How to avoid Cholera while visiting Uganda – Tips – Advice – Information
Protecting yourself from Cholera while visiting Uganda
How to avoid Cholera while visiting Uganda – Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by bacteria. The disease infects the small bowel and causes extreme watery diarrhea. It is known to infect only humans. It most often comes from consuming contaminated water or juices, or from unhygienic food preparation. Vomiting follows along with extreme hydration with an inability to retain fluid, and medical attention must be sought to avoid death.
Cholera is found throughout the world, particularly in countries where sanitation is poor. Where clean water is not available, such as parts of Africa, including Uganda, where water has been infected with feces and unsanitary food-handling practices are not uncommon outside of the Tourism Industry.
Cholera Outbreaks are frequent in this part of the world, especially in slums or refugee camps in Uganda. Neither are on your Safari Itinerary. Not one of our clients has ever contracted Cholera while on Safari. Lodges and Hotels that we use go by better food-handling and sanitary Standards.
As an international traveler to Uganda, it is essential to be aware of how you can get cholera. It is also vital knowing how what you can do to avoid getting it — lastly, knowing what to do if you develop a diarrheal illness. The most important way to prevent cholera is to practice safe food and water precautions and frequent hand washing. Saniwipes alone will not be adequate.
The US CDC recommends that adults traveling to areas with active cholera transmission get vaccinated with a newly licensed cholera vaccine (Vaxchora, PaxVax Corporation). Vaxchora prevents severe diarrhea caused by the most common type of cholera bacteria. Talk to your doctor about the vaccination if you know you will be traveling to one of these areas.
How to avoid Cholera while visiting Uganda
- Get Immunized against Cholera before coming to Uganda – most visitors do not and do not
contract Cholera, especially if on a Safari. - Use only bottled water purchased at a supermarket, hotel, lodge, never buy water in a plastic sack as is shared here. Juices are also sold in plastic sacks, a lot of doctored up products are sold as juice, only buy juices from Del Monte or Ceres, Splash the local juice has additives and is not pure juice but a drink in spite of their advertisement. Read the ingredients.
- Avoid visiting slums in Kampala or elsewhere in Uganda – they are often the source of a Cholera outbreak, and feces are often thrown on roof-tops disposed of in creeks.
- Avoid what is called Food Joints – Street food – the main reason being the lack of sanitary and hygienic practice – it might be cheap food, but it can make you ill and be the source of Cholera.
- Only eat food that you can peel – do not eat Mangoes Ugandan Style, which is with the skin on.
- Avoid uncooked vegetables such as cabbage and salads except in upmarket hotels or lodges.
How to avoid Cholera while visiting Uganda. If you are on a safari in Uganda, especially using a Tour Operator such as ourselves and staying in Moderate and upmarket lodging, you most often receive food that will not make you ill. There are often reports in the media about a Cholera outbreak in Uganda. Most often, such outbreaks take place in weak, slum areas, and where piped water is not available, we do not visit slums as part of a tour for safety and health reason unless you want to visit a particular charity, school or clinic.
Most Tourists to Uganda will not come down with Cholera –
