Burma health questions
Jun 4th, 2006, 02:45 PM
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Burma health questions
I would like to take a trip to SE Asia in January and Burma sounds very interesting. I am considering a few days each in Yangon, Mandalay, Bagan, and Inle Lake. Are the mosquitoes (and malaria risk) bad there in January? If I am careful about food/water, what are the chances I will not get sick (GI problems)? I did not get sick at all two years ago on a trip to Thailand and Angor Wat, but was wondering how much risker Burma is.
Jun 4th, 2006, 03:50 PM
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All of Burma outside of Rangoon (Yangoon) should be considered malarial risk. The Burmese government has a long history of lack of cooperation with WHO and other international health organizations, so we simply don't have as much data about Burma as we do about most other countries. The malaria in Burma should be considered resistant to larium because we have no solid data from within Burma, but do know that there is larium resistan malaria in the border regions. Thus your options for anti-malarials are malarone or doxycycline.
If you follow routine food and water precaustions, your chances of contracting GI problems are no more than they were in Cambodia.
Do make sure you are up to date on your travelers immunizations such as Hep A and Typhoid, as well as routine vaccines such as tetanus/diptheria.
If you follow routine food and water precaustions, your chances of contracting GI problems are no more than they were in Cambodia.
Do make sure you are up to date on your travelers immunizations such as Hep A and Typhoid, as well as routine vaccines such as tetanus/diptheria.
Jun 4th, 2006, 03:53 PM
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You're at some risk where-ever you go, even at home. I've been to Burma three times in the last two years, and haven't had a problem, nor has anyone I've been with. If you survived Thailand, you'll do okay in Burma.
Mosquitos are a problem just after the rainy season, when there is a lot of standing water. By January is should be relatively dry, so take a good repellent and don't worry about it.
Mosquitos are a problem just after the rainy season, when there is a lot of standing water. By January is should be relatively dry, so take a good repellent and don't worry about it.
Jun 4th, 2006, 05:41 PM
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i can only speak about the yangon area, but the food is not dissimilar to what you may have experienced in thailand....take all the usual precautions....cooked food, nothing raw...peeled fruits, etc..
Jun 6th, 2006, 02:33 AM
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Michael, Having been to Burma a few times recently, can you share info with us? Perhaps on a different thread, so as not to "hijack" this one, can you provide suggestions about hotels, must sees & must dos? What about food in Burma? Outside of Yangon, is it best to eat in the hotels or are there restaurants that yiu would recommend. Did you use a travel agent or make arrangements directly on your own? Would love to hear more details. Thanks.
