Macau Health and Safety

As with other parts of Hong Kong and China, stick to well-lit areas if walking alone after dark and use commonsense. Take sensible precautions to guard against pickpockets and thieves: carry as little cash as possible and keep track of your bags. Don't drink tap water - stick to the bottled or boiled variety.

Though extremely rare, there have been human cases of avian influenza ('bird flu') reported in China. Avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in live food markets, and surfaces contaminated with faeces or urine from poultry. You may wish to consider organising access to influenza anti-viral medicine if you are planning to live in the country for an extended period. Hepatitis A and B are common in Hong Kong and Macau so consider immunisation before you leave. More minor complaints such as giardia and travellers' diarrhoea can usually be avoided by washing your hands frequently and avoiding potentially contaminated food (unpeeled and uncooked fruit and vegetables, unpasteurised dairy products or anything that arouses your suspicions if you are buying from a street vendor.) The elderly or those with ongoing health issues may wish to vaccinate against influenza before travelling. Malaria is usually only a risk outside the cities in rural areas as is Japanese B Encephalitis, while rabies is common throughout China so seek medical advice if you are bitten by an animal. Avoid unsafe sex, blood transfusions, injections or needle sharing while in China to minimise any risk of contracting HIV. The panic over the SARS epidemic in 2003 has mostly subsided and the outbreak was rapidly contained but be vigilant if you notice flu-like symptoms such as high fever, chills and a cough if there has been a risk of exposure.