Current Travel Health News

As of 27 October, the Ministry of Health In Haiti reported 4 722 cases of Cholera including 303 deaths. The confirmed cases have been recorded in Artibonte (76.5%), Central (22.9%), Nord-Est and Nord. World Health Organization does not recommend any restrictions in travel and trade between countries or between different regions of a country experiencing cholera outbreaks. There is no need to establish quarantine measures at the border.

(Source: World Health Organization 28 October 2010)

Travellers to the affected areas should take the following measures to prevent food and water borne diseases:

• Wash and cook seafood thoroughly before eating, particularly crustaceans and bivalves such as shrimps, crabs, oysters and clams;

• Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet;

• Eat only thoroughly cooked food and food from sealed packs or cans;

• Avoid cold dishes such as salad and ice-cream;

• Drink only boiled water, canned or bottled drinks, pasteurized milk or dairy products;

• Do not add ice to drinks and do not drink fresh fruit juice that has been prepared beforehand;

• Do not patronize illegal food hawkers;

• Wash fruit thoroughly before eating and do not eat fruit that has already been peeled or cut open; and

• Follow proper water purification methods if necessary.

In Indonesia, more than 400 people were killed and some 400 were still missing after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami in western Sumatra on 25 October 2010. About 4 000 people lost their homes when the tsunami washed away their villages.

Moreover, Merapi Volcano, in the heart of Java Island erupted on 25 October and again on 26 and 29 October, killed at least 38 people and forced nearly 30 000 to evacuate to emergency camps.

(Source: Relief Web 28 and 29 October 2010)

Following the hostage taking incident in the Philippines which had caused casualties, the Hong Kong SAR Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for the Philippines to Black. Hong Kong residents are urged to avoid all travel to the Philippines. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and stay alert.

For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.

(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 20 September 2010)

On 28 October 2010, 75 new cases of Dengue Fever were reported in Delhi, India, bringing the total number of affected persons to 5 363. So far this year, 8 people have died of the disease.

As of 23 October, over 100 dengue cases were reported in Uttar Pradesh state in the last 2 days and the total number of cases is 924 with 6 deaths so far this year. Of which, 282 cases have been confirmed in its capital city, Lucknow.

In addition, 296 cases of dengue fever were confirmed in Chennai as of 25 October, but there have been no deaths so far.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 October and 1 November 2010)

(Editor's notes: Travellers to the affected areas should take the precautionary measures against mosquito bite by wearing long sleeved clothing and trousers, applying insect repellents containing DEET on the exposed parts of the body, and using mosquito screens or nets in rooms which are not air-conditioned. Travellers returning from these areas and develop symptoms of the disease should seek medical consultation immediately.)

As of 9 October 2010, the Ministry of Health in Venezuela reported 99 178 cases of Dengue Fever, of which 8 916 were Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever. This is an increase of more than 160% compared to the same period last year when 39 004 dengue cases were registered.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 November 2010)

In Thailand, a total of 101 573 Dengue Fever cases with 130 deaths were reported nationwide as of 23 October 2010.

(Source: Ministry of Public Health, Thailand 28 October 2010 )

Taiwan has confirmed 159 more cases of Dengue Fever in the recent week, bringing the total number of cases to 1 077 so far this year. Most of the cases were reported from Kaohsiung city.

(Source: Centres for Disease Control, Taiwan 26 October 2010)

In Pakistan, over 1 500 confirmed cases of Dengue Fever including 15 deaths have been reported so far this year.

(Source: World Health Organization 25 October 2010)

As of 15 October, the Ministry of Health in Pakistan reported 26 cases of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever with 3 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 25 October 2010)

As of 12 October 2010, the Ministry of Health in Pakistan reported 99 confirmed cases of Cholera in the country. These cases have been reported sporadically from the flood-affected provinces of Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

(Source: World Health Organization 25 October 2010)

As of 25 October 2010, the Ministry of Health in Nigeria reported 37 289 cases of Cholera with 1 434 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 November 2010)

The Ministry of Health in Cameroon reported that a Cholera epidemic since April 2010 has affected a total of 8 528 people and led to 559 deaths. Dirty water consumption was the main cause of the epidemic.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 November 2010)

Uganda has confirmed a new case of Poliomyelitis which is caused by wild type polio virus on 26 October. This came 10 months after Uganda was declared polio free following an earlier outbreak that started February 2009. The wild polio virus was genetically linked to the one isolated in Turkana region, North West Kenya on 3 Feb 2009. This implies that the virus has been circulating in North East and Eastern Uganda for some period already.

(Source: ProMED-mail 27 October 2010)