Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (5 June 2005)
Yemen: Poliomyelitis [update-2]
As of 29 May, Yemen confirmed 71 additional Poliomyelitis cases, bringing the total number of cases to 179. The majority of the new cases were from Hudaidah governorate. Currently, 11 governorates were affected by the outbreak. To rapidly boost up the population immunity level, vaccinators were recruited to administer polio vaccines to all children under 5 years of age across Yemen.
(Source: World Health Organization 30 May 2005)
Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola haemorrhagic fever [update-3]
As of 30 May 2005, the death toll of Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever in Democratic Republic of Congo had risen to 10. Two cases survived.
(Source: ProMED-mail 30 May 2005)
In Sugnu area of Assam, 25 acute diarrhea cases including 4 dead children were reported. They were suspected to have contracted Cholera. Medical teams were sent to the area for controlling the outbreak.
In New Delhi, 192 cases of Cholera had been detected in recent two months while the total number of Cholera cases this year was 211.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 June 2005)
India: Meningococcal disease [update]
As of 30 May, the total number of Meningococcal Disease cases in India was 389 with 41 deaths. Most of the reported cases were from Old Delhi and Shahdara. Samples of cerebral spinal fluid from patients had been tested positive for serogroup A.
(Source: World Health Organization 30 May 2005, ASEAN Diseases Surveillance 31 May 2005)
Taiwan authorities found 30 monkeys in a park in Kaohsiung carrying antibodies of the Monkey B virus in a test in March. The Taiwan Department of Health claimed that no human case was found in Taiwan at the moment.
The Hong Kong Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department warned the public not to feed wild monkeys or get close to the monkeys.
(Source: Mingpao Daily News, South China Morning Post 6 June 2005)
[Editor Note: The virus is usually harmless to monkeys. However, it is fatal in 70 per cent of human cases. The virus can be transmitted through monkey bites, scratches, or contact with infected monkey tissue, cells, or fluids. The incubation period is about 3-5 days. Symptoms include small blisters and redness near the site of the infection, fever, muscle ache, headache and vomiting. Severe cases may die of the infection.]
Thailand: Dengue fever warning
Thailand health officials warned residents that more major outbreaks of Dengue Fever might occur in the rainy season. Dengue has so far infected 10,390 people this year, of whom 16 died.
(Source: ASEAN Disease Surveillance 3 June 2005)