On a hot summer’s night in the Kruger, the all too familiar, and highly annoying, sound of a mosquito is enough to not only wake you from your slumber but also set you on edge when you realise that mosquitoes are notorious for carrying malaria.
In many parts of the world, malaria is no longer a life-threatening illness. In fact, in many of those places where malaria was once a common occurrence, the threat is simply not an issue anymore. The Kruger National Park, on the other hand, is still one of those places where visitors can become infected when they don’t take the necessary precautions. When travelling anywhere in Africa, taking the right steps to ensure that you stay safe is the most important part of your planning.
On the off chance that you do get malaria, it is good to keep in mind that it is completely curable. Nonetheless, the illness can make you feel quite sick, and it will certainly dampen your holiday experience. So to help you stay in the know about malaria, we’ve rounded up some important information for you to consider.
The most important thing you need to know is how malaria is transmitted.
Not all mosquitos can transfer malaria. Only the females of a certain species carry it and only they will drink blood. The females will only drink blood when they are going to reproduce, and the rest of the time they will feed on nectar. Mosquitoes are known to breed during the rainy months so if you are staying in the Kruger, be aware that it is during the summer that you can expect these visitors.
Malaria is transferred in the saliva which the mosquito injects after it has fed on the blood. This makes these insects sound quite like a vampire! The saliva can leave an itchy, red bump, which will have you scratching for days.
Mosquitoes kill more people in Africa each year than the wild animals you’ll get to see when on a Kruger Park safari. Not only do they carry malaria, but they can also transmit encephalitis, yellow fever and dengue fever. Unlike malaria, these other types of illnesses are very uncommon.
Facts about Mosquitoes
Although the mosquitoes tend to be villains, they are also quite fascinating creatures that you will learn more about when enjoying your Kruger Park safari. Here are some of the interesting facts that you need to keep in mind about mosquitoes.
- Slow Flying
If there is one thing going against the mosquito, it has to be the fact that they are not the fastest flyers. You can possibly quite easily swat them once they have bitten you.
- Short Lifespan
The average lifespan of a mosquito is between 5 and 6 months. In the world of insects, this is quite a decent lifespan although many probably won’t live this long.
- 1000s of species
There are well over 3000 different types of mosquitoes but not all of them are after your blood. Some of them feed on animals while others get their food from plants.
What you need to know about Malaria in the Kruger National Park
Getting malaria is one of the biggest risks when visiting the Kruger National Park, even though the park is in a low risk area. Those visiting the park will not need to be too concerned about taking preventative medication, the basics such as using insect repellent and a mosquito net should be enough to stay safe. The greatest risk period is between November and April when the park gets its summer rains.
It can take up to 35 days for the first symptoms of infection to show so often, tourists are already back in their home country before the start getting sick. Some of the symptoms you should look out for include fever, headaches, chills, tiredness, and body aches.
