and vegetables should be freshly cooked or peeled.

 

Water

Drinking Water

Water quality from the public drinking supply can not be guaranteed for most countries outside northern Europe, North America and Australia, travelers should be aware of the risks and precautions associated with water quality whether for drinking, washing ,preparing food or swimming. Travelers on short trips to areas with water supplies of uncertain quality should avoid drinking tap water or untreated water from any other source. It is best to keep to hot drinks, bottled or canned drinks . Boiling is a good way of treating water and this can be used for drinking or brushing teeth. Ice is only as safe as the water from which it is made and drinks should be cooled by placing them on ice rather than adding ice to them.

 

Bathing water

Swimming-pools, fresh-water or sea-water require filtration and cleansing unless the water is frequently changed. If this is not done infections of the eyes and ears are a hazard. If the general cleanliness and hygiene standards of a hotel are satisfactory, its swimming-pool is likely to be safe. Fresh-water lakes, dams and slow-flowing rivers are likely to be infected with bilharzias in countries where it is present, namely through the tropics and subtropics. Sea-water is usually safe from infection unless it is close to sewage  outlets or highly populated areas where sanitary conditions are poor.

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