El Salvador

MAIN HEALTH RISKS

• There are cases of malaria in the country, mainly in coastal areas. Cases are due to almost exclusively to the P. Vivax which is responsible for a benign form of the disease, and the risk is low (no transmission above 600 meters). Strains are not resistant to chloroquine (level-1 resistance).
• There are regular epidemics of dengue fever, including in urban areas (latest outbreak in July 2007 in all Central America); cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever are also reported (16 cases in July 2007).
• Cases of cholera are regularly observed.
• Tuberculosis is frequent.
• There are cases of animal rabies in the country.
• Diarrheic diseases are frequent.

FOOD SAFETY

• Gastric diseases are common among tourists who are not accustomed to local food or who do not take precautions.
• Do not drink tap water and favor bottled mineral water, without ice ; avoid eating ice cream and sherbet.
• Avoid eating raw or undercooked dishes, especially meat or fish. If possible, order hot dishes.
• Bring anti-diarrhea medication with you.
• Wash your hands carefully before each meal.

IMMUNIZATIONS AND MEDICATION

• Travellers entering the country from an endemic area are required to present a certificate of immunization against yellow fever.
Systematically:
• Hepatitis A: the vaccination is available for children at least one year old. For persons who were born before 1945, who have spent their childhood in a developing country or who have had an icterus, it may prove useful to search previously for serous antibodies in order to avoid an unnecessary shot.
• Hepatitis B: the vaccination is available for children at least two months old.
• Diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis: get a booster shot before leaving if your last shot is more than ten years old.



Depending on the duration and conditions of the trip:
• Typhoid fever: if the stay is occurring in precarious hygiene condition. The immunization is available for children at least 2 years old.
• Tuberculosis: in case of a long stay, it is recommended to have children immunized against tuberculosis as soon as they reach the age of one month, and against mumps, measles and rubella when they reach the age of nine months.
• Recommended chemoprophylaxis against malaria: chloroquine (commercial name: Nivaquine).

HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURES

San Salvador
• Hospital Rosales: phone + 503 22 21 58 66
• Hospital San Rafael (Santa Tecla): phone + 503 22 28 17 40
• Hospital Bloom (pediatrics): phone + 503 22 25 40 99
• Hospital de la mujer: phone + 503 22 65 12 12
• Hospital de diagnostico: phone + 503 22 64 44 22
• Hospital Central: phone + 503 22 25 58 55
• Hospital Ginecologico: phone + 503 22 47 11 22
• Hospital de Emergencia y Diagnostico, Colonia Medica Diagonal, Dr. Luis E. Vasquez No. 429, San Salvador: phone + 503 22 6 5111, fax + 503 22 5 0356

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

• Firemen / ambulances / police: 121

CLIMATE

• The climate is tropical on the coast, semi-tropical on the central plateau and temperate in mountainous areas.
• During the dry season, from November to April, the air is dry and hot.
• From May to October, rainfalls are daily and hurricanes may occur.
• Temperatures gaps are reduced between daytime and nighttime on the Pacific coast all year long (25 to 29°C). Temperatures are cooler in altitude; on the plateau, the average temperature is 23°C and in the moutains, it varies between 12 and 23°C with occasional drops to 0°C.
• When to go: between November and April.