Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (21 November 2004)
In northern Nigeria, an outbreak of cholera had killed 42 people and more than 600 cases were hospitalized in the last 2 weeks.
In Uganda, 56 cholera cases including 3 deaths were reported from an IDP camp in Gulu in the north. Another outbreak was confirmed in a settlement camp located at north east of Kitgum. Two deaths were reported.
In Burundi, 12 cholera cases with 3 deaths were reported in an IDP camp following heavy rains in a western province of Bujumbura Rural.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19/11/04)
Southern China: Schistosomiasis [update-2]
Health officials from Shanghai, Fujian, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Guangxi agreed to reinforce cooperation on control measures of schistosomiasis. These 5 areas not only recorded a rising number of local and imported cases of schistosomiasis in recent years, but also an increasing number of habitat of snails, vector of the disease. In Shanghai and Zhejiang, snails were even found in areas with no history of snail infestation.
(Source: China Central Television 19/11/04)
Dubai: HK visitors contracted bacillary dysentery
The Department of Health of Hong Kong reported 4 imported cases of bacillary dysentery, who were members of 2 tour groups travelling to Dubai in early November. They developed symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever and vomiting after having barbecue dinners on 5 and 7 November respectively. All of them recovered.
(Source: Department of Health HKSAR 20/11/04)
Indonesia (West Sumatra): Diarrhoea
As of mid-November, 217 cases and 4 deaths were reported in an outbreak of diarrhoea in the Solok municipality, West Sumatra. Local officials believed that the outbreak was probably caused by contaminated iced seaweed and drinks sold in the local market.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19/11/04)
At least 40 patients in Tanvil Nadu state, India were confirmed positive for cholera. Around 282 patients, mostly from North Chennai, were admitted in the past week with symptoms of the cholera.
According to officials, overflow of sewage, stagnation of sewage-mixed rain water besides sewage water entering into drinking water pipes were the main reasons for the outbreak.
(Source: ProMED-mail 15/11/04 )
India: visitor contracted rabies
A German died of rabies in May this year. He became ill 6 weeks after returning from a 5-month trip to India. He had contact with wild dogs during the trip. He had previously travelled to India in 2001, where he had been bitten by a wild monkey. Whether the cause was the monkey bite (incubation period might be up to 7 years) or contact with saliva of an infected wild dog was still unknown.
India reports at least 20 000 human deaths from rabies per year. A particularly high risk of rabies exists in India and Nepal.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12/11/04)
[Editor Note: This case highlights the importance for travellers to get rabies immunisation before visiting high-risk regions, and to seek medical care if they are bitten by/have contact with wild animals.]
In Heyuan of Guangdong province, 3 fatal cases of rabies were reported in less than one week. One was bitten by domestic dog while the other 2 were bitten by stray dogs.
After the outbreak occurs, health officials had enhanced rabies vaccination and management of dogs.
(Source: Nanfang Daily 17/11/04)
South-East Asia: Avian Influenza [update-16]
The animal health authority of Vietnam reported 20 chickens in the southern city of Can Tho were found to be affected by bird flu virus strain H5 in mid-November. All of them were already killed.
(Source: Xinhuanet 18/11/04)
Taiwan: Dengue fever [update-13]
Taiwan health authority reported 35 more cases of dengue fever last week, making a total of 331 confirmed cases, of which 81 were imported cases.
Of the 250 local cases, 229 were reported in Pingdong County, followed by Kaohsiung City with 17 cases and Kaohsiung County with 3 cases.
(Source: Department of Health, Taiwan 19/11/04)