Current Travel Health News

The Ministry of Health of Indonesia announced three new human case of H5N1 Avian Influenza infection. The first case was a 15-year-old female from Jakarta who developed symptoms on 2 February and is currently in hospital. The second case was a 16-year-old boy from Central Java province who had history of slaughtering sick chickens before ill and died on 10 February. The third case was a 3-year-old boy from Jakarta. He died on 15 February but it was not clear how he was infected. Of the 129 cases confirmed to date in Indonesia, 105 have been fatal.

(Source: World Health Organization 12 February 2008 & ProMED-mail 16 February 2008)

As of 5 February 2008, the Health Ministry of Singapore reported 13 probable cases of Chikungunya Fever. All cases were linked to a small localized area of the country and had no recent travel history.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 February 2008)

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health confirmed the second fatal human case of H1N5 Avian Influenza in this year. The victim was a 40-year-old man from Hai Duong Province. He developed symptoms on 2 February and died on 13 February. He had contact history with diseased and dead poultry.

(Source: World Health Organization 15 February 2008)

In Rio de Janeiro of Brazil, 2 150 cases of Dengue Fever were reported in January and 3 deaths due to the disease were registered so far this year. In Ceara State, 832 confirmed cases of Dengue Fever and 6 cases of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever were reported in the sixth week of this year.

In Peru, 3 probable cases of Dengue Fever were reported in Lima. Loreto Province was seriously hit by the disease with most of the cases reported in Iquitos, San Juan Bautista and Punchana Districts.

In Venezuela, 221 cases of Dengue Fever were reported in the state of Nueva Esparta in January. One death due to Dengue Fever was also reported in Falcon State so far this year.

(Source: ProMED-mail 11 February 2008)

The authority in Paraguay reported 3 Yellow Fever cases. The first case was a 25-year-old man from San Lorenzo, 20km from the capital Asuncion, who died of the disease. The second case was his neighbor, a 39-year-old woman who was seriously ill with similar symptoms. One case was reported in the Department of Concepcion. The patient is a 32-year-old teacher who developed symptoms after travelling to Asuncion, Caacupe and San Lorenzo and is now in hospital.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 & 17 February 2008)

As of 14 February, the Ministry of Health of Brazil reported 30 confirmed cases of Yellow Fever including 15 deaths. Out of the 15 confirmed cases, 19 cases were reported from Goias, 6 cases from Mato Grosso do Sul, 4 cases from Federal District and 1 case from Mato Grosso.

(Source: ProMED-mail 17 February 2008)

In Katanga Province of Democratic Republic of the Congo, 4 029 cases of Cholera including 97 deaths have been reported so far since the outbreak began in September last year. Most of the cases were reported in Likasi and Lubumbashi.

In Nigeria, an outbreak of Cholera which killed over 60 children was reported in Cross River State.

In Uganda, an outbreak of Cholera was reported in Kampala.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 February 2008)

In Indonesia, Avian Influenza has occurred in 8 sub districts in East Lampung District, on the southern tip of Sumatra Island. Local authorities ordered backyard farmers to keep their chickens inside their coops.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 February 2008)

In Bangladesh, Avian Influenza was confirmed in Meherpur district, Khulna Division. Local health workers have culled nearly 1100 fowl.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 February 2008)

An outbreak of Meningococcal Meningitis was reported in Central Africa Republic. The districts affected included Ouham, Ouham Pende and Nana-Grebizi.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 February 2008)

A total of 20 suspected human cases of pneumonic Plague were reported in Democratic Republic of the Congo, five of them died of the disease. Samples taken from the cases have been sent for laboratory investigations and the results were pending.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 February 2008)

In West Manggarai regency of East Nusa Tenggara, 40 cases of Rabies including 2 deaths were reported over the past 2 weeks. According to local data, about 25 % of the 200 000 dogs in that area have not been vaccinated.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 February 2008)