Current Travel Health Alerts

AUSTRALIA: Measles alert in Brisbane; Queensland’s chlamydia rate soaring/ BRAZIL: North east states battle dengue/ CAMBODIA: Steroids blamed for HFMD deaths/ CHINA: HFMD on the rise; Rabies death in Beijing; Outbreak closes facility/ CUBA: Cholera ‘under control’; Dengue deaths/ GREECE: West Nile virus surfaces in Athens

AUSTRALIA: Measles alert in Brisbane; Queensland’s chlamydia rate soaring

QUEENSLAND Health has issued a warning for people at Brisbane airport’s domestic terminal and the Westfield Chermside shopping centre last Friday to be on alert for measles symptoms after an infection person visited the two venues. Read more.

Chlamydia rates have risen sharply this year in Queensland – most notably on the Gold Coast. Australia’s leading tourist destination has recorded 967 of the state’s 9382 cases this year. Read more.

BRAZIL: North east states battle dengue

Three north-eastern states are battling dengue fever. In Ceara State, this year’s 58,703 dengue cases in 152 municipalities is the fourth largest tally ever. Worst affected is Fortaleza (30,437 cases), followed by the state capital, Maracanau (1195). Bahia state has reported 54 363 suspected dengue cases this year. Cases are usually lower midyear, but were up 19% in May and 21% in June. Half the municipalities in Alagoas state are facing a dengue epidemic. In Maceio city, 30 neighbourhoods are affected. Read more (ProMED Alert, July 16)

Advice to travellers: Tropical destinations hold a risk of dengue fever – regardless of your level of accommodation or length of stay. As there is no vaccine or preventative medication, all travellers should cover up and apply an insect repellent containing an effective active ingredient, such as DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus when outdoors.

CAMBODIA: Steroids blamed for HFMD deaths

The inappropriate use of steroids in treating children with hand, foot and mouth disease linked to enterovirus 71 may have contributed to the country’s 54 deaths, according to the WHO. Cambodian Red Cross this week donated $US1million to Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital to help treat children with the deadly disease and dengue fever. Read more.

Advice to travellers: Parents of young children should be aware of that epidemics of HFMD have been widespread in developed and developing countries this year. The virus mainly affects young children and symptoms include fever, oral lesions, and rash on the hands, feet and buttocks. There is no vaccine or preventative medication, but good hand hygiene will greatly reduce the risk of infection.

CHINA: HFMD on the rise; Rabies death in Beijing; Outbreak closes facility

Health authorities have warned hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is increasing in numerous Chinese provinces, with 381,000 cases and 112 deaths reported last month. Read more.

THE death of a man bitten by his dog is the fifth human case of rabies in Beijing this year. Read more (ProMED Alert, July 12)

IN Hong Kong, health officials are investigating 25 cases of parvovirus (Fifth disease) at a child-minding facility in Yuen Long. Fifth disease is a mild illness that occurs mostly in children, causing a rash on the cheeks, arms, and legs. Read more.

Advice to travellers: Visitors to Beijing City should be aware that rabies virus infection is still prevalent in the canine population of the city, despite stringent controls. Dog bites are the most common cause of human fatalities. Travellers should avoid any contact with dogs and other wild or domestic animals, and seek urgent post-exposure treatment if bitten. To discuss the rabies risk for your itinerary, call Travelvax Australia on 1300 360 164.

CUBA: Cholera ‘under control’; Dengue deaths

With 158 cholera cases and 3 deaths, health officials say the island’s outbreak has been contained. Almost all the cases have come from Manzanillo, a city 676km east of Havana. Read more.

The island reportedly recorded 5 recent dengue deaths, although the number of cases is not known.

GREECE: West Nile virus surfaces in Athens

Five cases of West Nile Virus have been recorded in the last week from southern neighbourhoods of Athens. The mosquito-borne disease was first detected in Greece in 2010, when there were 262 cases and 35 deaths. Read more.

Advice to travellers: WNV generally causes only mild flu-like symptoms. However, in a small number of cases – particularly among elderly patients – the virus can cause potentially fatal meningitis or encephalitis. Travellers should take all precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

INDIA: Malaria escalating; Mumbai water warning; Dengue in Delhi; JE claims 22 in Assam

Malaria transmission is on the rise in many Indian states. There have been reports from the national capital, New Delhi, Candolim (Goa State), Nashik (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh). Previously regarded as malaria-free, Delhi is now considered endemic for the disease.

Mumbai’s residents are angry over the city’s contaminated drinking water. Read more.

