Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (15 October 2007)
Thailand: Hong Kong traveller contracted Cholera
The Centre for Health Protection of Hong Kong reported a confirmed case of Cholera on 6 October. The patient was a 29-year-old woman who had joined a tour group from Hong Kong traveling to Thailand between 27 September and 1 October together with her husband. Her husband also developed watery diarrhea and vomiting, and was classified as a suspected case. The rest 29 members of the tour group did not develop any gastrointestinal symptoms.
(Source: Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR 6 October 2007)
Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human
In Indonesia, the Ministry of Health announced a new human case of H5N1 Avian Influenza infection affecting a 12-year-old boy from Banten province. He developed symptoms on 30 September and was currently in hospital. The investigation team found that he had direct contact with dead chicken near his school before his onset of illness.
(Source: World Health Organization 12 October 2007)
In the Philippines, 24 689 cases of Dengue Fever with 283 deaths were reported so far this year. As of 30 September, 1000 cases of Dengue Fever with 25 deaths were reported in Cebu City.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2007)
In Pakistan, an outbreak of Dengue Fever has affected hundreds of people in Karachi since August this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2007)
Federated States of Micronesia: Dengue Fever
In the Federated States of Micronesia, an outbreak of Dengue Fever affecting at least 6 people with one death was reported in Yap.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2007)
Central America and Caribbean: Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever is reaching epidemic levels in the Central America and Caribbean. Changing weather patterns as well as increased tourism and migration might have raised its prevalence.
The Dominican Republic has reported more than 6 000 cases and 30 deaths this year.
Guadeloupe registered 899 cases.
The Health Official of Honduras has reported 22 123 cases of Dengue Fever so far this year. Among them, 1060 cases were classified as Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever and 12 died of the disease.
Jamaica has had about 100 cases.
Health officials in Martinique declared a Dengue Fever epidemic last month with more than 1300 cases reported.
Mexico has reported 67 562 cases, with 5212 developed Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever.
Puerto Rico has recorded 6 175 cases so far this year with 4 deaths and more than 500 new cases were reported weekly.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2007)
A confirmed case of Yellow Fever was recently reported in Cameroon. The patient was a 19-year-old secondary school student from Zoetele. He died 2 days after admission to the hospital in September. Between 2003 and 2007, 9 cases of Yellow Fever were recorded in the country.
(Source: ProMED-mail 11 Octobe, 2007)
In Niger, 24 cases and 2 deaths due to Cholera were reported in July this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 October 2007)