Travelling? Check what you need
Vaccines and precautions for your destination.
DR Congo
Required
2
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is present. A valid international vaccination certificate is required for entry (vaccination at least 10 days before travel).
Disease guide
- Definition
- A viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Aedes mosquito.
- Symptoms
- Sudden rise in temperature, muscle pain, severe back pain, headache and vomiting; in severe cases jaundice appears about two weeks after onset.
- Incubation period
- 6 days.
- Prevention
- Vaccination at least 10 days before travel (certificate valid for life, 10 days after vaccination). Avoid the outdoors after sunset, use repellents and insecticides, sleep under nets and behind screened windows, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
- Precautions
- Vaccination at least 10 days before travel (certificate valid for life, 10 days after vaccination). Avoid the outdoors after sunset, use repellents and insecticides, sleep under nets and behind screened windows, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
Poliomyelitis
Poliovirus (cVDPV1, cVDPV2) circulates. An international polio vaccination certificate is required; a booster dose 4 weeks to 12 months before travel is advised.
Disease guide
- Definition
- An acute, highly contagious viral disease caused by the poliovirus.
- Symptoms
- Signs range from mild symptoms without paralysis (fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting and neck stiffness) to acute flaccid paralysis.
- Incubation period
- Ranges from 3 to 35 days, usually 7 to 14 days.
- Prevention
- Travellers to and from affected countries should receive a booster dose of polio vaccine 4 weeks to 12 months before travel and carry an international vaccination certificate as specified in Annex 6 of the IHR.
- Precautions
- Travellers to and from affected countries should receive a booster dose of polio vaccine 4 weeks to 12 months before travel and carry an international vaccination certificate as specified in Annex 6 of the IHR.
Recommended
8
Meningococcal disease
Meningococcal disease is endemic. Vaccination is recommended before travel (required with a certificate for Hajj/Umrah travel to Saudi Arabia).
Disease guide
- Definition
- Inflammation of the meninges surrounding the brain, caused by various microbes; a leading cause of illness and death worldwide.
- Symptoms
- Fever with one or more of: neck stiffness, impaired consciousness, bleeding under the skin, and other meningeal signs.
- Incubation period
- 2 to 10 days, most often 3 to 4 days.
- Prevention
- Travellers to the African meningitis belt and pilgrims to Saudi Arabia (Hajj/Umrah) must be vaccinated against meningococcal disease at least 10 days before travel and present a vaccination certificate (for travel to Saudi Arabia).
- Precautions
- Travellers to the African meningitis belt and pilgrims to Saudi Arabia (Hajj/Umrah) must be vaccinated against meningococcal disease at least 10 days before travel and present a vaccination certificate (for travel to Saudi Arabia).
Malaria
Malaria is present in this country. Follow the personal-protection precautions below.
Disease guide
- Definition
- A parasitic disease transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
- Symptoms
- Unexplained fever and/or other clinical signs such as headache, back pain, chills, sweating, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting, often with an enlarged spleen and anaemia.
- Incubation period
- From several days to one month.
- Prevention
- Travellers to affected countries should obtain chemoprophylaxis. Avoid the outdoors after sunset, use repellents and insecticides, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
- Precautions
- Travellers to affected countries should obtain chemoprophylaxis. Avoid the outdoors after sunset, use repellents and insecticides, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
Chikungunya
Chikungunya is present in this country. Follow the personal-protection precautions below.
Disease guide
- Definition
- A disease transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
- Symptoms
- Fever and excruciating joint pain, as well as muscle pain, headache, vomiting, fatigue and a skin rash.
- Incubation period
- 12 days.
- Prevention
- No vaccination; observe personal protection against mosquito bites. Use repellents, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
- Precautions
- No vaccination; observe personal protection against mosquito bites. Use repellents, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
Cholera
Cholera is present. Oral cholera vaccination and safe food and water practices are recommended.
Disease guide
- Definition
- An acute bacterial intestinal disease that can cause death within hours if untreated.
