The island ranks in the top three of all Indonesia's 34 provinces in terms of dengue burden. I Komang Wiramas Prayoga was studying in grade six at his school in Denpasar when he first suffered from dengue. After three days of fever my parents took me to hospital. It was getting severe,” he recalls.
Yes, bali belly can be contagious. Bacteria, viruses and parasites can all be transmitted from person to person and in food and water. This is why the advice on personal hygiene, particularly hand washing and not touching your face if you are looking after someone who is sick, is so important.
However, travel sickness can affect anyone visiting the island nation and throw carefully planned itineraries into chaos. Stomach cramps, vomiting, and traveller's diarrhoea are all known as Bali Belly, which can leave you feeling too unwell to venture further than your Bali accommodation bathroom.
Like many other illnesses, the bacteria that can cause Bali Belly can be passed from person to person. Poor hygiene is a sure way to increase your risk of contracting a stomach bug and can be avoided by: Always washing your hands with sanitiser before eating. Avoiding touching your face with unclean hands.
Stick to a bland diet: Avoid food with spices and oil, dairy products, and alcohol, as well as limit both vegetable and fruit intake. Better grab some easily digested foods like soups and stews, potatoes, rice or bananas.
Unless you know it's a reputable venue, salads and raw foods are typically a no-go, as they're often rinsed in tap water. Fruit that has been pre-chopped or packaged is also risky, as there is a greater chance it's been handled.
CAUSES OF BALI BELLYContaminated food and water are the biggest culprits for carriers, and keep in mind it is not necessarily the last meal you ate: symptoms can appear as soon as one hour after ingestion, and up to 48 hours later (and even weeks later in some cases)1,3.
The critical phase of dengue begins at defervescence and typically lasts 24–48 hours. Most patients clinically improve during this phase, but those with substantial plasma leakage can, within a few hours, develop severe dengue as a result of a marked increase in vascular permeability.
Use insect repellent, wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and control mosquitoes inside and outside your home. Each year, an estimated 400 million people are infected with dengue virus through the bites of infected mosquitoes.