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WORLD TRAVEL HEALTH ALERTS – September 14, 2011
– WHO, CDC extends a helping hand to Vietnam
– Dengue epidemic spreading in Pakistan
– Polio returns to Kenya
– New cases of scarlet fever in Hong Kong
– Flu on hold as northern winter approaches
– Measles: round-up of global alerts
– Three Indian state battle encephalitis
– Lack of dog control leads to rabies in China, Bolivia
– Monsoon rains bring malaria to central India.
– Guyana fears return of malaria
– UN names Zimbabwe’s cholera hot spots
– Mosquitoes may be spreading flesh-eating bacterium
– Listeria outbreak traced to rock melons
– Anthrax claims more victims in Zambia
WHO, CDC extends a helping hand to Vietnam
Teams from the WHO and America’s Center for Disease Control (CDC) have joined the battle to bring the Vietnam’s countrywide epidemic of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) under control. Vietnam has now recorded 42,673 cases and 98 deaths this year – mostly children aged 3 years or younger. More details.
Advice to travellers: There is no vaccine or preventative medication for HFMD, which mainly occurs in children. While most recover without treatment, paralysis or death can occur in severe cases. Travellers, especially those with children, should be aware that it is spread by direct contact with an infected person, or with surfaces contaminated with the virus. Good hygiene practices greatly reduce the risk of infection.
Dengue epidemic spreading in Pakistan
Dengue fever is spreading rapidly throughout Pakistan, including major centres such as Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Abbottabad. Hard hit Punjab province has begun importing medication and mosquito-spraying equipment from India, and authorities have also approached Sri Lanka for medicine, equipment, and technical assistance to combat the widening epidemic. More details.
Meanwhile, in the country’s south, torrential monsoon rains have triggered flooding that is affecting more than five million people, including many still recovering from last year’s devastating floods. More details.
THE BAHAMAS – There are signs The Bahamas’ epidemic is slowing, despite hundreds of new cases last week taking the tally to more than 4000. The majority of cases are from eastern and southeastern communities. More details.
MALDIVES – Dengue has again flared in recent weeks, with a fresh surge of hospital admissions. More than 2421 cases (11 deaths) have been recorded in the first 8 months. More details.
Polio returns to Kenya
Kenya has belatedly announced its first case of wild poliovirus since 2009. It occurred in late July in the city of Rongo, which is beside Lake Victoria, in western Kenya’s Nyanza Province. More details.
Advice to travellers: Polio is a low risk for travellers. However, as part of their
pre-travel medical preparations, we advise travellers check their immunisation status for all childhood diseases, including polio, whooping cough, tetanus, diphtheria, mumps, and measles.
New cases of scarlet fever in Hong Kong
The number of scarlet fever cases in Hong Kong has now passed 1100, with an undisclosed number of new cases reported since schools reopened after holidays recently. The widespread outbreak, which killed 2 children, has also affected Macau (87 cases) and the southern mainland province of Guangdong (847) since it began June. More details.
Flu on hold as northern winter approaches
Around the world, flu activity is generally low, according to the WHO. The southern hemisphere is emerging from a generally mild flu season as the northern hemisphere awaits its 2011-12 winter. The current seasonal vaccine is expected to protect against any new flu strain that may emerge. This WHO update details flu activity across the globe. More details.
Advice to travellers: Influenza is the most common vaccine-preventable illness and Travelvax recommends vaccination for all travellers. The new southern hemisphere seasonal flu vaccine protects against both the swine flu (H1N1) and B strains.
Measles: round-up of latest global alerts
Outbreaks recorded in the past week included:
IRELAND – A vaccination campaign is underway in Dublin after a surge in cases among school students. Of the 135 cases nationwide this year, 95 have come from the city’s inner north district. More details.
TANZANIA – Zanzibar has recorded 262 cases – 70 during August – prompting a vaccination campaign on the main islands of Unguja and Pemba. More details.
ZAMBIA - Ten people are being treated in the Chiengi and Nchelenge districts (Luapula province). More details.
COLOMBIA – Outbreaks are occurring in the northern coastal city of Barranquilla, and the adjoining departments of Atlantico and Bolivar. More details.
USA – A refugee child who arrived in Wisconsin with measles has prompted a public alert in Milwaukee. More details.
NEW ZEALAND – With only 2 new cases in the last fortnight, Auckland’s 4 month-long outbreak is slowing. Of the 119 infected, 9 people required hospital treatment and 10 remain under quarantine. More details.
Advice to travellers: With measles outbreaks continuing in many parts of the world, we recommend that Australian travellers who have not had measles or have not received two documented doses of live virus vaccine consider a booster, regardless of their destination. We also advise travellers check their immunisation status for childhood diseases suc
h as whooping cough, diphtheria, mumps, and polio, as part of their pre-travel preparations.
Three Indian states battle encephalitis
In northern India, Japanese encephalitis and acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) fatalities have risen sharply in Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states. Of the 1360 people hospitalised in Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), 190 were from the Siwan and Gopalganj districts of neighbouring Bitar State.