DENGUE cases have been reported in Delhi (5 cases), and Karnataka state (30). Read more (ProMED Alert, July 16)

WITH monsoon-fuelled malaria and dengue on the rise, Jaipur is now faced with an outbreak of Chikungunya virus (29 cases). Read more.

At least 22 people died of Japanese encephalitis in Assam's Sivasagar district last week, according to a media report. Read more.

Advice to travellers: Malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, Chikungunya fever and Japanese encephalitis are prevalent in India, particularly during and just after the current monsoon rains. Consider taking malaria prevention medication when travelling to urban and rural areas of India, and apply an effective personal insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus, to exposed skin when outdoors. The JE season is now underway in India and travellers whose itinerary may put them at risk should discuss vaccination with a travel health professional at Travelvax (landline toll-free 1300 360 164).

MADAGASCAR: Surge in TB cases

Chronic malnutrition and poverty have contributed to a surge in tuberculosis (TB). Last year 26,700 people contracted TB – a jump of 16% on 2009. Read more.

MALAYSIA: Kuching tops HFMD tally

In Sarawak, rates of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) remain high. Kuching division reported the highest number of cases (115), followed by Sri Aman (64); Miri (57); Sibu (31); Kapit (26); Betong (21), Bintulu (15); Mukah (14) and Sarikei (3). Read more.

MEXICO: Four-fold dengue increase in Oaxaca

Oaxaca State’s dengue total has climbed to 170 – four times the number last year. In the municipality of Reforma Putla there have been 27 dengue cases this month. Read more (ProMED Alert, July 16)

NEW ZEALAND: Canterbury’s flu rates soar

Canterbury’s 155 flu cases of A(H3N2) strain are almost five times the national average. Some 52 people are in isolation in Christchurch Hospital – 5 in intensive care. Read more.

Advice to travellers: With the southern flu season underway, Australian travellers are at risk of infection during domestic or international travel. Consider having the current seasonal flu vaccine as part of your pre-travel vaccinations – ideally a month before departure. Call Travelvax’s travel health advisory service toll-free on 1300 360 164 for advice and information.

PAKISTAN: More dengue in Karachi

In Karachi (Sindh province) 9 new dengue cases have brought the total to 105. Read more (ProMED Alert, July 16)

PHILIPPINES: Bicol declares cholera epidemic; Dengue hit 3 provinces

Cholera cases in the Bicol region have reached epidemic level, with 30 deaths and 3158 people affected in 1st half of 2012. Case numbers rose in 5 of Bicol’s 6 provinces, including Catanduanes (1831 cases, 14 deaths), Camarines Sur (811, 7), Sorsogon (291, 5), Albay (168, 4), Camarines Norte (54 cases), and Masbate (3 cases). Read more.

DENGUE was reported this week from Maguindanao province (52 cases, 2 deaths) and Caraga in Davao Oriental province (29,2). Ifugao Provincial Health Office has recorded 287 dengue cases this year – almost double last year’s figure. Read more.

SAMOA: Dengue fells young Kiwis

Ten young people from an Auckland youth group have reportedly come down with dengue fever during a Catholic youth celebration on Apia last week. A local doctor’s home has been turned into a makeshift clinic to accommodate the sick. Read more.

SOMALIA: Cholera adds to Kismayo’s woes

With 65 cholera cases already confirmed, the water-borne disease is on the rise in Kismayo, a town in southern Somalia’s Jubbada Hoose Province held by Islamists. Read more.

THAILAND: Dengue in Mae Hong Son

Cambodia children are being turned back at the border at Surin to prevent thepotentially deadly enterovirus type 71 (EV-71) strain entering the country. More than 13,000 HFMD cases were reported across Thailand in the first six months of this year, with 624 more in the first week of July forcing the close of nursery schools in lower northeast provinces. Read more.

USA: West Nile spreads in southern states

In the south central States, concern is mounting over West Nile Virus (WNV). IN Texas, there’s been a fatality and another 16 cases – 10 in Dallas. Of the 16 cases, 14 were of the more serious neuroinvasive type and officials warn it could be the region’s worst-ever outbreak. Read more.

Neighbouring Louisiana has now recorded 10 WNV cases. Read more.

VIETNAM: HFMD, Dengue, HIV on the rise

The hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) epidemic is declining after 57,900 cases and 29 deaths in the first six months, according to official figures.

THE General Statistics Office also said another 1200 HIV cases were detected across the country last month, bringing the number of people living with HIV in Vietnam to 256,400, as of June. Read more.

THERE were 23,200 dengue fever cases (11 deaths) from January through June. Hanoi reported 145. Read more.