Travelling to many countries in the world will not require you to get inoculated or take any extra tablets, but where this is required, it can be absolutely crucial to take the necessary steps.
In some cases this may include vaccinations, with some places still requiring Covid jabs and others needing vaccination against viruses such as yellow fever.
However, one of the most dangerous and common perils in the tropics is malaria. That is why it is important to buy malaria tablets if you are visiting one of the areas where it is a significant threat.
The disease is spread by parasite-containing mosquito bites and is present in many parts of Africa and Asia, Latin America, the Dominican Republic and Haiti in the Caribbean, some areas in the Middle East and some Pacific islands. The NHS advises that you find out before you go what the risk is in the place you are visiting.
Symptoms start to show around 10-15 days after a bite from an infectious mosquito and can include a high temperature, headache, muscle pains, stomach trouble and exhaustion and vulnerable people can die. Treatment with anti-malarial medication is essential. However, by taking tablets beforehand you can help prevent the infection taking root if you are bitten.
Sleeping under mosquito nets, covering up with pale clothing and using insect repellents can all help as well, by reducing your chances of getting bitten.
According to the World Health Organization, there were 247 million cases worldwide in 2021, with 619,000 deaths. 95 per cent of cases and 96 per cent of deaths occurred in Africa, with 80 per cent being among under-fives.
While that suggests the chances of you dying of malaria are relatively low unless you have other health conditions that may affect you situation, it is still a very unpleasant disease to get and it will do a lot more than ruin our holiday.