Travel Health Service Year 2007

Travel Health News Digest (9 July 2007)

Bangladesh: Malaria

In Khagrachhari region of Bangladesh, there were 47 000 Malaria cases with 44 deaths in the recent 2 months. The patients were mainly from Tripura, Chakma, Marma and Bangalees communities. In Bangladesh, the peak season for Malaria is from May to August.

(Source: Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan 3 July 2007)

Brazil: Hantavirus Infection

In Sao Sebastiao of the Federal District, a 16-year-old student was suspected to have died of Hantavirus Infection. Since then, 4 more cases were confirmed in the same district. Among them, two were from a rural area in Planaltina, one from an agricultural zone in Brazlandia, and one from a city not yet identified.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 July 2007)

Canada: West Nile Virus Infection

In June, Manitoba of Canada reported the country’s first human case of West Nile Virus Infection in 2007. In Ontario, one dead bird was tested positive of West Nile Virus in May.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 July 2007)

Federated States of Micronesia: Guam travellers contracted Zika virus

The Guam Department of Health has reported two imported probable cases of Zika virus infection. The victims had recently travelled to Yap Island of the Federated States of Micronesia where 86 confirmed and probable cases were reported as of 26 June.

[Editor’s Note: Like Dengue Fever virus, Zika virus is transmitted by infected mosquitoes causing similar but milder symptoms. It is not spread directly from person-to-person. The symptoms include fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis and pain in small joints of the hands and feet.]

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 July 2007)

Germany: Avian Influenza, poultry

Health authorities ordered the slaughter of about 1 000 domestic fowl after the highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza virus was detected in a goose died in the Thuringian state of Germany. They said the danger of infection spreading in the surrounding area was small because the infected goose lived on a small farm in a remote area.

(Source: ProMED-mail 7 July 2007)

Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human

In Riau of Indonesia, a 3-year-old girl has been tested positive for H5N1 Avian Influenza. She was the 101st confirmed human case of Avian Influenza infection in this country with a death toll reaching 80.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 July 2007)

Kazakhstan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

As of 2 July, a total of 5 cases of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever has already been reported in Kazakhstan, compared with 5 in the whole 2006. There was one death in 2007 who was a 37-year-old woman living in the village of Bidaykol.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 July 2007)

Russia: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

The situation of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever in Russia this year has been serious. In the Southern Federal District, cases were reported in 7 out of 13 regions, including Rostov, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Stavropol, the Republics of Dagestan, Kalmykia and Ingushetia. In the Republic of Kalmykia and Volgograd, 2 and 14 confirmed cases including one death were reported respectively in recent months.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 July 2007)

United Kingdom: Terrorism

Upon the discovery of 2 unexploded car bombs in Central London on 29 June and the car-bombing incident at Glasgow airport on 30 June, the British government raised the terrorism threat level from “severe” to “critical”, which is the highest level and suggests that an attack is expected imminently Security measures were increased at airports and delays in air transportation should be expected. The terrorism threat level was lowered to “severe” level on 4 July.

(Source: U.S. Department of State and Canadian consular bulletins 2 July 2007, and UK government Directgov 4 July 2007)

USA: West Nile Virus Infection

So far in 2007, 19 human cases of West Nile Virus Infection have been reported in 8 states, namely,

Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Dakota and Texas. Among these cases, 11 were reported in Mississippi and South Dakota and one death in Mississippi.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 July 2007)

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