In Bihar’s Gaya district the twin diseases have killed 9 children in the past 2 weeks – a quarter of those infected. The origins of AES remain a mystery. More details.
According to recent government figures (Aug 23), JE or AES have now been responsible for 3445 cases and 450 deaths in Assam (1189 cases, 228 deaths), Uttar Pradesh (1071, 150), and Bihar (288, 54) this year. More details.
Advice to travellers: Travellers heading to regions with seasonal JE or other severe mosquito-borne diseases should discuss their itinerary and risk of exposure with a travel health professional. For advice on whether vaccination should be considered, call Travelvax on 1300 360 164. Australians heading to all rural or urban areas of India should also consider anti-malaria medication. As always, we also advise travellers to cover up and use an effective insect repellent at all times when outdoors.
Lack of dog control leads to rabies in China, Bolivia
Shanghai has seen a spate of rabies deaths linked to dog attacks. After just one fatality last year, 6 people have died in the Chinese city this year and 40,000 p
eople were treated for dog bites – a rise of 40%. Few dogs are registered or vaccinated against rabies, and dog owners allow their dogs to run loose in the city’s suburbs, animal welfare groups say. More details.
Residents of the Bolivian city of Oruro fear human infections after 10 recent canine cases. An estimated 30,000 stray dogs roam the city’s streets, with 10 people bitten by dogs each day. Cochabamba has also been a hot spot for the disease this year. More details.
Advice to travellers: With a few exceptions, rabies is present most countries and dog bites cause 99% of human fatalities. The risk of rabies for short-stay visitors is generally low, but rises for longer stays – especially for children. Travellers should avoid any contact with wild and domestic animals. However, it is vital to first treat any wound correctly and to seek urgent post-exposure treatment if bitten. Read more on rabies.
Monsoon rains bring malaria to central India.
Monsoon rains have caused a spike in malaria cases in Indore, the commercial center of Madhya Pradesh State in central India. The city reported 2621 cases last month, with health authorities saying mosquitoes are breeding in the large number of infrastructure projects and construction sites. More details.
Advice to travellers: Malaria is highly endemic in India and is p
resent throughout the year in rural and urban areas, including major cities. The risk is higher during and immediately after the monsoon rains. Travelvax recommends that travellers discuss their itinerary and preventative malaria medication at their nearest Travelvax clinic, or with their healthcare provider. For advice, call Travelvax on 1300 360 164.
Hepatitis A outbreak linked to travel
In Estonia, there have been 29 cases Hepatitis A in southern Viljandi County in the past 3 weeks. The outbreak was ‘imported’ by a travellers who contracted the disease abroad. More details.
Guyana fears return of malaria
In Guyana, there are fears malaria could return to densely populated coastal regions through a combination of urbanization and economic development, as well as rising temperatures and increased rainfall brought on by global warming. More details.
UN names Zimbabwe’s cholera hot spots
The southeastern districts of Chipinge and Chiredzi are Zimbabwe’s cholera hot spots, responsible for almost 80% of the country’s cases this year. However, a UN-run sanitation and hygiene program is having positive results. Of the country’s 62 districts, only 10 have reported cases in 2011, including Bikita, Buhera, Chimanimani, Chegutu, Chipinge, Chiredzi, Kadoma, Murewa, Mutare, and Mutasa. More details.
Mosquitoes may be spreading flesh-eating bacterium
There have been 35 cases of Buruli ulcer in Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula this year – a 75% increase on 2010. Expert believe the flesh-eating bacterium may be spread by mosquitoes, or through open wounds. More details.
Advice to travellers: Southeast Australia is the only non-tropical area in the world where the Buruli ulcer occurs. The disease is treated with targeted antibiotics, although resistance often renders drugs ineffective. More often, treatment is by surgical excision of the lesion, or by skin grafting. Travellers to the peninsula should minimise mosquito bites through the use an effective repellent, and cover open wounds.
Listeria outbreak traced to rock melons
Contaminated rock melons (cantaloupes) were the source of a Listeria outbreak which has killed one person and infected 15 others in Colorado (11 cases), Nebraska (1), Oklahoma (1), and Texas (2) in the past month, the America’s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has announced. More details.
Anthrax claims more victims in Zambia
In Zambia’s eastern province, the number of people ill after eating anthrax-infected hippo meat has risen to 278, with 5 deaths. The disease has now killed more than 90 hippos in the Chama district in the past 3 weeks. More details.
Travelvax Australia compiles this weekly bulletin of global travel health alerts, risk assessments and advice for the information of Australian travellers and the travel industry. Please contact our travel health advisory service on 1300 360 164 for broad destination-specific advice and vaccination recommendations. Recommended vaccines, travel medication, trip-specific advice and accessories are available during a medical consultation with a travel health professional at any of Travelvax Australia’s 32 clinics. Visit our website or call 1300 360 164 for details.
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