Burundi Health and Travel Warnings Expanded

Level 3 Travel Advisories have been issued for the central Africa country of the Republic of Burundi by the Canadian, United Kingdom, and US governments. 

These ‘Exercise a High Degree of Caution’ travel advisories are related to civil unrest and deteriorating health conditions. 

On June 13, 2019, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all travel to vast areas of Burundi, including the Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces.   

Additionally, UK health authorities have classified Burundi as having various health risks, such as Zika virus transmission, cholera outbreaks, and malaria is endemic throughout the country. 

Specifically, the UK says pregnant women should consider avoiding travel to Burundi until after the pregnancy. In the event that travel is unavoidable, the pregnant traveler must be informed of the risks which the Zika virus presents.

And, avoid swimming in Lake Tanganyika, due to the risk of being attacked by wildlife and waterborne diseases. 

If you become ill, seek medical advice immediately. Kira Hospital, Hospital Militaire de Kamenge or Medecin sans Frontieres are able to provide appropriate medical care for most serious accidents within the city of Bujumbura. 

• If you decide to travel to Burundi, the US Department of State suggests the following preventive actions:
• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt, nor display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations, such as this Traveler’s Checklist.
• The US Embassy is located at Avenue Des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura, Burundi.

The Republic of Burundi is home to over 10 million residents and is located in central Africa, east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and just south of Uganda.

The DRC and just recently Uganda, are confronted with an expanding Ebola Zaire virus outbreak, which could impact visitors to Burundi. 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest an extensive list of pre-trip vaccines. 

Vaccination services, related travel medications, and pre-trip counseling appointments can be scheduled at Vax-Before-Travel.