Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (7 April 2008)
Global: Cruise passengers contracted Hepatitis E
Health Protection Agency of the United Kingdom reported 4 cases of Hepatitis E infection among male elderly passengers on a round-the-world cruise between 7 January and 28 March 2008. The dates of onset were between 12 and 23 March and it was thought that exposure occurred at some point during the cruise. The ports of call included Madeira, Barbados, Acapulco, San Francisco, Pago Pago (American Samoa), Nuku'Alofa (Tonga), Auckland, Sydney and Hong Kong.
[Editor’s note: Hepatitis E is one form of hepatitis caused by Hepatitis E virus. It has similar clinical course as Hepatitis A. The incubation period ranges from 15 to 64 days. Hepatitis E is primarily transmitted by food or water contaminated with Hepatitis E virus such as from infected person’s fecal material. Travellers should adopt good personal and food hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.]
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 April 2008)
In eastern France, 3 dead swans were found carrying H5N1 Avian Influenza virus.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 April 2008)
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 April 2008)
South Korea: Avian Influenza, poultry
In South Korea, an outbreak of Avian Influenza which killed 2 380 birds was reported in a chicken farm in Cholla-Bukdo. Another outbreak which killed about 5 000 birds was also reported in a duck farm in the same region. The authority planned to cull the remaining birds.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 2 April 2008 and ProMED-mail 5 April 2008)
Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human
The Ministry of Health of Indonesia confirmed three new human cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza infection. The first case was a 15-year-old boy from the same province. He developed symptoms on 19 March and died on 26 March. The second case was a 11-year-old girl also from West Java Province. She developed symptoms on 19 March and died on 28 March. The third case was a 21-month-old girl from West Sumatra Province. She developed symptoms on 17 March and was hospitalized on 22 March. She is now recovering in hospital. Of the 132 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 107 have been fatal.
(Source: World Health Organization 2 April 2008)
In Vietnam, outbreak of acute diarrhoeal disease has spread from Hanoi, Ha Tay, and Hai Phong to other provinces, including Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Ha Nam and Vinh Phuc. Nearly 100 patients are confirmed to have Cholera.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 April 2008)
Pakistan: Avian influenza, human [update]
Pakistan confirmed two more cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza related to a family cluster in Peshawar reported earlier. This outbreak did not extend into the community, and appropriate steps were taken to reduce future risks of human infections. So far, Pakistan has reported 3 confirmed cases with one death.
(Source: World Health Organization 3 April 2008)
In southern Angola, 4 500 cases of Cholera were reported this year including 150 deaths. About half of the cases were from Cunene and Huila Provinces.
Between 14 Jan 2008 and 15 Mar 2008, a total of 97 acute watery diarrhea cases including 8 deaths were reported in the Somali Region of Ethiopia. Cholera cases were reported by Kenyan health authorities in an area bordering Somali Region.
Nyanza Province of Kenya reported 701 cases including 42 deaths. The influx of displaced people, improper disposal of human waste, and the use of unboiled water were considered to be risk factors.
Malawi reported 291 cases including 8 deaths.
Mozambique reported 29 cases with no death. They were suffering from a serious shortage of clean drinking water and poor sanitation conditions.
As on 31 Mar 2008, the number of Cholera cases reported in the Ohangwena Region, Namibia has been rising to 858, including 4 deaths.
Nigeria reported 150 cases including 50 deaths. State health commissioner attributed the cause of the disease to drinking contaminated water.
(Source: ProMED-mail 31 March and 4 April 2008)
Egypt reported a new human case of Avian Influenza. The patient was 19-year-old man from Nile Delta Province of Beheira. He was hospitalized on 3 April and died on 4 April. It brings the total number of cases in Egypt to 48, including 21 deaths.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 April 2008)
One confirmed case of Yellow Fever was reported in Liberia. The victim was a 32-year-old man who died in Nimba County. Investigations are being conducted in Grand Gedeh and Nimba Counties.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 April 2008)
The Ministry of Health in Brazil reported more than 120 000 cases of Dengue Fever in the first 3 months of this year. A total of 74 persons died of the disease, including 67 deaths were in Rio de Janeiro.
In the week of 9 March 2008, 216 cases of Dengue Fever were reported in Peru, mostly from Loreto.
(Source: Xinhuanet 31 March 2008 and ProMED-mail 1 April 2008)
Brazil: Yellow Fever [update 8]
As of 4 April, the Ministry of Health of Brazil reported 40 confirmed cases of Yellow Fever including 21 deaths. Out of the 21 reported deaths, 13 cases were reported from Goias, 2 cases from Mato Grosso do Sul, 3 cases from Federal District, 2 cases from Mato Grosso and 1 case from Parana.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 April 2008)
Up to 15 March, 2 confirmed cases and 4 probable cases of Yellow Fever including 3 deaths were reported in Peru. The Department of San Martin and Amazonas each reported one confirmed case.
(Source: ProMED-mail 1 April 2008)