WARNING: to all travelling to BATAM/BINTAN/RIAU ISLANDS

[daredevil123]

Do take care when traveling to batam/bintan/riau islands area.... 4 of our friends were just diagnosed with the deadliest form of Malaria (Plasmodium Falciparum) and was clinging on to their life in ICU since this Monday. 3 of them got better and has been transferred to normal wards. Their malaria count is almost zero, but there's already damage to the liver and kidney, so they need time to recover in hospital. One remains in ICU. Apparently all 4 of them have been visiting fishing villages/ kelongs in the region.

Please take care and take necessary precaution and malaria pills if you are visiting these areas.

Please note that malaria symptoms will only start showing 10-30 days after infection. So if you find you exhibit some symptoms around 10-30 days after a trip to a rural area, you should seek medical help and get tested for malaria and dengue.

Remember:
- For malaria pills, start taking a week before the trip to be effective.
- Take a tab every week you are there on the trip.
- And after the trip, continue taking one tab every week for 4 weeks.
- Those with G6PD have to take a capsule every day of doxycyline while away.

- Advice quoted from a CSer/photo-enthusiast/Medical Doctor

 

[xtemujin]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[trd2970]

Thanks for the info and sorry to hear about your friends' misfortune. Hope they are recovering well.

 

[decottar]

Thanks for the info. Hope your friends recover soon.

 

[diver-hloc]

Wow... that's really serious... wish your friends recover soon... thxs for the warning...

 

[daredevil123]

One of them is a well known photographer here in CS. One of our brothers...

 

[esoeij]

Thanks for the alert. Hope your friends get well soon.

 

[Exposure]

hope everyone will be well soon. It is going to be 2013 in few days time

 

[tecnica]

that is bad, hope your friends recover soon.

and thanks for the heads up.

 

[catchlights]

Hope all recover soon.

 

[daredevil123]

The brother who is hospitalized now is none other than our very own BananaDiver. So if you know him personally or see him online, do drop him a note.

 

[N-user]

Hope that they can have a speedy recovery.

 

[nuts]

Thanks for the info and warning, and hope everyone recover well!
Take care!

 

[Daoyin]

A timely reminder, especially during the current monsoon season.

 

[pkong1008]

This reminds me of an incident that happened many years ago. A woman went to Batam and came down with fever soon after. She saw her GP twice but did not get well. She went to a second GP, who having heard she had already seen a GP twice before, was alert enough to ask,"Have you gone overseas lately?" She said no! Eventually, she ended up in the hospital and the doctor there asked her spefically if she had been to Batam, Bintang or Tanjong Pinang and she said Yes! Many people think that "to go overseas" means that they had taken an aeroplane to somewhere far. So, remember this.

 

[ijnek]

OMG...take care and recover soon

 

[wxzhuo]

I just return from Batam last week, down with flu.
Lucky recovering now... damn scary... hope they get better.

 

[davidc34]

I use this site to check -

http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/malaria.aspx

It's UK based but the National Health Service in the UK is usually OVERCAUTIOUS when it comes to advice so if your attitude is better safe than sorry, it's perfect. I suggest you do the following google search too -

NHS malaria <place you are visiting>

To bring back location specific advice.

Remember to get insect repellant with at least 50% DEET and to actually USE IT. Long sleeves & trousers help too, lightweight linen ones are perfect.

 

[shiftylens]

Thinking of going to Batam and the islands for photo taking .
Any advice ?