MALARIA. and other South Africa Warning Or Danger Tips

Humans get malaria from the bite of a malaria-infected mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests microscopic malaria parasites found in the person’s blood. The malaria parasite must grow in the mosquito for a week or more before infection can be passed to another person. If, after a week, the mosquito then bites another person, the parasites go from the mosquito’s mouth into the person’s blood. The parasites then travel to the person’s liver, enter the liver’s cells, grow and multiply. During this time when the parasites are in the liver, the person has not yet felt sick. The parasites leave the liver and enter red blood cells; this may take as little as 8 days or as many as several months. Once inside the red blood cells, the parasites grow and multiply. The red blood cells burst, freeing the parasites to attack other red blood cells. Toxins from the parasite are also released into the blood, making the person feel sick. If a mosquito bites this person while the parasites are in his or her blood, it will ingest the tiny parasites. After a week or more, the mosquito can infect another person.

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Be aware that the roads in many rural areas are not fenced, so you could find dogs, chickens, sheep and even horses or cows on the road, so it may be dangerous to drive at night.

Large antelope crossing the road can also be a hazard in certain areas – watch out for the road signs depicting a leaping antelope, and take it slowly, especially towards evening.

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These guys ,mostly African taxi drivers,many of these vehicles on the roads commuting passengers.
Giggle at some of these taxi's as they are not really roadworthy at all.

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Empangeni - An elephant killed the manager of the Wilderness Trails in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi game park on Tuesday,.

The incident happened when Fortune Mkhize, manager of the Wilderness Trails operation in the Imfolozi section of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, was leading the first day of a four-day wilderness trail.

Mkhize and field ranger Thomas Mathenjwa, who was acting as rearguard, encountered two feeding elephants about an hour's walk from the base camp at Mdindini.

The group passed the first elephant at a distance of about 35m and a little further on encountered a second elephant that appeared to be uneasy with the presence of the party.

Following safety procedures, Mkhize indicated to Mathenjwa to retreat with the party, while he faced the elephant and also slowly retreated.

However, the elephant charged Mkhize before he could use his rifle and he was killed.

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A 16-year-old boy was in critical condition on Monday after a Great White shark bit off part of his leg in an attack near Muizenberg, officials said.

The teenager was attacked while surfing, said Vaughan Seconds of the National Sea Rescue Institute.

"Lifeguards said they noticed that something was wrong when they saw half of the boy's board being tossed into the air," said Seconds.

"They pulled him out of the water and when I got to him I saw that his right leg had been completely bitten off and that he had bite marks on his remaining leg. By then he had already lost a lot of blood," he added.

The surfer was rushed to hospital where he suffered cardiac arrest twice during a delicate operation to save what remained of his leg, said hospital manager Clive Lake.

He added that the teenager was in a critical condition.

According to the University of the Western Cape, there are an average of three shark attacks annually in South Africa. Sharks are regularly spotted, but attacks rarely occur.

Seconds said a patrolling helicopter had spotted the shark a short while after the attack and it had been identified as a 3.5m-long Great White.

The last fatal shark attack in Cape Town was in September 2003, when a teenage surfer bled to death after being bitten by a shark.

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Malaria is a word many people associate with game parks in Africa. However only two of the South African National Parks are in a malaria risk area and they are the Kruger National Park and Mapungubwe National Park, although at both these venues the risk is usually low. Historically there have been incidences of malaria in other parks, but then there are recorded incidences of malaria from urban Europe and other non-risk areas. But to all intents and purposes Kruger is the only malaria risk park in the SANParks’ set-up.

Anti-malaria prophylactics are thus recommended for visitors for Kruger. The highest risk period is between December and April (end of the rainy season). A 24-hour malaria hotline is available on +27 (0)82 234 1800 to give detailed explanation on risk and advice on precautionary measures. Visitors wishing to take prophylactics should consult a knowledgeable medical practitioner or recognized travel clinic about recommended medication, as certain products cause nausea, hallucinations or other negative side effects with certain people.

Very often (particularly after periods of low rainfall) the malaria risk in Kruger is very low. Many people decide not to take prophylactics and rather try to avoid getting bitten. The most vulnerable times are between dusk and dawn. People are advised to stay indoors during these periods, or cover exposed skin with light clothing or insect repellants. The ankles are the most critical area. Burning anti-mosquito coils and ensuring netted screens are kept closed are other preventative measures.

While malaria prophylactics are recommended, no prophylactic is foolproof and any person developing flu-like symptoms 7 to 20 days (or even longer) after being in malaria areas should be tested immediately for malaria, until the symptoms clear or an alternative diagnosis is made. It is important to advise medical practitioners that you have been in a malaria area to avoid incorrect diagnosis.

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