CDC Home

Know What To Do if You Become Sick or Injured on Your Trip

What To Do if You Become Sick or Injured While Traveling:

Man in pajamas feeling sick to his stomach
  • See a doctor right away if you:
    • Have diarrhea AND a high fever (above 102° F)
    • Have bloody diarrhea
    • Are visiting a malaria-risk area and become sick with a fever or flu-like illness
    • Are bitten or scratched by an animal
    • Have been in a car accident
    • Have been seriously injured
    • Are sexually assaulted
  • Drink plenty of clean water or other fluids to replace any lost body fluids (usually caused by diarrhea). For severe diarrhea, you may want to use oral rehydration solutions (ORS). To learn more about travelers’ diarrhea and how to make ORS, read the section on Travelers’ Diarrhea.
  • Contact the local U.S. Embassy or Consulate if you think you may need assistance. Consular personnel at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and in the U.S. are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide emergency assistance to U.S. citizens. To contact the U.S. Embassy or consulate in the country where you are visiting:
  • See Seeking Health Care Abroad for more information and resources.
  • Your evacuation insurance provider, if you purchased it, will also be able to advise you.

What To Do if You Are Sick on an Airplane:

  • Tell a crew member as soon as possible.
  • If you are coughing, you may be asked to wear a surgical mask or to cover your mouth and nose.
  • If your illness is serious, the crew may move you to a different part of the plane or, if necessary, redirect the airplane and arrange for you to exit at the nearest airport to receive medical care.

What To Do if You Are Sick on a Cruise Ship:

  • Tell a crew member as soon as possible.
  • Cruise ships usually have a small medical facility on board. Your illness may be treated in this facility.
  • If your illness is serious, the medical staff may stabilize your condition and move you to a hospital on land for further treatment.

What To Do if You Are Involved in a Disaster While Traveling:

 
Contact Us:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    1600 Clifton Rd
    Atlanta, GA 30333
  • 800-CDC-INFO
    (800-232-4636)
    TTY: (888) 232-6348
  • New Hours of Operation
    8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
    Closed Holidays
  • Contact CDC-INFO
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC–INFO
A-Z Index
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z
  27. #