Malaria in Mombasa: recognising it early

Mombasa sits in a year-round malaria transmission zone. Symptoms typically appear 7, 18 days after a bite and are easy to mistake for flu at first.

Early signs

• Fever, often coming in waves, with chills and sweating
• Headache and aching muscles
• Tiredness, poor appetite, sometimes nausea or vomiting

Test before you treat

Do not start antimalarials on suspicion alone. A rapid diagnostic test takes minutes and stops you treating something that is not malaria, which delays finding what it actually is, and contributes to resistance. We stock rapid tests, and any clinic can run one.

Go to hospital immediately if

There is confusion or drowsiness, repeated vomiting, difficulty breathing, or very dark urine, or if the person is a child under five, pregnant, or has sickle cell disease.

Prevention still does most of the work

Sleep under a treated net, use repellent at dusk and dawn, and cover up in the evening. We stock nets, repellents and insecticides at all three branches.