Eagle’s Rest
P.O. BOX 1, Siavonga, Zambia
Tel: +260 1 511168
E-mail: eagles@zamnet.zm

In Kariba Heights (known locally as the Heights) is the Church of Santa Barbara, built in the shape of a cofferdam and dedicated to the 86 workers who perished during dam construction. The Operation Noah Monument nearby commemorates the 1959 rescue of wildlife from the rising waters of Lake Kariba.

You cannot swim in the lake, because of crocodiles and Bilharzia.

Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia)
This disease is spread by flukes (minute worms) that are carried by a species of freshwater snail. The flukes are carried inside the snail, which then sheds them into slowmoving or still water. The parasites penetrate human skin during paddling or swimming and then migrate to the bladder or bowel. They are passed out via stool or urine and could contaminate fresh water, where the cycle starts again. Avoid paddling or swimming in suspect freshwater lakes or slowrunning rivers. There might be no symptoms. There might be a transient fever and rash and advanced cases might have blood in the stool or in the urine. A blood test can detect antibodies if you might have been exposed and treatment is then possible in specialist travel or infectious disease clinics. If not treated the infection can cause kidney failure or permanent bowel damage. It is not possible for you to infect others.
Self-treatment: none.
Schistosomiasis can be a problem in the following countries:
North Africa – Egypt, Sudan, Central Africa – Chad, Congo, Congo (Zaire), Equatorial, Guinea, Gabon, Sao Tome & Principe, West Africa – all countries, East Africa - all countries, Southern Africa – all countries