Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (31 October 2005)
In the northern Nigeria state of Borno, an outbreak of Cholera had spread to the Biu area, where more than 300 cases occurred and at least 26 persons, who were mainly children and students, died. Whereas in Bayara of Bauchi, 3 fatal Cholera cases were reported.
(Source: ProMED-mail 28 October 2005)
An outbreak of Coxsackievirus occurred in India's northern Uttar Pradesh state, claimed at least 40 children’s lives and infected another few hundreds. About 10 to 15 children were admitted to the local hospital each day.
(Source: ProMED-mail 25 October 2005)
[Editor’s Note: Coxsackievirus can be transmitted through contaminated food and water, or from person to person with poor hygiene. Young children were primarily affected, but it may affect adults. Most cases occur in the summer and early fall, 3 to 5 days after exposure. It can lead to hand, foot, and mouth disease, or encephalitis and heart failure in severe cases. Traveller should observe good personal and food hygiene in affected areas.]
Russia: Hepatitis A [update-5]
In the Nizhniy Novgorod region of Russia, 2 197 cases (including 485 children) of Hepatitis A infection had been reported since the beginning of the outbreak on 5 September. A malfunction of the public water supply was regarded as the most likely cause of the outbreak.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2005)
Venezuela: Yellow Fever [update]
In Venezuela, 5 persons were confirmed to have contracted Yellow Fever in Portuguesa State and 3 of them had died.
(Source: ProMED-mail 25 October 2005)
In Brazil, 7 people (5 children and 2 elderly people) had died of Rabies transmitted by the bite of vampire bats since mid October 2005 in Turiassu Township, 400 km from the Maranhao state capital, Sao Luis. Three more children and 2 elderly persons had been admitted to the hospital. A total of 232 cases had been notified recently.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2005)
The health officials of the Philippines reported an outbreak of Typhoid Fever and diarrhoea affecting 250 victims with 2 deaths in the towns of Borbon and Sibonga in Cebu province.
(Source : ProMED-mail 27 October 2005)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, bird
In the Mainland, health official notified an outbreak of Avian Influenza, sub-type H5, in the Liangying village of the Anhui province. The outbreak involved chicken and goose. Health measures including culling and vaccination of the poultry had been undertaken.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2005)
Thailand: Avian Influenza, bird
Avian Influenza had spread to 39 provinces of Thailand. Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Suphan Buri and Kamphaeng Phet were the provinces with severe bird-flu problems.
(Sources: ProMED-mail 25 October 2005)
Mainland: Avian influenza, human
In Hunan province of Mainland, a girl who lived in a village became ill with fever and coughing and died a week later. Official said she suffered from pneumonia and blood tests were negative for Avian Influenza. The girl's younger brother, hospitalised with flu-like symptoms, was also reported to have tested negative.
The World Health Organization had requested China to conduct further tests to determine whether the girl died of Avian Influenza.
(Source: ProMED-mail 28 October 2005)
[Editor’s Note: Places in China with recent Avian Influenza outbreaks of bird cases include Hunan, Anhui and Mongolia.]
Thailand: Avian Influenza, human [update]
In Thailand, the Ministry of Public Health had confirmed an additional case of human infection with H5N1 Avian Influenza. The 7-year-old patient from Kanchanaburi Province was the son of a confirmed case who died on 19 October. The boy developed symptoms on 16 October and was recovering. These were the first two confirmed cases in Thailand in this year.
(Source: World Health Organization 24 October 2005)