Current Travel Health News

The health authority of Egypt notified WHO of a new case of human infection with Avian Influenza (H5N1) virus. The case is a 4 year-old female from Kfr -Elsheikh Governorate. She developed symptoms on 25 April 2012 and was admitted to a hospital on 26 April. She was discharged from the hospital on 7 May 2012 after treatment. Investigations indicated that the case had exposure to backyard poultry.

Of the 168 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 60 have been fatal.

(Source: WHO 7 June 2012)

As of 10 June 2012, there had been 37 confirmed and 45 suspected cases of Legionnaires'  Disease including one death reported in Edinburgh of Scotland, the United Kingdom since May. Investigation of the source of infection is ongoing.

 

(Source: NHS Lothian 10 June 2012)

A national increase in laboratory confirmed cases of Pertussis (whooping cough) was observed after the 2^nd quarter of 2011 in the United Kingdom. This increase continued into 2012. The provisional total of confirmed cases in 2012 as of the end of April in England and Wales was 1080 which is higher than the 248 cases in the same period in the last peak in 2008.

(Source: ProMED-mail 7 June 2012)

The Pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak in Auckland, New Zealand is continuing since the beginning of 2012. As of 25 May 2012, there were 274 confirmed or probable cases.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 June 2012)

Japanese Encephalitis which claimed numerous lives last year had returned in India. There were reports of death of 11 children in Muzaffarpur District and 4 in Gaya District of Bihar State. Over 24 children had been admitted into hospitals in both districts.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 June 2012)

There had been 18 Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) cases reported in the Upper Cumberland Region of Tennessee, the USA while more than 100 cases were reported statewide this year.  RMSF is considered the most serious tickborne disease in the USA. Usually, North Carolina and Tennessee are the two states that carry the most of it.

[Editor's note: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is transmitted by the bite of infective ticks. Its incubation period ranges from 3 to 10 days. Patient may present with fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea and skin rash. Travellers should adopt measures similar to anti-mosquito measures to avoid tick bite.]

(Source: ProMED-mail 6 June2012)

The USA reported its first human case of Plague in 2012. The case is a 78 year-old man in New Mexico and is currently hospitalized in stable condition.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 June 2012)

As widespread violent clashes occurred in many cities across Syria, including Daraa, Latakia, Damascus, Baniyas, Aleppo, Homs and Hama, resulting in serious casualties, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for Syria to Black. Residents are urged to avoid all travel to the country. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and avoid protests and large gatherings of people.

For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.

(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 26 April 2011)

Following the hostage taking incident in the Philippines which had caused casualties, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for the Philippines to Black. Hong Kong residents are urged to avoid all travel to the Philippines. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and stay alert.

For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.

(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 20 September 2010)

For more information, please visit the World Health Organization webpage.