Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (7 August 2005)
Indonesia: Hong Kong maid contracted Cholera
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health confirmed a Cholera case imported from Indonesia. The Indonesian maid developed symptoms of diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting on 3 August. She was in stable condition.
(Source: Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR 8 August 2005)
Mainland: HK tour members contracted Food Poisoning
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health was investigating 3 reports of Food Poisoning outbreaks involving 22 people who were among 3 tour groups to Qingdao in Shandong Province, Mainland. The victims developed gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever and vomiting after lunch in a hotel in Qingdao on 3 August. All were in stable condition and no hospitalisation was required. Initial investigations suggested that bacteria was the causative agent.
(Source: Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR 6 August 2005)
Switzerland: E. coli O157 Infection
In Freiburg of Switzerland, 2 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome and 5 bloody diarrhoea cases were identified. Analyses of samples taken showed that the diseases were caused by E. coli O157. Traces of verotoxin were demonstrated in water samples taken from the area's water supply. These cases might be due to faecal contamination of drinking water supply of the area.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 August 2005)
[Editor’s Note: E. coli O157 is a strain of Escherichia coli. Symptoms of the infection include severe watery diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting. In serious cases, it may be complicated by acute kidney problems.]
Yemen was previously determined to have been polio-free. Since the outbreak started in mid-May, Yemen had 369 confirmed Poliomyelitis cases. According to figures of the World Health Organization, the rate was slowing down. The Ministry of Health had launched nationwide Poliomyelitis immunisation campaign for children in order to control the outbreak which was believed to have spread from Nigeria to Yemen.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 August 2005)
Tajikistan: Cholera, suspected
An increase of acute watery diarrhoea cases in a number of districts in south and west Tajikistan had been reported. It was suspected that the outbreak might be due to Cholera.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 August 2005)
In the northwestern part of Burundi, 20 cases of Cholera had been reported.
In Guinea-Bissau, 4 331 cases of Cholera had been recorded including 64 deaths, almost triple the number of deaths 3 weeks ago. Most cases were found in the capital, Bissau.
In Kotido district in northeastern Uganda, there had been an outbreak of Cholera, with 3 people killed. In a Sudanese refugee settlement in Arua, there were 6 Cholera cases including 1 death in the third week last month. Outbreak had also been reported in Nebbi.
In Niger, 49 Cholera cases including 5 deaths were reported from 13 to 28 July in Bouza district, Tahoua region.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 August 2005)
Russia: Avian Influenza, bird [update]
In southwestern Siberia of Russia, more than 2 000 poultry had died of Avian Influenza since July 2005. Besides the previously reported Novosibirsk region, new outbreaks were reported in the Omsk and Altai regions.
In the neighbouring Kazakh province of Pavlodar, about 600 poultry in a farm had died of Avian Influenza.
(Source: ProMED-mail 1-2 August 2005)
In Shenyang of Liaoning Province, Mainland, 12 people had contracted cutaneous Anthrax. One of them had died. All of them were workers related to the beef production.
(Source: Health Department of Liaoning 6 August 2005)
Vietnam: Avian Influenza, human [update]
The health officials of Vietnam reported a new human case of Avian Influenza in northern Ha Tay province. Together with the 2 cases in Ho Chi Minh City and Tra Vinh province, 3 cases were noted recently.
The Avian Influenza outbreak in Vietnam had affected 60 people including 19 deaths since late December 2004.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 August 2005)
As of 2 August, 81 cases of Rabies including 12 deaths were reported this year in the Negros Occidental, the Philippines. Over half of the cases occurred in Bacolod city and some in Talisay and Murcia. Only 59 cases with 8 deaths were reported in 2004.
(Source: ASEAN Disease Surveillance 4 August 2005)
[Editor's Note: Risk of Rabies presents in most part of the country. Those who are injured by dogs or cats there should receive post-exposure Rabies vaccines.]
Indonesia: Poliomyelitis [update-7]
In Banten, Lampung and Jakarta Provinces of Indonesia, 16 new Poliomyelitis cases were confirmed, bringing the total number of cases to 205.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 August 2005)
In the Philippines, Dengue Fever had killed 73 people and infected another 5 323 in the first half of 2005. Dengue outbreaks had been reported recently in Bulacan, north of Manila. In addition, at least 250 people had been infected recently in Nueva Ecija Province.
A 10-fold increase in Dengue Fever cases was observed within the last 10 years in Malaysia, and 599 people had died of dengue. Over 33 000 people were hospitalised because of Dengue last year. The upward trend was continuing this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 August 2005)
In Iran, at least 3 people had been killed and several victims were hospitalised following an outbreak of Cholera in the city of Qom.
An outbreak of Cholera occurred in the northern Badakhshan Province of Afghanistan with 20 deaths reported. Most of those who died were children.
In India, 3 Cholera deaths were reported in Gulbarga district of Karnataka.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 August 2005)