As India’s peak tourist season (December to March) is underway, there’s an elephant in the room – or rather, a mosquito. With the onset of cooler weather drawing travelers from around the globe, the country’s allure is undeniable. Yet, lurking amidst the rich cultural offerings and breathtaking landscapes lies a significant concern: the prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases.
Take the Canadian government’s India travel advisory for example. It rightly highlights the risk of infections such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika in India. Unlike many other travel health concerns, there’s no easy fix here. Vaccines or specific medications are conspicuously absent from the arsenal against these diseases. Instead, the advisory wisely emphasizes prevention – avoiding mosquito bites. But herein lies the challenge: how does one evade an enemy as ubiquitous as the mosquito in a country known for its high vector density?
Recent surveys paint a…