- Symptoms
- Ranges from mild cases with diarrhoea only to a severe sudden form with profuse painless watery stools and sometimes vomiting, leading to fluid loss, rapid dehydration and kidney failure.
- Incubation period
- 5 days.
- Prevention
- Oral cholera vaccination is advised, two doses 14 days apart before travel to affected countries. Observe safe food and water practices.
- Precautions
- Oral cholera vaccination is advised, two doses 14 days apart before travel to affected countries. Observe safe food and water practices.
Mpox (monkeypox)
Mpox (monkeypox) is present in this country. Follow the personal-protection precautions below.
Disease guide
- Definition
- A rare zoonotic viral disease (transmitted from animals to humans); its symptoms resemble those once seen in smallpox patients but are less severe.
- Symptoms
- Fever, severe headache, swollen lymph nodes, back and muscle pain and intense weakness, followed within 1 to 3 days by a rash that usually starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body.
- Incubation period
- 21 days.
- Prevention
- Observe personal hygiene and avoid contact with infected people or animals. No mandatory vaccination.
- Precautions
- Observe personal hygiene and avoid contact with infected people or animals. No mandatory vaccination.
Rift Valley fever
Rift Valley fever is present in this country. Follow the personal-protection precautions below.
Disease guide
- Definition
- An acute viral zoonotic disease that primarily affects animals but can also infect humans.
- Symptoms
- Sudden fever, muscle pain and headache; severe forms may cause encephalitis, jaundice and haemorrhagic signs (bloody vomiting or bleeding under the skin), and eye congestion with deteriorating vision up to loss of sight.
- Incubation period
- 2 to 6 days.
- Prevention
- No vaccination; observe personal protection against mosquito bites and avoid contact with infected animals. Use repellents, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
- Precautions
- No vaccination; observe personal protection against mosquito bites and avoid contact with infected animals. Use repellents, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
Ebola virus disease
Ebola virus disease is present in this country. Follow the personal-protection precautions below.
Disease guide
- Definition
- A serious disease that is often fatal.
- Symptoms
- Sudden onset with fever of 38°C or higher and one or more of: severe headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, congestion, eye and muscle pain, and a rash on the trunk with skin peeling 3 to 4 days after onset, plus spontaneous internal and external bleeding and impaired kidney and liver function.
- Incubation period
- 2 to 21 days.
- Prevention
- No vaccination requirement for entry; wash hands with soap and water, avoid direct contact with the blood and fluids of sick animals (monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats) and infected people, and do not eat raw meat.
- Precautions
- No vaccination requirement for entry; wash hands with soap and water, avoid direct contact with the blood and fluids of sick animals (monkeys, chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats) and infected people, and do not eat raw meat.
Anthrax
Anthrax is present in this country. Follow the personal-protection precautions below.
Disease guide
- Definition
- A bacterial zoonotic disease that mainly affects livestock and is transmitted to humans through contact with infected animals or their products.
- Symptoms
- Depending on the route of infection: an itchy skin lesion that turns into a black ulcer, or fever, cough and chest or abdominal symptoms.
- Incubation period
- 1 to 7 days.
- Prevention
- No vaccination for travellers; avoid contact with infected animals and untreated animal products.
- Precautions
- No vaccination for travellers; avoid contact with infected animals and untreated animal products.
Routine
1
Zika virus
Zika vectors (mosquitoes) are present, but there is no known local transmission. Observe mosquito-bite precautions; pregnant women should consult a physician.
Disease guide
- Definition
- A viral disease transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
- Symptoms
- Raised temperature, skin rash, conjunctival redness, muscle and joint pain, headache and general weakness.
- Incubation period
- 14 days.
- Prevention
- Pregnant women should postpone travel to protect the foetus; if travel is essential, follow personal protection against mosquito bites. Use repellents, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.
- Precautions
- Pregnant women should postpone travel to protect the foetus; if travel is essential, follow personal protection against mosquito bites. Use repellents, sleep under nets, and wear long sleeves and trousers.