Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (22 January 2006)
South Africa: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever
In South Africa, a fatal case of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever was confirmed in a 52-year old woman who lived in the Petrusburg area, Free State Province. She presented with acute onset of fever, arthralgia, epigastric pain, and vomiting after being bitten by infected tick.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19 January 2006)
In Venezuela, 690 cases of Dengue Fever had been diagnosed in the last week of December 2005, and 55 of them were Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. The cumulated case toll for 2005 was 42 198 cases, among them 2 681 cases were Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. Areas hit by the outbreak included Falcon, Zulia, Tachira, Aragua, and Merida.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19 January 2006)
An outbreak of Dengue Fever in Brazil's tourist mecca of Rio de Janeiro had prompted the authorities to step up prevention measures. One of the affected districts was Barra da Tijuca. Barra and neighboring Jacarepagua accounted for more than 250 dengue cases out of 328 registered in Rio during December 2005, and there were similar rates in January 2006 so far.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19 January 2006)
Indonesia: Traveller contracted Dengue Fever
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health confirmed an imported case of Dengue Fever from Indonesia. The patient travelled to Indonesia in late December and developed symptoms in early January. She was now in stable condition.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 21 January 2006)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human [update-7]
Mainland confirmed its 9th human infection with H5N1 Avian Influenza. The case was a 35-year-old woman from the south-central province of Sichuan, who had been employed as a poultry culler. She developed symptoms on 3 January this year, and died on 11 January.
(Source: World Health Organization 19 January 2006)
Turkey: Avian Influenza [update]
In Turkey, the newly confirmed human H5N1 Avian Influenza cases in Dogubayazit in Agri Province brought the total to 21. Of these cases, four were fatal. All four were residents of Dogubayazit.
The Avian Influenza virus was found in birds in many parts of the country. It was anticipated that more human cases would be reported.
(Source: World Health Organization 16 & 18 January 2006)
Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human [update]
The World Health Organization had confirmed that 2 children from Indonesia's West Java province died from Avian Influenza virus infection, bringing the death toll in the country to 14.
(Source: ProMED-mail 21 January 2006)