Holiday health: Cheryl Cole’s illness reminds travellers to stay safe

The shocking news that Cheryl Cole is suffering from malaria which she caught during a holiday in Tanzania, has hit the headlines this week, and the coverage of her condition has highlighted the need to take proper health precautions when jetting off to exotic climes.

It’s very easy to get to foreign places where there are infections that are rife than can be incredibly dangerous, particularly for people from this country who don’t have the immune systems to deal with it. So you need to be wary, when thinking about going abroad.

When you’re thinking about going abroad plan well in advance, think about it a couple of months before, go to a travel clinic and get advice about what sort of infections, malaria tablets, whatever that you might need.

Malaria is extremely dangerous and can be deadly if not treated properly, so it’s essential when visiting countries where the disease is present.

Malaria is a parasite that tends to infect people via the mosquito bug, so the mosquito will take up blood from a person that contains malaria and then it can pass it onto another person. The bite will then mean that the malaria will get into the blood stream and it’s usually anything between a week and up to four weeks that you develop symptoms of malaria.

Symptoms include feeling confused or muddled, sickness, a fever, and a flu-like feeling. It’s a horrible condition to suffer with, and there is no immunisation against the disease, so the most important prevention you can take is to sort out anti-malaria tablets that are suitable for you, based on the country being visited and your current state of health. Even those taking a short trip to a country that has malaria should ensure they take the same precautions.

Of course malaria and other insect bites aren’t the only thing that can ruin a good holiday. Picking up stomach bugs is common and can put you out of action for days.

The main things to look out for, according to the doctor, is that food and water and ice is clean, and meets the correct hygiene standards.

Food that lies out on buffets for hours can quickly go off, particularly if it is not kept at the correct temperature, and water – including the water that is used in ice – should be bottled and properly sterilised to ensure it is safe.