Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (10 September 2007)
Zhuhai reported 25 confirmed and 16 suspected cases of Dengue Fever in the last 2 weeks. Officials attributed the outbreak to the rainy weather which favored mosquito reproduction.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2007)
Taiwan reported 89 cases of Dengue Fever in the week from 9 to 15 August 2007, including, 44 cases from a veterans' home in Tainan City. The cluster in Tainan was the largest in the past 10 years. Drains on the roof and water reservoirs of air conditioners were the main mosquito breeding areas in the veteran’s home.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2007)
Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human
In Indonesia, the Ministry of Health confirmed a human case of H5N1 Avian Influenza affecting a 33-year-old man from Sumatra island who died on 6 September. In addition, two children and one adult on the island of Bali were currently being treated as suspected cases of Avian Influenza.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 September 2007)
Myanmar: Avian Influenza, poultry
In Myanmar, an outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza was confirmed in a poultry farm in Mon state. A total of 500 chickens were culled. Another outbreak was also reported in the neighbouring Karen state.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 September 2007)
In the Philippines, Laguna province reported 223 new cases of Dengue Fever in August 2007 demonstrating a 36% increase when compared with the figure in July this year. In Iloilo City, 68 cases of Dengue Fever were reported in August 2007, which was some 20 percent higher comparing with the figure in the same month last year. A total of 8 and 11 deaths were reported in August this year in the above 2 areas respectively.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2007)
In Vietnam, there were 52 107 cases of Dengue Fever with 49 deaths so far this year. The number of Dengue Fever cases this year is the highest since 1999. Southern provinces comprising of Tien Giang, Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang and Soc Trang have witnessed the highest numbers of cases.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2007)
The death toll from an outbreak of Cholera in eastern India (southwest of Orissa state's capital) increased to 197, with thousands of people still being treated for the disease
(Source: ProMED-mail 3, 4 and 8 September 2007)
The wasps in the World Heritage Site of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka recently went on a frenzy and stung dozens of tourists. Sri Lankan military officers sent at least 100 victims to the hospital.
(Source: World Travel Watch 5 September 2007)
Italy: Chikungunya Fever (update)
As of 4 September, 166 cases of Chikungunya Fever with one death were reported in the Ravenna province, Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Among the cases, 147 came from two small villages, namely, Castiglione di Cervia and Castiglione di Ravenna; whereas 19 came from the neighbouring suburbs of the towns of Cesena and Cervia. Aedes albopictus is the most likely vector of this outbreak.
(Source: Health Protection Agency, UK 4 September 2007 and EuroSurveillance 6 September 2007)
An inhabitant of the Tunkinsky district in Buryatia of Russia was infected with Anthrax.after participated in the slaughter of an infected cow in late August.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 September2007)
Russia: Avian Influenza, poultry
On 4 September 2007, Russian authorities reported the 3rd outbreak of Avian Influenza this year after 410 birds died in a poultry farm in the southern Krasnodar region. Another 414 birds were culled and strict quarantine measures were put in place.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 September 2007)
Russia: West Nile Virus Infection, human
In the Volgograd region of Russia, 22 cases of West Nile Virus Infection with 2 deaths have been registered so far this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 September 2007)
In Brazil, there was a record high of 808 Dengue Fever cases in Caraguatatuba of Sao Paulo state. For Sao Paulo state as a whole, 59 498 Dengue Fever cases have been registered so far this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2007)
Honduras registered almost 1600 new cases of Dengue Fever last week (27-31 Aug 2007), most of them were reported in the capital Tegucigalpa. Public Health official said Dengue Fever and Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever have already affected 16 878 and 823 people respectively, and 8 of them died of the disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2007)
Kenya: Counterfeit anti-malarial drug
In Kenya, the Chinese drug-maker Holley-Cotec Pharmaceuticals announced 2 weeks ago that it was withdrawing at least 20 000 doses of Duo-cotecxin, an anti-malarial drug, after discovering the Kenyan market had been flooded with counterfeits which contained low levels of the active ingredients.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 September 2007)
Outbreaks of Schistosomiasis in Tanzania have affected over 20 travellers. All of them have swum in a freshwater pond at a hotel near Lake Eyasi. Experts advise travellers to avoid fresh water exposure while travelling in most part of Africa.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 September 2007)
Outbreaks of Cholera has spread to Arbil, the 3rd affected city in the northern Iraq. A total of 6 cases were recently reported and the local hospital has been receiving 10 to 15 suspected cases everyday. Iraqi health officials confirmed that there were at least 131 cases with 9 deaths recorded so far.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 and 8 September 2007)
Israel: West Nile Virus Infection, human
In the Northern District of Israel, 4 human cases of West Nile Virus Infection were reported in Afula region.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 September 2007)