Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (7 April 2010)
Worldwide: Swine and Seasonal Influenza
As of 21 March 2010, worldwide more than 213 countries and overseas territories or communities have reported laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009, including at least 16 931 deaths.
(Source: Swine and Seasonal Flu Monitor, Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong 1 April 2010)
Vietnam: Avian Influenza, human
Vietnam reported two new human case of Avian Influenza. The victim were a 3-year-old girl from Binh Duong province and a 22-year-old male from Bac Kan province. The former developed symptoms on 5 March and died on 17 March 2010. The latter was confirmed H5N1 positive on 5 April 2010 and was being treated at the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases.
(Source: World Health Organization 29 March 2010 & ProMED-mail 5 April 2010)
The Ministry of Health of Egypt announced three new cases of human H5N1 Avian Influenza infection. The first case was a 30-year-old female from Damietta district, Damietta Governorate. She was admitted to hospital on 24 March and was in a critical condition. The second case was a 4-year-old male from Beba district, Beni Suaif Governorate. He was admitted to hospital on 18 March and died on 24 March.
The third case was a 18-year-old woman from Al-Fayyoum Governorate who was admitted to hospital on 31 March. The first two cases had exposure to sick and dead poultry. Of the 109 confirmed cases of the disease reported in Egypt, 34 were fatal.
(Source: World Health Organization 30 March 2010 & ProMED-mail 5 April 2010)
Bulgaria: Avian Influenza, bird
In Bulgaria, a wild bird found death at Varna was tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza virus.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 1 April 2010)
Mainland: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
In the Mainland, a total of 1 717 cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease including 2 deaths were reported in Pingdingshan city of Henan Province so far this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2010)
Singapore: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
In Singapore, 4 269 cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease were reported in the country in the first 3 months of this year. This figure represented a 15 percent increase as compared with the same period last year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2010)
As of 20 March, the Ministry of Health of Thailand has reported 8 504 cases of Dengue Fever this year, of whom 13 died.
(Source: Ministry of Health, Thailand 30 March 2010)
As of 27 March, the Ministry of Health of Malaysia has reported 12 157 cases of Dengue Fever this year, of whom 43 died.
(Source: Ministry of Health, Malaysia 1 April 2010)
As of 27 March, the Ministry of Health of Malaysia has reported 500 cases of Chikungunya Fever this year.
(Source: Ministry of Health, Malaysia 1 April 2010)
In the Philippines, at least 3 deaths due to Rabies were reported in Central Visayas in the first quarter of this year, two were reported in Cebu province and the other at the Negros Oriental.
(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2010)
From 4 January 2010 to 28 March 2010, the Ministry of Health of Chad reported 1531 suspected cases of meningococcal disease including 151 deaths. So far, seven districts, namely Bébidja, Bédjondo, Béré, Doba, Dono-Manga, Goundi and Laï, have crossed the epidemic threshold, while five others including Bénoye, Laokassi and Sarh crossed the alert threshold.
(Source: World Health Organization 1 April 2010)
South Africa: Rift Valley Fever [update]
In South Africa, the outbreak of Rift Valley Fever continued to affect the country. Up to now, 82 cases with 5 deaths were reported in the country. Free State province was seriously hit by the disease with 66 cases and 4 deaths.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 April 2010)
In Argentina, an outbreak of Leptospirosis affecting 48 people with one death was reported in Entre Rios province. Leptospirosis had been reported recently in the neighboring Santa Fe province.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 April 2010)