Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (25 July 2004)
Notifiable Infectious Diseases: Mainland
During the second quarter of 2004, a total of 937,273 cases and 1,464 deaths have been reported for the 27 statutorily notifiable infectious diseases.
The top five common infectious diseases are Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Dysentery (bacterial and amoebic), Gonorrhea, and Measles; accounting for 85% of the total cases. The top five causes of death are Rabies, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, AIDS, and Neonatorum Tetanus, accounting for 80% of deaths. No case of polio or plague has been reported.
(Source: Ministry of Health, China 10/7/04)
Epidemic haemorrhagic fever: Beijing
A 19 years old man in Shunyi district of Beijing started to have high fever, headache, loin pain on 18 July. He was diagnosed to have epidemic hemorrhagic fever two days later. He is now in stable condition. Control health measures have been implemented in the affected village. The source of infection is still under investigation.
Epidemic haemorrhagic fever, also known as haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, is a very contagious infection. The infection is spread by contact with rodents and their droppings or urine. Symptoms include high fever, body aches, chills, and in later stage, bleeding tendency, renal failure, shock and death.
Travellers are advised to avoid contact with rodents and their excreta, and should not lay on grassland.
(Source: Xinhuanet 24/7/04)
The onset of the monsoon in Nepal has triggered an outbreak of acute diarrheal diseases that have killed over 80 people, and infected 10,000.
Since 40% of Nepal's population lacks access to drinking water, and over 70% does not have safe drinking water, the rainy season is usually accompanied by an outbreak of diarrhea, ranging from April to the end of September each year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19/7/04)
Due to severe draught, residents were force to use contaminated water from ponds, leading to an outbreak of diarrheal disease and claimed 12 deaths in Wadh, Khuzdar district of Pakistan.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19/7/04)
In Panagasinam province, a cholera outbreak in Malasiqui reported on 31 May has spread to nine other cities. To date, of the 2,056 reported cases of gastroenteritis, 81 were confirmed cholera cases. Over half of the cholera cases occurred in San Carlos city.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19/7/04)
In Singapore, the number of dengue cases reported so far this year is 2,550, slightly lower than the 2,780 cases reported for the same period last year, but still considered high.
(Source : ProMED-mail 22/7/04)
As of 19 July, 50 deaths and 31,700 case of dengue fever were reported in Viet Nam. The figure is nearly double that of same period last year. Most of the cases and deaths are from the southern region.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22/7/04)
Dengue Fever: Sri Lanka [update-7]
Health authorities in Sri Lanka have reported 7000 cases of dengue fever so far this year, against about 3500 cases during the whole of 2003. At least 54 people have died from dengue in the past 6 months, compared with 35 for all of 2003.
The mosquito-borne disease is most common during Sri Lanka's monsoon season, which runs until late July.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22/7/04)
Dengue Fever, imported: Hong Kong SAR, ex-Thailand
One imported case of dengue fever was reported by the Department of Health, making a total of 16 so far this year.
The patient travelled to Thailand in late June for 8 days. He complained of fever, headache, malaise and diarrhoea 2 days after he returned to Hong Kong. He was confirmed to have dengue fever and now recovered.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 20/7/04)
Poliomyelitis: Nigeria [update]
More than 200 poliomyelitis cases have occurred in Nigeria this year. Ten African countries close to Nigeria, which were previously polio-free had also recorded a number of imported cases since the outbreak in Nigeria.
Travellers going to Nigeria and countries neighbouring it are reminded to ensure their polio vaccination are up-to-date. Those who have recently travelled to Africa and develop a poliomyelitis-like illness should promptly seek medical attention.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 23/7/04)
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI): Asia [update-2]
Thailand official reported that in the last three weeks, avian influenza outbreaks have been detected in poultry in 18 provinces, including Bangkok’s three outer districts, Ching Mai, Nong Khai provinces. 200,000 birds are reported to have been culled. The alleged possible human case of avian flu is now confirmed to be not true.
In Vietnam, avian influenza outbreaks have spread to 10 provinces in the south, including Ben Tre and Kien Giang provinces in the Mekong Delta. 50,000 birds had been culled.
Health authorities in Indonesia reported that thousands of chickens have been found dead in East Java and Central Java since July. Experts say that although the outbreak is less severe than that in spring earlier, Indonesia is still regarded as an affected area with high transmission rate and deserve vigilance and preventive measures.
In China, the avian influenza outbreak occurred earlier in Anhui province has been put under control. The quarantine measures on the affected area have been lifted.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24/7/04, China News Service 23/7/2004)