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Health
| | Special Precautions | Certificate Required | | Yellow Fever | No | 1 | | Cholera | 2 | No | | Typhoid and Polio | 3 | N/A | | Malaria | 4 | N/A |
1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers coming from infected areas. Pregnant women and children under nine months should not normally be vaccinated.
2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is no longer a condition of entry into Belize. However, imported cases of cholera were reported in 1996 and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness.
3: Typhoid fever is a risk and immunisation is advised.
4: Malaria risk exists throughout the year, excluding Belize district and urban areas, predominantly in the benign vivax form. The risk is highest in the western and southern regions. A weekly dose of 300mg of chloroquine is the recommended prophylaxis.
Food & drink: While tap water is generally regarded as safe for consumption, purified water is readily available and is advised for the first few weeks of stay. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid all dairy products. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.
Other risks: Amoebic and bacillary dysenteries and other diarrhoeal diseases are very common. Hepatitis A, B and C occur. Dengue fever may also be present. Cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis occur. Snakes may be a hazard.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information consult the Health appendix.
Note: Visitors applying for residency will require an AIDS test (foreign tests may not be acceptable).
Health care: There are seven government hospitals – one in Belmopan, one in Belize City and one in each of the other five main district towns. Medical services in rural areas are provided by rural health care centres, and mobile clinics operate in remote areas. International travellers are strongly advised to take out medical insurance before departing for Belize.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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