Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (26 June 2005)
From 25 May to 16 June, the Ministry of Health, Afghanistan reported a total of 3 245 cases of acute watery diarrhoea in Kabul city. Out of these, 777 were hospitalised for severe dehydration. Cholera had been confirmed with Vibrio cholerae identified in 30 stool samples out of 44. World Health Organization (WHO) was assisting the Ministry of Health to administer control measures and had sent cholera kits for case management.
(Source: WHO 21 June 2005)
Kazakhstan: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever
A 32-year-old man was admitted to hospital with Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever in a southern province of Kazakhstan. Three people having contact with the infected man were under medical observation.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 June 2005)
Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola hemorrhagic fever [update-4]
The outbreak of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever that had ravaged the Democratic Republic of Congo since April 2005 was now under control. The official declaration of the end of the epidemic will come early next month.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 June 2005)
Russia: Hepatitis A [update-2]
The number of people who had fallen ill with Hepatitis A in Tver region, Russia, had reached 662, including 182 children. The source of the outbreak was believed to be a large supplier of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to the region.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 June 2005)
The Center for Disease Control received a report of suspected Cholera infection on 20 June 2005 from Tainan County. Stool examination confirmed the disease was caused by Vibrio cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa. The case was in stable condition and no further suspected cases were detected so far.
(Source: Center for Disease Control, Taiwan 22 June 2005)
[Editor’s Note: This is the first indigenous case of Cholera infection reported in Taiwan this year. Traveller to Taiwan should be careful about food and personal hygiene, wash hands before eating and after going to toilet.]
The health officials of Tibet reported that there was an epidemic of Plague in Zhongba in Xigaze prefecture affecting 5 people in mid-June. Two of them were dead. The health officials initiated the investigation of the epidemic, disinfection and quarantine measures.
(Source: Xinhuanet News 26 June 2005)
[Editor’s Note: People going to plague affected area should stay away from rodents and wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers to prevent from flea bite. They should also use insect repellents on exposed body parts and should not touch dead rodents.]
Last week, in Changji city of Xinjiang, an outbreak of H5N1 Avian influenza had infected 128 geese and ducks with 63 of them died. No human cases were reported. This was the third bird flu outbreak in the past two months. The local authority had culled around 1500 birds for preventing the spread of the disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 June 2005)
Philippines: HK domestic helper contracted rubella
One imported case of Rubella was confirmed by the Department of Health. The patient developed symptoms in mid-June when she came from the Philippines to Hong Kong. Blood test confirmed rubella infection. She did not require hospitalisation.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 22 June 2005)
Indonesia: HK citizen contracted dengue fever
The Department of Health confirmed an imported case of Dengue Fever. The patient travelled to Indonesia from mid-May to mid-June and developed fever, headache and eye pain a few days after returning to Hong Kong. He was hospitalised and was in stable condition.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 22 June 2005)
[Editor’s Note: Travellers to Indonesia should adopt anti-mosquito measures for health protections. Residents are encouraged to stay alert to the threat of dengue fever and help in the reduction of mosquito breeding.]
Indonesia: Poliomyelitis [update-2]
Five new Polio cases were confirmed in Indonesia, bringing the total number of cases to 51. Most of these new cases had onset of paralysis before the launch of immunisation campaign. One new case was from Java Tengah, an unaffected province and outside the area where immunisation campaign was held.
(Source: World Health Organization 20 June 2005)