Current Travel Health News

The Ministry of Health in Indonesia had confirmed 3 additional cases of human infection with the H5N1 Avian Influenza virus. These cases brought the total in Indonesia to 68. Of these cases, 52 have been fatal.

 

The first case occurred in an 11-year-old boy from East Java Province. He developed symptoms on 16 September 2006 and died on 18 September. Poultry in the child's household began dying prior to his symptom onset.

 

The second case was a 9-year-old male from South Jakarta. He developed symptoms on 13 September, and died on 22 September. He had a history of recent contact with sick chickens.

 

The third case was a 20-year-old male from Bandung of West Java. He developed symptoms of fever and cough on 17 September and was hospitalised on 24 September. He died on 28 September. His 24-year old brother who died on 24 September was suspected to have contracted the disease, but specimen was not available for confirmation.  Both men had direct contact with dead chickens when feeding carcasses to their dogs. Local agricultural authorities also found evidence of H5 infection in household birds. Their 15-year-old sister also had fever and cough, but was later confirmed to be suffered from H1 seasonal influenza. Her condition remained stable.

 

(Source: World Health Organization 25, 27 and 28 September 2006)

The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand has confirmed the country's 25th case of human infection with the H5N1 Avian Influenza virus. The case occurred in a 59-year-old farmer from Nong Bua Lam Phu Province in the northeastern part of the country. He developed fever on 14 July, was hospitalised on 21 July, and died on 10 August. Sudden death of several fighting cocks raised by the farmer was reported and local veterinary authorities noted a number of poultry outbreaks in the area.

 

(Source: World Health Organization 27 September 2006)

A new outbreak of Avian Influenza in domestic fowl had been reported in Egypt between 29 August and 6 September 2006. A total of 8 backyard poultry flocks in Cairo, Damietta, Giza and Sohag were found to be infected with H5N1 strain virus.  Another case of Avian Influenza in birds was found in the town of Edfu near Aswan.

 

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 and 27 September 2006)

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Mainland has confirmed an outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza in Inner Mongolia.  Around 1 000 fowls in a village in Baotou City were affected.  Nearly 9 000 other chicken had been slaughtered to prevent the outbreak from spreading.

 

(Source: Ministry of Agriculture PRC 30 September 2006)

During the period from January to August this year, 1 874 cases of Rabies including 1 735 deaths were reported in 21 provinces of the Mainland, increased by 29.2% when compared with same period last year. Guizhou, Guangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, and Hubei were the most affected provinces.

 

(Source: Ministry of Health PRC 25 September 2006)

In Niger, an outbreak of Cholera has claimed 21 lives among 206 infected people following seasonal rains that have flooded the community.  Zinder, 900km east of the capital Niamey, was the worst affected.

 

In Kenya, the Ministry of Health has confirmed an outbreak of Cholera in Vanga Village of Kwale District bordering Tanzania. The first case was reported on 17 September and by 25 September there were 45 reported cases.  Two people died of the disease so far.

 

In Nigeria, about 100 persons died as a result of the Cholera outbreak in Sokoto state.

 

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 September 2006)

Five new cases of Tuberculosis of a highly drug resistant strain were diagnosed in Gauteng province of South Africa. A total of 62 people had been killed from the same disease in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province over the past month. It raised fears that a new outbreak was spreading across the region. A high HIV infection rate in the region could have led to the current outbreak. It was estimated that 1 in 9 people of the region were HIV carriers.

 

(Source: ProMED-mail 27 September 2006)

The Department of Health in Bukidnon province of the Philippines reported the emergence of Heterophyiasis. The disease is endemic in 10 municipalities and 2 cities in the province. As of August 2006, 592 patients and 3 fatalities were identified.

 

[Editor's note: Heterophyiasis is an infection of the small intestines caused by intestinal flukes that are acquired by eating raw or insufficiently cooked fish. Those infected suffer from upper abdominal discomfort, colicky abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. Occasionally the fluke eggs may migrate to the heart resulting in potentially fatal heart muscle and valve damage, and to other organs such as brain and spinal cord causing damage. The infection can be prevented by cooking fish thoroughly.]

 

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 September 2006)

In the Lima Province of Peru, 4 200 cases of Bartonellosis have been registered so far this year. On 12 September, 9 probable cases and 1 confirmed case of Bartonellosis were reported in the Canta Province. The majority of these cases were scattered throughout the province. Among these cases, 7 were children less than 10 years of age.

 

[Editor's Note: Bartonellosis is also known as Peruvian wart or Carrion's disease. It is acquired by the bite of sandflies and the disease cannot be transmitted from one person to another. The incubation period can last up to 2 months. There is no vaccine against the infection, but effective medical treatment can avoid fatal consequences.]

 

(Source: ProMED-mail 27 September 2006)

Ninety cases of Tularemia have been reported in Varmland of Sweden so far this year. Most of the cases were reported from areas near Lake Vanern.

 

An outbreak of Lassa Fever was reported in Nimba County of Liberia that lay between Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire.  There were 10 confirmed cases, among whom 7 died.  Health authorities reported that drug for treatment was lacking in the area.

 

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 September 2006)