Rift valley fever deaths in Sudan

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Title – Rift valley fever deaths in Sudan
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 15th November 2007

Rift Valley Fever is just one of the many afflictions parts of Africa have to deal with and it sometimes seems that Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from the scourge of almost every tropical disease know today.

Travel to the Sudan is not common, the reputation of a country synonymous with war, famine, Dafur, Al-Qaeda and so many more news headlines means that most people cross it off the list early when deciding where to travel to, but it is still on the list of some intrepid travellers mostly on organised tours.

Disease is prevalent on every continent except Antarctica and no travel should ever be planned without an in-depth look at the dangers disease causes the locals and therefore travellers to those areas. Fortunately instances of Rift Valley Fever are relatively rare, but the same can not be said for Malaria, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, Typhoid, heatstroke, altitude sickness and many more.

A trip to any part of the world needs to be planned in conjunction with a programme of appropriate vaccinations, prophylactic drugs and most importantly sound preventative measures. A basic understanding of the symptoms and incubation periods of diseases from the areas of the world you are travelling to also helps, when it comes to diagnosis. Malaria for example can have an incubation period of several months; the symptoms are initially similar to a common cold, so when you visit your doctor with a cold 3 months after you return from your tropical adventure, the knowledge you have will allow your doctor to make a more accurate diagnosis.

Making plans is more than just choosing which countries to visit, it’s about planning for the worst case scenario and leaving as little to chance as is practicable. Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshops help you achieve this goal.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com