Malaria Pills?

We just met with a nurse at an international travel health clinic and received the Yellow Fever vaccine mainly because of future travel to other countries where they may require the certificate if we tell them we have been to Peru and Ecuador.

The only area of the trip to Peru and the Galapagos Islands that is in the Malaria zone is our two nights at the beginning and end in Guayaquil. She wrote a prescription for to be filled closer to our trip, but there is some question as to whether it will be necessary. We will be in an air-conditioned hotel, in an urban area, minimal nighttime exposure, and there for less than 3 days (all factors against taking Malaria pills). Does anyone familiar with our itinerary know how high at risk we will be?

Comments

  • We were there in 2010 and no one in our group took malaria pills. The hotel is very nice and we certainly never saw an mosquitos in or around the city or in the Galapagos for that matter.
    Gary
  • edited February 2013
    I just googled ... malaria, Ecuador, map ... and came up with this, amongst a host of other sites:

    http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/south-america/ecuador/ecuador-malaria-map.aspx

    Looks like you could be safe. When I went to the Galapagos in 2008 (Tauck then offered a just Galapagos trip) I didn't take the malaria medication. I can't remember my planning processes for Guayaquil. Personal choice, but I don't remember spending much time outside the hotel at all. The only exception was an afternoon city tour with just one stop at a park to see the iguanas on the last day, back in the Big Smoke, at the end of the cruise. As you say, RFLarkins, the mozzies aren't an issue in the islands. And trust me, if there had been one mozzie around, anywhere, I would have known about it!

    As always, trust the professionals!

    Cheers,

    Jan
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