Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (10 October 2004)
Poliomyelitis: Africa [update-3]
Benin government will launch a new poliomyelitis vaccination programme at the beginning of October. The programme targets children five-year of age or below.
So far this year, 602 cases of poliomyelitis had been reported in 15 countries in Africa and South Asia according to the World Health Organization.
(Source: China Central Television 5/10/04)
West Nile Virus: North America [update-3]
In Canada, the total number of human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection remained at 21 confirmed cases, i.e. 3 in Manitoba, 9 in Ontario and 9 in Saskatchewan. There had been no fatal cases.
In USA for the past week, a total of 81 cases of human WNV illness had been reported from 18 states. So far this year, 40 states had reported 1865 cases of human WNV illness. Of these, 31% were reported in California, 20% in Arizona, and 12% in Colorado. A total of 59 cases were fatal.
In Mexico, so far one individual in the state of Sonora exhibited signs of WNV disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8/10/04)
Dengue Fever: Americas [update]
In Venezuela, the dengue cases have been increasing over the last 10 weeks. Last week, 518 cases were reported, almost 40 % more than for the same period last year. As for Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF), 1436 cases of DHF with 3 deaths was recorded so far this year. All 4 types of dengue are co-circulating.
In Brazil, 469 confirmed cases of dengue and 1 non-fatal case of DHF so far this year in Fortaleza, the state capital of Ceara. Cases began in May, and peaked in June and July. Dengue virus type 3 has been isolated from cases.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5/10/04)
Malaria, imported: United States
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,500 cases of imported malaria are reported in the USA annually, and about 1% of these cases are fatal. After reviewing the medical records of 185 people who died of malaria between 1963 and 2001, it was found that most of the fatal infections occurred in African countries including Kenya, Nigeria, and Liberia.
About half did not take any anti-malaria medicine; one-third took medications not suitable for their itineraries; and the remaining did not take their medications correctly. Overall, approximately 85% of these deaths could be prevented.
(Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 10/2004)
[Editor note: It is believed the reasons analysed above are applicable to situation all over the world. Travellers to malaria endemic areas should consult travel health practitioner on the appropriate anti-malarials to be taken.]
Food poisoning, transit: HSKAR, ex-Thailand
Two tour group members from Mainland visited Bangkok, Thailand in early October developed symptoms of food poisoning on the way back to Guangdong Province via Hong Kong. They developed abdominal pain and diarrhoea in the aeroplane on 4 October. Another two people from the same tour group also suffered with the same symptoms were admitted to hospital in Thailand. Unclean seafood was suspected to be related to these cases.
(Source: Port Health Office, HKSAR 8/10/04)
Cholera, imported: Hong Kong SAR
Department of Health confirmed an imported cholera case in September, making a total number of 5 cases (all imported) so far this year.
The case contracted the disease in India. The patient had diarrhoea and vomiting and was hospitalised. Patient is now in stable condition.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 4/10/04)
Over 200 cases of dengue fever had been confirmed in the capital Jeddah this year. However, officials said infections in the Jeddah region had dropped over the last 3 weeks and the situation had been under control.
(Source: The Saudi Gazette 5/10/04)
Dengue Fever: Taiwan [update-7]
During the past week, a total of 20 new cases of dengue fever had been confirmed in Taiwan. Apart from one imported case who contracted the disease in Singapore, the rest were local cases, of which 16 occurred in Pingdong county, 2 in Kaohsiung city and 1 in Kaohsiung county.
(Source: Department of Health, Taiwan 9/10/04)
Avian Influenza: Asia [update-11]
Thailand reported cases of suspected avian influenza among a boy and a girl from the northern province of Phetchabun. The symptoms also include diarrhea, severe headache and muscle ache. Investigation is on-going.
Bird flu resurfaced in the Indonesia’s Central Java Province. Last month in Grobogan, more than 350 chickens in a farm were killed by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.
Officials in Vietnam reviewed the “Action Month” for combating avian influenza and warned there was a high risk of recurrence and that the disease remained a threat to public health.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7/10/04)