Malaria travel warning
Thurs April 23rd, 2009
Hundreds of British travellers are contracting the deadly disease malaria every year through visits to equatorial countries, experts warned yesterday.
Visits to two African countries, Nigeria and Ghana, were responsible for nearly half of Britain's toll of malaria, according to the Health Protection Agency.
Some 1,370 cases of the disease were reported in Britain last year, including 492 from Nigeria and 148 from Ghana.
While overall levels of malaria fell, the number of infections from Nigeria stayed the same as in 2007.
The HPA said 74 per cent of the British travellers who were infected had been visiting friends or family.
It said these people tend to be at greater risk than others of picking up local diseases because they may stay for a long period in someone's home.
HPA travel expert Dr Jane Jones said: "No one should underestimate how serious a disease malaria is. Treatment might involve a stay in hospital and everyone will have to take a course of tablets to kill the parasites in the blood.
"Children, the elderly and pregnant women are more likely to develop serious disease or to deteriorate rapidly."
She said malaria is preventable and travellers should see a doctor before departing to get advice."
Professor Peter Chiodini, an HPA malaria expert, added: "Although it is good news that for the second year running we have seen a fall in the number of people that are contracting malaria, too many people are still falling unwell from this preventable disease by not taking appropriate precautions before and during their travel.
"Over the last five years the burden of imported disease has consistently been seen in people who have visited West Africa - particularly Nigeria and Ghana. Given these facts, we urge everyone who is travelling to take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families."
According to the HPA, malaria is the world's second biggest killer after tuberculosis - causing up to 2.7 million deaths a year, mainly in Africa. It can seem like a flu-like illness at first, including fever and shaking, but can also cause stomach upset.