Four high risk areas for malaria in South Africa

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QUESTION:

List four areas in South Africa that are considered high risk for malaria.

ANSWER:

The far north east of the country is the only region considered a high transmission zone for malaria. This includes places such as the Maputoland coast in KwaZulu-Natal, Kruger National Park (and Nelspruit), most of the border region with Swaziland and the lowveld of Mpumalanga. Regions buffering this zone, such as Polokwane, are low to intermediate risk zones; the rest of South Africa is considered malaria-free.

Is there Malaria in Naboomspruit, South Africa?

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QUESTION:

Is Naboomspruit in South-Africa a malaria area?

ANSWER:

Naboomspruit (also known as Mookgopong) is located in Limpopo province in South Africa; malaria is endemic in parts of this province, namely the eastern border of South Africa (next to Mozambique and Swaziland), and including popular tourist areas such as Kruger National Park. In these regions, precautions against malaria, such as sleeping under an insecticide-treated bednet and taking preventative (prophylactic) medicine against malaria are highly recommended.

However, regions further away from the border, such as Naboomspruit, are generally considered zones of low to no transmission. However, transmission may still occur at some points in the year (particularly after rains) so some precautions would be advisable, although medication against malaria is probably not necessary. Instead, if visiting, or indeed if living in the area, it would be recommended to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes by using insect repellant, wearing long-sleeved and dark clothing at dawn and after dusk and if being particularly cautious, by sleeping under an insecticide-treated bednet.

Bear in mind also that these are simply recommendations, and things may change over time and with variations in local climate; it would be worth asking a local doctor or hospital what the immediate risks of malaria are before travelling to a particular location.