Mauritius Health Information

Mauritius barely experiences common diseases such us malaria, cholera and yellow fever. Quite a feat for a tropical country! However, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers above one year of age, coming from yellow fever endemic zones. This certificate is only valid ten days after the vaccination. Malarial outbreaks have not been reported in over five years. Though visitors traveling to rural areas, especially Rodrigues Islands, may require vaccination to be on the safe side.

Of course, mosquitoes do exist, and in case you catch malaria, it will be the benign type. To prevent bites, sleep under bed nets and use mosquito repellant creams.

Prevalence of diseases such as Hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies (for those who may come into contact with animals) is low; therefore vaccination is not necessary though not pointless either.

It is prudent to ensure that you are up to date on routine immunizations such as measles, tetanus, polio, diptheria and chicken pox especially for the young ones who succumb to such diseases easily.

Swimming or wading in fresh water should be avoided due to risk of bilharzia, which though rare, may yet occur. Appropriate measures should be taken to guard against HIV/Aids.

Tap water in Mauritius is clean, and the locals drink it. Nevertheless, visitors are advised to boil drinking water or better yet, stick to bottled water. Visitors should also avoid unpasteurised milk and its derivatives products, commonly sold by street vendors. In other words, avoid buying foodstuffs from street vendors; there are plenty of licensed shops and restaurants. Meals should be consumed whilst hot. In particular, ensure your veggies are cooked and fruits washed and peeled. Raw or undercooked meat or fish should be avoided.

Care should be exercised especially when it comes to fish as some species such as red snapper, barracuda, sea bass, grouper amberjack and tropical reef fish may contain toxins even when well cooked. As is common when one eats foreign food, you may experience what is referred to as travelers' diarrhea. No need to panic as this is usually mild; drink plenty of fluids and it will recede. You should carry any appropriate medication prescribed by your physician incase it becomes severe.

Common sense precautions such as wearing a medical alert bracelet for allergies or chronic medical problems should be exercised. In such cases you should also carry your own medication. You may also alert personnel where you lodge of any personal medical problems. This will enable them to handle any emergencies better. Medical facilities in Mauritius are widely available and of high standards, though emergency assistance is limited. Public hospitals provide free treatment. Visitors who choose to go to private clinics -which are also numerous, and more efficient should know that they will be charged for treatment. You should therefore ensure they have the appropriate medical insurance before travel.



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Author

Andrew Muigai is editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of AfricaPoint.com- the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Mauritius hotels at the website.

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