Name: Tony Vlachos
Lives in: Jersey City, NJ
Destination: Philippines
Trip Date: May 2013 –July 2013

After visiting a Passport Health location last year, Tony Vlachos agreed to share his travel experience upon his return. He was traveling to the Philippines as a selected contestant on CBS’ Survivor: Cagayan, which would later air in over 156 countries. After 3 challenging months away from civilization and his loved ones, he returned to his home in New Jersey with a truly unique story to tell, and a much larger bank account!

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Accra, the capital of Ghana, has reported an outbreak of cholera due to localized unsanitary conditions as well as seasonal rains that flood the area. Nearby South Sudan’s capital Juba is experiencing a cholera outbreak of its own. Meanwhile, halfway across the world in the Philippines, four villages in Alamada, North Cotabato, are currently experiencing an outbreak of the disease.

What Is Cholera?

Cholera is a potentially fatal disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. An infected person can produce as much as 10 to 20 liters of watery diarrhea in a single day. Some people may vomit as well. This diarrhea rapidly leads to dehydration, and death may occur in just a few days after onset of symptoms.

Around the world, 3 to 5 million cases of cholera occur annually. Of those, approximately 100,000 die of the disease. Most people experience just mild symptoms and then recover, but up to 5 percent of infected persons develop severe illness. Death can occur within hours if no medical care is provided.

How Does Cholera Spread?

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Practicing yoga is a healthy way to relax, reduce stress and perform mindfulness. While many people attend yoga classes at a local gym or center, the ultimate in being a yogi is a trip to India, from where the practice has evolved. A trip to India is a yogi’s trip of a lifetime, but proper pre-travel medical care is for any international trip and will provide additional peace of mind to facilitate meditation. A pre-travel health consultation that includes immunizations for India can help to ensure your good health and well-being during your travels and upon your return trip home.

Top Yoga Vacation Options in India

While there are plenty of vacation options in India, there are a few places that stand out from the crowd. At these yoga centers, you’ll enjoy a full-on holistic experience for your body and mind.

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If you have ever seen a Chinese landscape painting, you know about the Middle Kingdom’s incredible scenery: Rushing streams, mountain peaks wreathed in mist, terraced farmland clinging to sides of hills. Hiking through this rural backcountry is an idyllic retreat from modern life. To safely travel and fully enjoy all of the beauty that China has to offer, proper vaccinations are a must, especially in less developed areas in which mosquito and insect-borne diseases are more common.

5 Tips for Exploring Rural China

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A trek up Mount Kilimanjaro is an outdoor enthusiast’s trip of a lifetime, but proper pre-travel medical care is crucial to be able to summit the peak!

Six Tips for Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro

More than 20,000 people attempt to reach the top of Mount Kilimanjaro each year. Make sure that you’re one of the people standing at the summit with these handy tips.

• Take your time. Most organized tours take four to six days to ascend and descend the mountain. This is a pretty physically taxing pace for most people. You will be less likely to wear yourself out if you choose a route and a program that takes more time for climbing up the mountain and climbing back down again.
• Be aware of the altitude changes. While the ascent isn’t particularly steep, the high altitude of the region makes the climb more stressful. Be sure to rest if you need it so that you can actually complete the trek.
• You should be prepared for the terrain itself. Mount Kilimanjaro is home to rainforests on the lower slopes, valleys dotted with flowers on the higher slopes and a barren landscape near the peak. Bring layers of clothing that can be taken off or put on as necessary.
• Climb with a group. Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is hard work, and you cannot expect to go it alone safely. Most people climb in a group with special guides who are local to the area.
• Visit a Travel Medicine Specialist. Finally, the best way to prepare yourself for trekking in Kenya and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is by setting a travel health appointment with a specialist in order to receive any shots that you might need before traveling.

Which Vaccinations Do I Need for Kenya?

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