Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (15 May 2005)
Canada(Alberta): E. coli O157 infection
In Calgary of Alberta, 15 cases of E. coli O157 infection were confirmed. Four of them were admitted to hospital. They had contracted the bacterium after drinking milkshakes prepared by an infected staff of the eatery.
E. Coli O157 is a strain of Escherichia coli. Symptoms include severe watery diarrhoea, bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting. In serious cases, it may be complicated by acute kidney problems. Incubation period can be up to 10 days.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10 May 2005)
[Editor Note: Travellers should avoid risky food and drinks, e.g. food and beverages from unhygienic food vendors and eat thoroughly cooked food. Hand-washing before preparing food, before meals and after going to the toilet are essential.]
Democratic Republic of Congo: Suspected Ebola haemorrhagic fever
9 people had died in two southern cities of the Democratic Republic of Congo since late April 2005 from what appeared to be an outbreak of Ebola virus, the second episode of a deadly hemorrhagic fever to strike the region this year. A total of 52 contacts were being monitored.
(Source: ProMED-mail 14 May 2005)
Angola: Marburg haemorrhagic fever [update-7]
As of 10 May 2005, 316 cases of Marburg hemorrhagic fever had been reported in Uige Province of Angola, including 276 deaths. The municipality of Uige remained the most severely affected in the province. New cases had continued to be identified in Uige in the last few days, as some chains of transmission were still ongoing, but the outbreak seemed to be on the decline.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 May 2005)
Between 29 March and 11 May 2005, 270 cases of meningococcal disease including 20 deaths (case fatality rate 7.4%) had been reported in India. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) had confirmed N. meningitidis serogroup A in 7 cerebrospinal fluid specimens. Most of the cases had been reported from Old Delhi.
WHO was working closely with the national authorities to assist with surveillance, early detection, laboratory support, case management, prevention and control.
(Source: WHO & ProMED 12 May 2005)
There was a higher influenza activity in Shenzhen in early May. This was expected as Guangdong had entered its influenza peak season. Most of the patients were children and they presented with mild symptoms like fever and cough. There was no unusual pattern of hospitalization or death detected.
(Source: CHP 13 May 2005)
Malaysia (Kelantan): Typhoid fever [update]
Jelawat recorded 53 cases of typhoid fever. 200 food-stalls were closed temporarily and their operators cleaned their premises to prevent the spread.
Typhoid fever cases in Kelantan had dropped sharply since late April 2005. As of 7 May 2005, in hospitals of Kota Baru, 27 cases were confirmed to have the disease and 78 were suspects.
Meanwhile, hospitals in other districts registered 91 cases, with 55 confirmed cases.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 May 2005 & 7 May 2005)
Dengue fever had claimed 9 lives, all were children from 1 to 9 years old, in Cebu, Philippines from January to April 2005. The dengue virus had affected more than 540 residents so far. People stored water in lidless containers, which could be the breeding sites for mosquitoes.
Dengue fever had now spread to 20 provinces in southern Vietnam with a total of 6 290 cases so far, including 3 deaths. Ho Chi Minh City had the highest number of infected with the disease followed by An Giang province, Tien Giang province, Dong Thap province, Soc Trang province, Can Tho city and Hau Giang province.
The Thailand Public Health Minister dismissed public fears that a new stronger strain of dengue fever had hit Thailand. At least 6 000 people across the country had been infected, most of them were under 9 years old. Major outbreaks were reported especially in Rayong in the East and Si Saket in the North-east.
(Source: ProMED 10 May 2005 & ASEAN Disease Surveillance 11 May 2005)
Asia: Avian influenza (update-36)
Avian influenza had claimed 52 lives in Asia (36 Vietnamese, 12 Thais, 4 Cambodians) since the outbreak in late 2003.
In Vietnam, a 55-year-old man from the northern province of Vinh Phuc was tested positive for the H5N1 virus in initial tests. He was hospitalized with a fever on 12 May 2005.
In Cambodia, A 20-year-old woman with symptoms of avian influenza first developed 2 weeks ago was admitted into a hospital in southern Vietnam. She was in serious but stable condition. She came from Cambodia’s Kampot province, the same area where all the previous Cambodian cases had occurred.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 May 2005)