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StumbleUponBackpacking or Travelling to Vietnam? Check the Current Advisories
The countries of Southeast Asia are very popular destinations, especially for backpackers and those taking a gap year. Most people plan to visit during our winter months as the typhoon season there runs from June to December. The Foreign and Commonwealth office have recently issued a health advisory regarding an intestinal virus affecting Vietnam - a type of foot and mouth disease. Many cities and areas are affected, including Ho Chi Minh City.
As is the case with travel to any area of the world, visitors should be aware of the possibility of picking up diseases and make sure they have all the recommended innoculations before setting off. Bird Flu has been a problem in Vietnam with a fatality in 2008. Dengue Fever is also a problem, especially in the south, and there is currently no vaccination. Care should be taken to use insect repellents and other methods to avoid mosquito bites – as they carry malaria and Japanese encephalitis in Vietnam.
Travellers should not be unduly alarmed, but are advised to take all possible precautions to avoid infection and to be scrupulous with hand-washing and hygiene. Care should be taken to avoid eating any potentially contaminated food (i.e. street vendors) because of the risk of cholera and typhoid. Drink only bottled water from reputable outlets.
A good travel insurance policy should be purchased prior to departure. Check the exclusions and ensure that all planned activities are covered. For a quote click here. For Backpacker information and a quote click here.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office website is a mine of information for travellers. Read up on their complete advice section for travel to Vietnam. Their ‘Know Before You Go’ section is also useful for all travel, so visit their site and read up on current advisories and advice for your planned destination here.
This entry was posted on Monday, May 12th, 2008 at 2:12 pm and is filed under Backpack Travel, Destinations, Holiday Destinations, Travel News .You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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