I'm confused :( Malaria in Goa

A few weeks ago I thought I had a "great" plan: to go to India in March for half a year with my boyfriend, find a nice cheap place in Goa, stay there for 3-4 months, learn yoga, do some photography, enjoy the beaches and take it easy. Sounds boring I know, but that's all I want after a few years of mad rush at work.

Unfortunately yesterday I found out that it's quite easy to get malaria over there

I don't want to take any tablets, because I have a bad liver. Besides I wouldn't be able to be taking them for half a year.
So I only see one option - to go somewhere else...

There's so much information on the internet, that I'm feeling lost now Where to go, where to stay? Kerela sounds good, but where about in Kerala? Is it safe in there? Would I need to take any pills while staying there?

Sorry for all those questions, I'm feeling stupid now

Has their been recently reported cases of malaria in Goa then?

This time last year there were a lot of reported cases, they were blamed on workers who come from other parts of India to work in Goa, but I don't know if that's true.

this malaria map made me change my mind: http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/...maps/india.htm

and also a few comments.

Thanks for the link...interesting. I stayed in Kerela for 6 months last year, as was practicing yoga....very touristy in Kovolam, Varkala's got a nice relaxed croud, not sooo many 2 week package tourists

I think reported cases of malaria increase in the monsoon season but it's always possible to contract malaria except at high altitude. However many people live, work and go in and out of India without contracting it.

The latest advice we had (and have followed) is to go with a treatment dose of a drug called Malarone - get this before you leave.

If you are then diagnosed you take this drug to eradicate it.

Also, be sure to get a mossie spray which is at least 50 per cent deet - some people recommend 100 per cent in rural areas (Goa would count as one of these). Always keep sprayed up night and day as there are day time mossies which carry other things. Don't wear dark clothes to which mossies are attracted.

Hotels and beach huts provide mossie nets and if not you can buy them cheaply enough.


My advice (not that you asked for it) would be to go and enjoy having taken all reasonable precautions

I agree with Kapumana

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Hm. Funny you hadn't made the India-malaria connection before.

Not necessarily. Many visitors get around without taking medication, but taking precautions not to get stung. These include using repellents, mosquito coils or electrical varieties, covering up esp. the ankles and forearms esp. around dusk (daytime mosquitoes however can spread dengue fever, which seems to be an ever-increasing concern, in that area too -- I believe so far it's neither preventable nor curable, except for avoiding getting stung), possibly mosquito nets, sleeping with a fan on or an airco (some people report this doesn't help for them -- everyone has their own "mozzie attractor" factor to take into account too), etc. And seeking immediate medical attention in case of doubt (easier said than done, you don't wanna be running to the doctor's every time you catch a cold or mild flu, however those are among the early symptoms).

If any of this is advisable is up to you, we all have our own decisions to make. I never took anti-malarials, but that doesn't mean I'd advise not to (in fact to strangers I'd rather advise they would), nor does it "prove" anything. Please remember it's a potentially fatal disease, and can turn out so very quickly (within three days, they say). Speaking to your local travel health clinic is a good idea, get yourself informed like you're doing now, then weigh the pros and the contras. They should also be able to inform you if the currently advised medication will strain your liver and/or can't be taken for as long. To my knowledge none of the prophylaxes currently available will actually guarantee you won't catch malaria btw, so you might still need to seek treatment if you catch it, it will just be slower to develop (and harder to diagnose, or so they say), so this gains you some time.

Good luck with your decision.

thank you very much for your answers, guys. I appreciate your help.
sure I would talk to somebody from travel health clinic, but I'm in Ireland at the moment and I don't trust doctor's here even a bit.
thanks a mil.

would you by any chance know a quite not too overcrowded place in kerela?

As noted, don't assume going to Kerala you will avoid malaria. The only "safe" place would be way up in the mountains.

If you are diagnosed as having malaria (which is done by blood test) take and follow advice from a local doctor or hospital. Do not attempt self medication. This is not a cold or flu; it is a disease that can affect the rest of your life or even kill.

The percentage determines how long it lasts, not how much it repels. Google for the research on the net: you'll also find out how other repellants compare to DEET. I do not think mosquitoes are particularly attracted to any colour, unlike bees or wasps, not enough to make a difference anyway they find you through your smell and the CO2 that you exhale.

I must stink then. Despite a liberal covering of DEET and Odomos and more DEET, I'm bitten to shreds again. Little buggers.

Maybe I ought to stop the heavy-breathing too?

Hi Inni,

I'm in Ireland too and heading off to India too and was wondering about the malaria thing too

I took anitmalarials (not sure which ones) in Thailand and it made me so sick I couldn't do it for more than a day so I'm realy not sure what to do either.

I'm going into the Tropical Medical Bureau in Dublin next month to see what they say. I feel they might be more trustworthy on the subject than a regular GP. They have clinics all over Ireland so it might be worth checking them out http://www.tmb.ie

Hi Inna....
I see from your original post you'll be travelling to India in March...so tourist season will be pretty much dying down by then...so you could try Kovolam, if it's not your cup of tea you could catch a train to Varkala, takes less than an hour from Trivandrum. My preference in Kerala would definately be Varkala, althrough I'll warn you the beach is at the bottom of a cliff!! effort when your baked out.
Do you have your own yoga routine? or are you looking for classes?