Risk / Health Info for Sri Lanka

Make sure your shots are up to date before you go to Sri Lanka. Canadian Travel Clinics can recommend additional vaccinations that will keep you healthy when you are there, including hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera. These are unpleasant gastrointestinal illnesses spread by contaminated water and food.

Consider also getting shots against rabies and Japanese encephalitis before your trip to Sri Lanka. Hepatitis B shots are also recommended for Sri Lanka, especially if you plan to visit often or stay for an extended period.

Sri Lanka is being monitored for an outbreak of dengue fever. Zika is also present, so take care to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes, which can also carry Japanese encephalitis, and by other bugs by using a reliable insect repellent, wearing clothes that cover as much skin as possible, and sleeping under a net or in air-conditioned accommodation where possible.

Protect yourself against tuberculosis when you are in Sri Lanka: avoid contact with anyone who might be infected.

Reduce the risk of “travellers’ diarrhea” by making sure you drink commercially bottled water in Sri Lanka, including in your ice cubes, and sticking to foods you can peel or have been cooked or boiled. Drinking tea is safe, if it has been made with boiling water.

The air quality in Colombo can be poor, so take precautions if you have a respiratory condition.

Medical facilities outside Colombo are limited, particularly in the northern part of Sri Lanka. Medical transport is very expensive, and evacuation might be required. You may need to pay before treatment, or provide proof of insurance coverage. Remember your Canadian health plan does not cover you outside the country, so consult your provincial or territorial health authority before you leave for Sri Lanka.

The phone number for medical emergencies in Sri Lanka is 110.

Altitude in Sri Lanka

Parts of Sri Lanka are higher than 2,400m, and travellers planning to spend time at a high altitude should take steps to protect themselves against the potentially life-threatening acute mountain sickness. Your healthcare provider can help with this.

Dengue fever in Sri Lanka

There have been cases of the mosquito-borne virus dengue fever in Sri Lanka. Dengue fever is also known as breakbone fever because of the severe bone, joint and muscular pains it causes, in addition to flu-like fever and headache. There is no vaccine for dengue fever. Avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellents (50% DEET) and by wearing protective clothing. Sleeping with mosquito nets is also recommended.

Malaria in Sri Lanka

Malaria prophylaxis will be required for some parts of Sri Lanka at certain times of year. There is no malaria vaccine, but there are anti-malaria drugs that should be taken before, during and after travelling to certain at-risk countries. Speak with your healthcare provider six weeks before your trip, as not all prophylaxis regimes are appropriate for all regions and all individuals.