Page 59 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter 2024/2025

PHOTOS: JESS VIDE/PEXELS | TARYN ELLIOTT/PEXELS
S P E C I A L F E A T U R E R E P O R T
Travel Bites for
the Health-Wise
How to Travel Healthy and Worry-Free
BY LINDA BARNARD
for sun-seeking travellers; they can carry
Mosquitoes are more than just a buzzing nuisance
viruses with serious health consequences,
such as dengue fever, Zika virus, Japanese
encephalitis, West Nile virus, and the growing threat of
chikungunya.
The World Health Organization reports that tropical
mosquito species known to transmit diseases, including
chikungunya, are now spreading into North America.
These mosquitoes have been found in the Southeastern
United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Southern Europe
and Central America—places famous for the relaxing
beaches, sightseeing and outdoor activities winter-weary
Canadians crave.
Each year, an estimated seven million Canadians
travel to countries where mosquito-borne diseases are
prevalent. Health experts say prevention, including vac-
cination and the proper use of insect repellent, gives
Canadian travellers the tools to tell mosquitoes to bug off
while they enjoy their vacation.
Climate Change and Mosquito Spread
Mosquitoes are vectors for diseases, meaning they can
transmit viruses from an infected person or animal to
humans. Climate change has facilitated the spread of
mosquitoes that were once limited to specific regions.
Shifts in weather and temperature have allowed the Aedes
aegypti mosquito, originally from Africa, and Aedes
albopictus, from Southeast Asia, to expand into new areas.
HEALTHY
TRAVEL TIPS
• Discuss prevention
options with your health-
care provider, including
vaccination, at least 4–6
weeks before your
departure.
• Apply insect repellent to
exposed skin.
• Wear loose-fitting
clothing with long sleeves
and pants.
• Stay indoors at dawn and
dusk when mosquitoes
are most active.
• Choose accommodations
with air conditioning,
doors and windows with
screens; use a bed net if
there is no AC.
• Contact your hotel or
resort for information on
local mosquito activity
and protection advice
before you travel.
WINTER 2024/2025 DREAMSCAPES 59