Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (17 November 2008)
As of 10 November 2008, 37 confirmed cases of Cholera were reported in Hainan Province in the Mainland. Hundreds of suspected cases were also reported in the province.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 November 2008)
Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human
In Indonesia, a local hospital in Makassar, South Sulawesi, recently admitted 17 suspected cases of Avian Influenza. All the patients were residents of Sudiang subdistrict in Bringkanaya District. Seven of them were tested positive of H5N1 Avian Influenza. Dead chicken were found in the neighbourhoods. (Source: Asianewsnet 14 November 2008)
Thailand: Avian Influenza, poultry
In Thailand, an outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza which killed 5 chickens was reported in Sukhothai Province. Authorities have culled the remaining 12 chickens. Another outbreak of Avian Influenza among fowls was reported in Uthai Thani Province.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 10 November 2008 and ProMED-mail 15 November 2008)
In Vietnam, 35 people with acute diarrhea were reported in Ha Tinh City. Among them, 11 were tested positive for Cholera.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 November 2008)
Following the recent heavy rainfalls, an outbreak of Dengue Fever affecting 180 people was reported in Vietnam’s northern region. The capital Hanoi was also affected.
(Source: Pro-MED mail 11 November 2008)
In India, there was an recent upsurge in the number of cases of Dengue Fever in Punjab. A total of 437 cases were reported so far.
(Source: ProMED-mail 11 November 2008)
In India, 2 426 cases of acute encephalitis syndrome with 447 deaths were reported in Uttar Pradesh so far this year. Among these, some cases were caused by Japanese Encephalitis.
(Source: ProMED-mail 15 November 2008)
In India, 4 781 cases of Falciparum Malaria were reported in West Bengal so far this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 11 November 2008)
Pakistan: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever
Pakistan reported a suspected case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever affecting a 27-year-old male.
(Source: ProMED-mail 17 November 2008)
The recent report of Ministry of Health indicated that 738 confirmed Cholera cases including 8 deaths were registered in Iraq as of 4 November 2008.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 November 2008)
In Mexico, 32 cases of Dengue Fever were reported in Parque Hundido and the surrounding neighborhoods of Gomez Palacio.
(Source: ProMED-mail 11 November 2008)
In Brazil, dead howler monkeys were found Yellow Fever positive in the municipalities of Tres Passos and Tiradentes do Sul in the northwestern part of Rio Grande do Sul State. The Ministry of Health recommends vaccination of people older than 9 months of age in forested areas for visitors (10 days before visiting) and residents.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 November 2008)
In Democratic Republic of the Congo, by the end of October 2008, there were approximately 1 094 suspected cases of Cholera; 398 of them were reported from Rutshuru health zone located 65 km north of Goma. Insecurity, massive population displacement, weak health services and a lack of safe water and proper sanitation facilities have caused a marked increase in the number of people with Cholera.
In Mozambique, an outbreak of Cholera affecting about 250 people with 48 deaths was reported in the central region. The provinces affected included Manica, Tete and Zambezia.
An outbreak of Cholera affecting 1 224 people with 42 deaths was reported in Zimbabwe. The worst affected areas included Harare, Nyamapanda, Chinhoyi and Kariba.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 and 14 November 2008)
In Angola, an outbreak of Schistosomiasis affecting more than 300 people with at least 9 deaths was reported in Nzeto District.
(Source: ProMED-mail 16 November 2008)
In Zimbabwe, an outbreak of Anthrax which killed at least 6 people was reported in Matabeleland North.
(Source: ProMED-mail 16 November 2008)