Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (10 March 2008)
Philippines: Typhoid Fever (update)
In the Philippines, there were so far 1 477 reported cases of Typhoid Fever in Calamba City, Laguna Province. The outbreak started in mid February and the number of cases has been rising steadily. Preliminary investigation showed that the source of infection might come from contaminated water.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 March 2008)
Up to now, 106 cases of Poliomyelitis were reported in India.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 March 2008)
Health officials of Sri Lanka reported that recently there were about 150 cases of Chikungunya Fever in Kuruwita-Erathna area, Sabaragamuwa Province.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 March 2008)
In Angola, an outbreak of Cholera which killed 82 people was reported in Cunene Province. The province has been affected by flooding since January this year.
In Katanga Province of Democratic Republic of the Congo, 5 483 cases of Cholera including 120 deaths were reported in the first seven weeks this year.
In Northeastern Province of Kenya, the outbreak of Cholera continued. More cases and deaths were reported.
In Zimbabwe, an outbreak of Cholera affecting 14 people was reported in Harare. The disease might be imported from Mudzi District where an outbreak had killed 7 people. In February, another outbreak of Cholera affecting 9 people including 1 death was reported in Mashonaland Central.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 March 2008)
Egypt confirmed 2 new cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza. The first case was an 11-year-old boy from Menofia Governorate. The second case was an 8-year-old boy from Fayoum Province. Both of them had contacted sick or dead poultry before symptoms onset. Of the 47 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 20 have been fatal.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 March 2008 and ProMED-mail 8 March 2008)
Since 2008, in the metropolitan region of Belem in the state of Para of Brazil, some 4 838 cases of Dengue Fever cases including 16 Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever cases and 6 deaths have been reported. Up to 25 February 2008, there were 3 263 Dengue Fever cases In Bahia state. The state of Rio de Janeiro has already registered 8 485 cases of Dengue Fever and 14 deaths in January 2008.
In week of 10 February 2008, there have been 1 406 Dengue Fever cases in Peru, mostly from the Loreto.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 March 2008)
In Argentina, one case of Yellow Fever was confirmed in Misiones Province. The victim was a 24-year-old man working in a jungle where monkeys died of the disease have been reported.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 March 2008)
Paraguay: Yellow Fever [update 4]
The Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay has reported that more than 1.27 million people have been vaccinated against Yellow Fever in 18 departments. The total number of confirmed Yellow Fever cases in Paraguay has risen to 22, with 11 in San Pedro, 9 in Laurelty and 2 in other areas. Another 12 suspected cases are being investigated.
(Source: World Health Organization 7 March 2008)
Trinidad and Tobago: Dengue Fever
In Trinidad and Tobago, there have been 108 confirmed Dengue Fever cases reported for the first 7 weeks of 2008.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 March 2008)
Vietnam: Avian Influenza, poultry
In Vietnam, an outbreak of Avian Influenza was reported in a poultry farm in Soc Son District. Around 3 700 birds were culled. The northern province of Tuyen Quang also reported an outbreak in Son Duong District. Eight out of the 12 provinces and cities affected by Avian Influenza were in northern region.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 March 2008)
India: Avian Influenza, poultry
In West Bengal of India, an outbreak of Avian Influenza which killed about 900 birds was confirmed in Murshidabad District.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 March 2008)
The Department of Health in Negros Oriental, the Philippines has recorded 174 Dengue Fever cases, with no death, in 2008 till 26 February.
In Vietnam, nearly 4000 individuals have been infected with Dengue Fever in 2008. The disease is spreading mostly in the central and southern provinces, of which Ho Chi Minh City, Tien Giang and Ben Tre are hardest hit.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 March 2008)
The Dengue Fever epidemic in New Caledonia has now affected some 104 persons since the beginning of 2008. Most of the cases are concentrated in the capital Noumea, on the island of Lifou (part of the Loyalty group), and on the Isle of Pines.
In French Polynesia, since the beginning of 2008, more than a dozen persons have been infected with Dengue Fever.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 March 2008)
In Australia, a total of 14 cases of Dengue Fever were reported in Port Douglas.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 March 2008)