Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (26 February 2006)
Global: Avian Influenza
Since February 2006, a total of 13 countries had reported
Avian Influenza, namely
Iraq,
Nigeria,
Azerbaijan,
Bulgaria,
Greece,
Italy,
Slovenia,
Iran,
Austria,
Germany,
Egypt,
India and
France.
Malaysia reported a fresh outbreak in poultry after having been considered free of the disease for more than a year.
Most European countries had detected the virus in a small number of wild birds only.
In Azerbaijan, detection of the virus had coincided with die-offs of domestic birds. In Egypt, outbreaks in domestic poultry have now been confirmed in 10 governorates; deaths had also been reported in exotic zoo birds. In Iraq, presence of the virus in birds was found only after the country confirmed its first human case.
In Nigeria, as in India, the first cases were detected in large commercial farms.
Apart from Iraq, none of the countries had reported human cases. Iraq had reported two human cases, both of which were fatal.
(Source: World Health Organization 21 February 2006)
India: Avian Influenza, poultry
In India, about 300 000 birds had been culled in Maharashtra state, with tens of thousands more to be killed. In Navapur city where 30 000 people had been examined and 11 of the 12 people under quarantine had been tested negative for the virus.
At least 2 chickens found dead at a poultry farm were infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in western Gujarat state.
No human cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza virus had been found so far.
(Source: ProMED-mail 21, 23 and 26 February 2006)
Republic of Georgia: Avian Influenza, bird
In the capital of Tbilisi of
Republic of Georgia, the first case of H5N1
Avian Influenza virus had been detected in dead swans.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 February 2006)
Germany: Avian Influenza, bird
A wild duck and a swan found dead near the Polish border had been tested positive for
Avian Influenza.
(Source: ProMED-mail 26 February 2006)
Nigeria: Avian Influenza, poultry
The outbreak of
Avian Influenza in Kaduna State of Nigeria had now spread to poultry farms in Kano, Plateau, Katsina, Bauchi, and the Abuja area. No human cases had been detected to date.
(Source: World Health Organization 22 February 2006)
La Reunion: Chikungunya Disease
An epidemic of
Chikungunya Disease, a mosquito-borne disease, which started in February 2005, had killed 77 people on France's
La Reunion, and had affected some 130 000 people of the island's 775 000 population. It was spreading to neighbouring countries, including Seychelles and Mauritius. The disease is marked by high fever, severe joint pain and rashes.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 February 2006)
Angola: Cholera
In the capitol Luanda of Angola, 32 cases of Cholera had been detected. Half of the deaths were of children below 5 years of age.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 February 2006)
Malawi: Cholera
The
Cholera outbreak had killed 24 people and infected more than 2 000 others in southern
Malawi.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 February 2006)
Sudan: Cholera
In southern
Sudan, a total number of 3 793 cases and 77 deaths from acute watery diarrhoea was reported from two major towns, Yei and Juba, from 28 January to 21 February 2006. The organism,
Vibrio cholera Inaba had been isolated in several stool samples.
(Source: World Health Organization 24 February 2006)
Uganda: Cholera
In Koboko district of Uganda, the Cholera outbreak had attacked at least 24 people in the last 2 weeks.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 February 2006)
Zimbabwe: Cholera
In Zimbabwe's capital Harare, the recent outbreak of Cholera had caused about 30 deaths, 5 of them in the last week.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 February 2006)
South Africa: Diarrhoea
In Northwest Province of South Africa, at least 1 000 people had been infected in an outbreak of diarrhoea after drinking contaminated water on 19 February.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 February 2006)
Greece: Measles
Between 1 September 2005 and 12 February 2006, 171 cases of
Measles were reported in
Greece. Most of the cases were reported in northern Greece and most of the victims were unvaccinated for measles.
(Source: Eurosurveillance 23 February 2006)
Saudi Arabia: Dengue Fever
In
Saudi Arabia, there were 143 cases of
Dengue Fever and 4 deaths in the first 2 months this year. There were about 300 cases each year in 2004 and 2005.
(Source: ProMED-mail 25 February 2006)