Following record numbers of cases of typhoid fever in British Columbia, the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) has issued a warning for citizens to get vaccinated before heading abroad.
Dr. Eleni Galanis of the BCCDC said there are 30 confirmed cases, which already surpasses last year's total.
"The number this year is quite a bit higher than last year and the year isn't over," she said.
Most of the cases in B.C. have originated from Canadians travelling to the Punjab state of India. The majority has occurred in Indo-Canadians visiting family or friends.
Typhoid fever is a potentially fatal disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. A person becomes ill when they ingest contaminated food or water.
Vik Bhardwaj said he probably caught typhoid fever from contaminated ice cubes while on a family vacation in India.
By the time Bhardwaj returned home, the infection had spread through his bloodstream and into his spine.
"Every time I would cough, it felt like my ribs were going to shatter and my spine would shatter," he said.
After being hospitalized, Bhardwaj recovered fully but wants to help others avoid going through the pain and suffering he experienced.
"I didn't even know what typhoid fever was until I got it," he said. "Just be very careful before you go (travelling), take whatever vaccines you need, whatever shots you need."
If you are planning to visit India or any developing country, a vaccine can help protect you.
Still, it is important to be aware of the symptoms -- high fever, headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, dizziness and a rash -- because there is an effective treatment with antibiotics.
Every year, 500,000 people around the world die from typhoid fever.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low
