Current Travel Health News

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza infection killed 4 850 birds in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of the Mainland. The authorities culled another 29 383 birds.

(Source: Ministry of Agriculture, China 5 January 2008 and ProMED-mail 4 January 2008)

The Centre for Health Protection of Hong Kong SAR reported an imported Food Poisoning outbreak involving 12 people. They developed gastroenteritis symptoms after consuming a meal in a restaurant on Hainan Island of the Mainland on 30 December 2007. The public are reminded to observe good personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times to prevent food-borne diseases.

(Source: Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR 4 January 2008)

In the United Kingdom, the number of cases of Norovirus Infection in 2007 was the highest since 2002. In 2007, the number of cases reported in England and Wales from early September to early December were 1 325, nearly doubled those seen in 2006 (685 cases). The actual number of cases might be as many as 2 million people. New cases are expected to peak in January 2008 with up to 200 000 cases per week.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 January 2008)

In Indonesia, Chikungunya Fever has infected thousands of people in Bandarlampung in December 2007. The worst hit area was in Sukarame.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 January 2008)

Avian Influenza has hit 2 more poultry farms in the southern province of Tra Vinh in Vietnam. A total of 600 geese were culled. A 4-year-old boy from the northern Son La Province died of Avian Influenza on 16 December 2007, becoming the country's 5th victim of the H5N1 strain in 2007. All specimens from the poultry in the province have been tested negative for H5N1. The child might have contracted the virus from infected wild birds hunted and brought home by his family members.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 and 3 January 2008)

Bird flu has spread to two more districts in Bangladesh, forcing health and veterinary workers to cull around 1 800 birds. The latest H5N1 Avian Influenza infection was reported on Kurigram and Dinajpur town. So far, 21 out of 64 districts of the country have been affected by the deadly virus.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 and 4 January 2008)

In India, after affecting people in North 24-Parganas and Kolkata of West Bengal, Chikungunya Fever has now spread to South 24-Parganas. Seven people were tested positive of Chikungunya Fever.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 January 2008)

Authorities in Israel began the process of culling some 4 000 chickens and turkeys at Moshav Beit Hanania as a safety measure to contain the Avian Influenza outbreak among the chicken in a Binyamina kindergarten petting zoo.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 January 2008)

Between 23 and 30 December 2007, at least 34 new cases of Cholera were reported in Cunene Province of Angola. There had been no fatalities so far.

A total of 17 people from Cibitoke province of Burundi have been quarantined in the hospital due to Cholera. Other outbreaks of Cholera which were recently announced in Nyanza Lac have been brought under control.

In Democratic Republic of the Congo, an outbreak of Cholera affecting at least 1 300 people, including 5 deaths, was reported in Rutshuru.

As of 16 December 2007, 291 cases of Cholera including 8 deaths were reported in Malawi. The affected areas included Nsanje, Blantyre, Nkhotakota, Mulanje, Thyolo, and Chikwawa.

On 1 January 2008, an outbreak of Cholera with 10 deaths was confirmed in Benue State of Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 31 December 2007 and 4 January 2008)

Egypt announced that 4 women from Bany Suwef, Dakahlyah, Menoufia and Domiatt Governorate respectively died of H5N1 Avian Influenza infection in the last week of December 2007. Initial investigations revealed that they all had contacted sick or dead birds before the onset of symptoms. (Source: ProMED-mail 1, 3 and 4 January 2008, World Health Organization 2 and 3 January 2008, and Xinhuanet 1 January 2008)

In Uganda, the cumulative total of Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever patients is 149 including 37 deaths. The health authorities of the country urged the public to avoid unnecessary movements and gatherings especially in the districts around Bundibugyo,

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 January 2008)