Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (31 October 2004)
In Senegal, 84 cases of cholera with two deaths had been reported in the capital Dakar since early October. Seventy-two of them were recovered and the remaining 10 are still under treatment. A health official claimed no cases was found in other part of the country.
(Source: Xinhua News Agency 27/10/04)
Six villagers in Bogor region 60 km south of Jakarta had contracted anthrax after consuming mutton contaminated by anthrax.
Anthrax is endemic in several provinces in Indonesia, including West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, South Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and East Nusa Tenggara. Sporadic outbreaks occurred in 2001.
(Source: ProMED-mail 25/10/04)
Asia: Avian Influenza [update-13]
The health authority of Thailand reported recently an additional human death case of H5N1 avian influenza. The patient who lived in Sukhothai Province died 11 days after the onset of symptoms. To date, there were 17 confirmed cases of human avian influenza in Thailand this year and 12 of them were dead.
In addition, the zoo in Chonburi Province continued to be affected by avian influenza. Altogether 83 tigers were destroyed or died of avian influenza. In Belgium, the two avian influenza-infected eagles smuggled from Thailand to Brussels by air were destroyed. The Thai man who smuggled the two eagles did not show any respiratory symptoms. The government urged passengers on the same flight with the birds to contact doctors if they developed flu symptoms.
Outbreaks of avian influenza were reported in several areas in Kelantan State in Malaysia last month. Almost 18,000 birds were destroyed in the affected areas. The government continued to monitor the affected areas.
The World Health Organization warned that domestic ducks might have an important role in the transmission of H5N1 avian influenza. They might be one of the reservoirs of the virus and the big threat was that the infected ducks could be symptoms free.
(Source: World Health Organization 25/10/04, 29/10/04, Xinhuanet 26/10/04, ProMED-mail 25/10/04)
[Editor Note : Travellers to countries with avian influenza should always observe good personal and environmental hygiene. To minimise the risk of contracting avian influenza, they should avoid going to zoo or farm, and avoid contact with animal or poultry there. For more information on prevention of avian influenza, please refer to Prevention of Avian Flu - Health Tips for Travellers.]
India (Maharashtra): Malaria and Dengue fever
An outbreak of potentially fatal mosquito borne diseases occurred in Maharashtra State of India after the monsoon rains.
Nearly 1400 cases of dengue fever had been recorded in state’s public hospitals. Urban centres like Mumbai, Pune, Akola and Nashik were worst affected areas.
The spread of malaria was also alarming because as many as 15 cases per day of falciparum malaria were reported by private doctors in Mumbai.
(Source: Newkerala.com 28/10/04)
Hong Kong SAR: Malaria, imported
One imported case of malaria was confirmed by the Department of Health.
The patient was a domestic helper who came from Indonesia to Hong Kong for work in mid-July. She developed fever and chills in mid-October. She was admitted to hospital and confirmed to suffer from benign tertian malaria. She was now in stable condition.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 23/10/04)
The fourth case of imported malaria this year was confirmed in Taipei. The 40-year old patient had been to Cambodia for business from mid September for 5 weeks. Since the day of return to Taiwan, the patient started to have fever, chills etc. on alternate days.
(Source: Central News Agency 28/10/04)
Taiwan: Dengue fever [update-10]
Taiwan Department of Health reported 7 more new cases of Dengue Fever last week, including 5 local cases, booting the number of local cases to 163. 145 cases have been reported in Pingdong County, followed by Kaohsiung City with 15 cases, and Kaohsiung County with two cases.
Two new imported cases contracted the disease from Indonesia and Philippines respectively.
(Source: Department of Health, Taiwan 28/10/04)
In Cixi city of Zhejiang province, an outbreak of dengue fever occurred in early October. The outbreak originated from an imported case of dengue fever. Totally 83 cases of dengue fever were identified in the city. No more dengue fever case has been detected since 2 weeks ago.
(Source: Xinhuanet 27/10/04)
Qinghai Province confirmed 19 plague cases, including 8 deaths, and 11 recovered. The outbreak had been entirely brought under control now. Quarantine in the counties had been lifted. Daily activity and production in these areas returned normal.
The cases were reported in 6 villages in Ulan, Nangqen, Huangyuan and Maduo counties of the province between 4 and 9 October this year. The majority of them were farmers and herdsmen who contracted the disease by hunting, skinning and consuming marmots.
The Ministry of Health has also reiterated that relevant parties should closely adhere to the ‘3 Don’ts and 3 Dos policy against plague. Actions related to marmots control mainly included: do not hunt marmots and rodents, do not eat animals known to be source of plague and do not bring infected animals or products out of infected area. (See 5 September 04 Digest)
In response to the outbreak, Beijing had adopted measures to prevent its spread. Railway department had also reinforced public health measures targeted for trains departed from Qinghai to Beijing. No case had been reported by capital’s rodent surveillance checkpoints so far.
(Source: Xinhua Net 27/10/04, Ministry of Health, China 28/10/04. China News Service 29/10/04)
[Editor’s Note: Ulan and Huangyuan counties were located 350km and 40km west of capital Xining respectively. Nangqen was the most southern county bordering Tibet, while Maduo county, home to source of Yellow River, is located about 450km southwest of Xining.]