Current Travel Health News

The Ministry of Health in the Mainland announced 2 confirmed human cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza. Both of the patients live in Guizhou and their condition are critical. They did not have history of contact with birds before falling ill. No epidemiological connections have been found between the two cases.

(Source: Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China 10 February 2013)

The Ministry of Health of Cambodia confirmed one more human case of H5N1 Avian Influenza. The case was a 5 year old girl in Takeo province who developed symptoms on 25 January and died on 7 February .

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 February 2013)

The veterinary authorities of Bangladesh reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza at a commercial poultry farm in Dhaka. Out of 153 477 susceptible birds, 8509 cases were reported and the remaining 144 968 birds were destroyed.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 February 2013)

The Government of Solomon Islands has officially declared a State of Disaster on 8 February for Santa Cruz Islands in Temotu Province following Wednesday’s deadly 8.0 magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami that claimed lives and property.

(Source: Embassy of Solomon Islands 8 February 2013)

Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam reported more cases of Dengue Fever as compared to the previous year for the same time period. The recent trend is declining or remains low in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Philippines and New Caledonia. Australia and Singapore however, are seeing an increase in activity.

(Source: Western Pacific Region, WHO 5 February 2013)

Two more cholera cases were reported in the eastern provincial capital of Holguin, Cuba.

(Source: ProMED-mail 6 February 2013)

In China, Beijing, two deaths associated with rabies were reported. One of them was bitten by a stray dog while the other was bitten by a pet dog and both did not receive vaccination after the injuries.

(Source: ProMED-mail 6 February 2013)

In Bangladesh, 12 cases of Nipah encephalitis were reported. Of these cases, 10 people died of the infection.

[Editor's note: Nipah virus can be transmitted to humans from animals or directly from human-to-human. Infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat. In severe cases, complications may happen such as encephalitis. There is no treatment or vaccine available.]

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 February 2013)

An outbreak of Lassa Fever was detected in Ebonyi State, Nigeria and 6 persons were affected. Two people have died from the disease.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 February 2013)

In India, influenza cases increased significantly since January 2013 and a total of 22 deaths were recorded.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 February 2013)

A fatal case of Hantavirus infection was reported in Panama. A 49-year-old woman from Veraguas province died of the infection.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 February 2013)

In United Kingdom, there have been 49 suspected and 56 confirmed cases of measles infection since September 2012 and almost a quarter of those affected have been hospitalized.

According to the health department in Algeria, 87 cases of measles were reported on 28 January 2013 and the epidemic occurred in the districts of Bordji Badji Mokhtar and Reggane.

In Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 100 measles cases and 11 deaths have been recorded since 13 January 2013.

In Namibia, the measles outbreak has spread from villages in Omuthiya Constituency to Oniipa Consituency in Oshikoto region.

More than 100 children have died of measles in Pakistan in January 2013.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 February 2013)

Influenza activity in North America remained high regionally, though nationally most indicators of transmission began to decrease. The United States of America reported a sharp increase in the number of pneumonia and influenza-related deaths among adults aged 65+ years.

Europe in general reported increasing influenza virus detections over the past weeks, though activity started to decrease in some countries in the northwest countries of western Europe.

In the temperate countries of Asia influenza virus detections increased in the last weeks, while it remained low in most of tropical Asia.

Influenza activity in North Africa and the Middle East declined overall in the last several weeks, though a few countries reported increases.

Low level activity was noted in most tropical countries, with slight increases observed in the Plurinational State of Bolivia and Paraguay.

Influenza in countries of the southern hemisphere were currently at inter-seasonal levels.

(Source: World Health Organization 1 February 2013)

An outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza was reported in Speu Province, Cambodia. Of 503 birds, 67 were found dead and the rest were destroyed.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 31 January 2013)

Five fatal cases and 30 affected cases of malaria were reported in Kiryandongo Parish, Uganda. The malaria outbreak was a result of the heavy rains that were experienced in Mubende.

(Source: ProMED-mail 31 January 2013)

An outbreak of Lassa fever affecting four persons was reported in Plateau state, Nigeria. Of which, two persons died of the infection.

(Source: ProMED-mail 31 January 2013)