Advice on mosquitoes

Had some good advice from previous travellers to Kovalam but have also picked up some comments on mosquitoes. Understand practicalities of wearing long sleeve shirts, trousers etc in the evening. But have booked a room at The Leela that has a outside bathroom, which sounded attractive at the time but now worried that we might have made a mistake. Has anyone any good tips ideas on how we can avaoid getting bit to death whilst taking a shower or bath.

Advice on mosquitoes

we stayed at the Leela in november and also had an outdoor bathroom. If your room is anything like ours, it%26#39;s more like having an open window in the bathroom than actually being outside. The garden staff come round every evening and spray insecticide on the plants so I can%26#39;t remember mossies being a problem. have a great time.

Advice on mosquitoes

take some vitamin B 2 weeks prior to going the mossies dont like it. Also if you eat plenty of marmite and garlic that helps them stay away too.

Have just got back from the Leela (Saturday). There were no mosquitos. Didn%26#39;t need to cover with DEET or even wear long sleeves. If you are going shortly, then the outside bathroom will not be a problem.

We were concerned about mozzies because the Kerala Rough Guide is insistent that you should take anti-malarials. We too have read various bits of advice and found it all to be conflicting.

We have now spoken to our doctor, his practice nurse, a friend who is a tropical specialist nurse and our local pharmacist (as well as looking on the Fit For travel NHS website) and the pharmacist confirmed what all the others said, i.e. that the malaria risk in Kerala is low to no risk and that chemical phrophylaxis is NOT RECOMMENDED. in fact he said that even if I begged him for Paludrine and Chloroquine he would not sell them to me because they would make us all sick for no purpose. He looked Kerala up in his up-to-date NHS prescribing guidelines before he told me that tablets are not recommended and he said that there were more people got malaria in the Dominican Republic last year than in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and you don%26#39;t even have to take them in the Caribbean.

Goa is another matter and we always take them there.

We use coils and Odomos or Jungle Formula but the best bit of advice we got in Goa was to use repellent, cover up and watch out at sunset and dawn because that is when the dreaded mozzies go hunting. I should think that if you do a thorough sweep of your room and bathroom before you use them you ought to be able to pick them off.

By the way, I live in Knaresborough and I have just been bitten while walking the dog- in February!

My wife visited a Local doctor here in Kovalam and was asked to detail the medication she was taking, the Doctor laughed when he was told what was recommended in the UK for traveling to Kerala, the Doctor did however recommend Chloroquine once a week when the Chicken Gunia was prevelant last season.

There is an active spraying of waterways going on at this present time designed to eradicate the mosquito larva and a large workforce is presently doing just that, chemicals and equipment have also been given to the local Panchiates (councils).

I would however advise that as in the previous message professional advice is sought on the subject.

Hope this helps

Ian

hello string 1980

the vitamin you should take is B1,(one) thiamin hydrocloride. straight from the chemist%26#39;s mouth.

BOB

Been to south India many many times...

got many many mosquitos bites...despite repellent

Still alive!!

Don%26#39;t worry!

Be Happy!

Alfama

oh when i say straight from the chemist%26#39;s mouth, i mean the information, not the pills!!lol.

BOB

Have just returned from GP as needed typhoid booster. I was advised that I did not need to take any malaria tablets, just take normal precautions, deet, long sleeves etc. Very releived as I hate taking the tablets everyday.

Have just returned from the Leela they spray everywhere with insect repelent every afternoon didnt have one bite....

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