Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (26 November 2006)
There has been an increase in the number of cases of human Brucellosis in the Osh region of Kyrgyzstan, 596 cases so far in 2006 compared with 196 cases in 2005. The Nookatsky, Karasujskiy and Aravanskiy districts of the Osh region reported 266, 108 and 48 cases of the disease respectively.
[Editor's note: During the last 2 months, the number of patients with Brucellosis reported from the Osh region has increased by 200 persons.]
There have been up to 30 suspected cases of Typhoid Fever in Lebanon over the past 6 to 8 weeks. The majority were children aged 11 to 16.
[Editor’s note: Typhoid Fever cases are reported every year in Lebanon with the onset of both the rainy season (from October) and the melting of the snow in spring.]
(Source: ProMED-mail 21 November 2006)
An outbreak of Typhoid Fever had been reported in Kimaghngwa of Sankhuwasabha district in the eastern Nepal bordering China. The outbreak began in mid-October 2006. More than 20 people were infected with serious condition.
(Source: ProMED-mail 21 November 2006)
Pakistan: Dengue Fever (update)
Nearly 5 000 cases of Dengue Fever have been reported in Pakistan. Among which, 1 763 cases have been confirmed. So far, Dengue Fever has caused 44 deaths in Pakistan, with 43 from the southern Sindh Province and one from the North West Frontier Province.
Singapore: Taiwan traveller contracted Chikungunya Fever
A Taiwanese traveller who had been studying in Singapore since last year was confirmed to have contracted Chikungunya Fever upon his return from Singapore. The 13-year-old student was detected with high fever at airport in Taipei on 20 November.
South Korea: Avian Influenza, poultry
An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza has been confirmed in Iksan city in Jeollabuk-do province of South Korea. Around 6 500 chicken in a farm have died since 19 November.
An outbreak of Meningococcal Disease has been reported in Greater Yei County in Central Equatorial State of South Sudan. A total of 231 suspected cases and 16 deaths have been reported from 1 September to 8 November. Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A has been identified in the specimens of the cases.
[Editor's note: Meningococcal Disease is caused by a bacterium known as Meningococcus. It is transmitted by direct contact, including droplets from the nose and throat of infected people. Severe illness may result when the bacteria invade the bloodstream (causing Meningococcaemia) or the brain (causing Meningococcal Meningitis). Meningococcaemia is characterised by the sudden onset of fever, intense headache, purpura, shock and even death in severe cases. Meningitis is characterised by the sudden onset of intense headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, abnormal visual intolerance to light and stiff neck. Early cases can be treated effectively with antibiotics.]
(Source: World Health Organisation 21 November 2006)
As of 21 November, there have been 720 confirmed cases of Dengue Fever in the Kaohsiung-Pingdong region of Taiwan. The cases came from Kaohsiung City (528), Kaohsiung County (173), Pingdong County (10), Tainan County (2), Tainan City (4), Taipei County (1), Keelung City (1), and Taichung County (1). Among these, there were 15 cases of Dengue Haemorrhagic fever and 2 deaths.
Thailand: Hong Kong traveller contracted Dengue Fever
The Hong Kong Department of Health was investigating an imported case of Dengue Fever. The 27-year-old woman developed fever, headache, rash, muscle, joint and eye pain on 15 November. She was hospitalised but her condition was stable. She had travelled to Thailand prior to onset of symptoms.