Safe traveling in Burma, useful tips for your trips

Burma is undergoing a transformation in terms of politics, economy and social balance.
The current situation highlights friction between the government authorities and various ethnic groups, which can lead to protests, as well as religious conflicts between the Muslim minority and the Buddhist majority.
In addition to this, the local population faces difficult living conditions and economic problems due to increases in the cost of living. For this reason there is an increase in petty crime. In any case, greater caution should be exercised, especially in tourist areas and areas of high transit. The authorities themselves are keeping a close eye on security and, in order to guarantee public order and avoid problems, have banned foreigners from entering some areas of the country. Excursions to areas outside of tourist destinations should be avoided and people should stay away from any demonstrations or gatherings.
Any traces of situations linked to terrorism, from which no country is exempt, are however constantly and carefully monitored by the authorities.
The suggestion for tourists is to adopt caution, especially in the areas near the borders with China and Thailand, where there have been tensions between smugglers, refugees and rebel ethnic groups.
Other areas that should be approached with caution are the central areas of Shan State where unexploded mines without warning signs have been reported near the town of Hsipaw. In some places, outside this town, it is forbidden to enter and there are also penalties or even arrests for those who do not respect the ban on transit.
In some parts of the country, special permits issued by the authorities are required to visit places outside the normal tourist resorts.

The health situation in Burma is unfortunately poor, especially in the suburbs and inland areas where tropical diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, dengue fever, hepatitis A and B, cholera, typhoid, chikungunya, polio and dysentery are present.
There are also frequent outbreaks of viruses and bacteria linked to food that is not handled and cooked properly, neglecting the rules of hygiene.
As dengue fever is one of the endemic diseases in Burma, we suggest you use mosquito repellents, especially during the periods from May to October, both during the day and at night.
Cases of HIV/AIDS and H1N1 bird flu have also been reported. Attention should therefore be paid to contacts and the use of medical devices to avoid contracting the viruses. With regard to H1N1 influenza, the advice is to consume chicken or poultry meat in general and eggs only if well cooked, as a precautionary measure, and to avoid contact with live animals.

WARNINGS TO CONTRAST ANY HEALTH PROBLEMS IN BURMA

To avoid contracting viruses or putting your health at risk through food, follow these simple rules:

• consider taking a malaria prophylaxis through your doctor, especially if you have to travel to rural areas;
• consider, again on the basis of your doctor’s advice, having vaccinations for: hepatitis A and B (quite common in the local population), typhoid, diphtheria, rabies, tetanus and Japanese encephalitis;
• do not drink tap water or homemade drinks and avoid adding ice (not knowing what water it was made with);
• do not eat raw vegetables and fruit unless they have been washed with clean water and disinfectant;
• use protective sprays against mosquitoes and insects in general;
• do not walk barefoot to avoid possible parasitic or fungal infections;
• swimming in rivers or lakes is not recommended.
• do not approach stray dogs in the street as they are not domesticated and may be aggressive.

Discuss with your doctor the possibility of having your polio vaccination recalled when you were a child, and take out an insurance policy that covers health expenses as well as a possible return trip or transfer to another country with an equipped medical plane.

As for the yellow fever vaccine, it is mandatory for any traveller over 1 year of age coming from countries at risk (even if he or she has only been in the airport area of these countries for 12 hours) for this disease, except for those arriving from Panama.

We know that in Asian countries the most common illness is dysentery caused by the intake of inadequately treated water or food, which represents the most common discomfort for travellers.

Avoiding exaggerated alarmism, we can say that the spread of this problem is mainly due to poor hygiene and lack of water purification.
Therefore, we suggest that you do not drink water from public fountains, do not bathe in rivers or lakes, and do not buy drinks from the stalls that are located along the streets of the cities. Beware also of so-called ‘street food’.

Given the large number of places that attract you with a thousand spicy scents, we recommend that you buy your take-away food in shops that are always crowded: this should ensure a minimum of quality as well as more choice. Avoid eating raw food, especially vegetables that may have been washed with little care or in unclean water. Give preference to cooked food, and you won’t have any trouble choosing, as there are plenty of tasty dishes waiting for you.