Current Travel Health Alerts

AUSTRALIA: Dengue linked to Thailand; Imported measles in Adelaide

Cairns' dengue outbreak – now up to 55 cases – has been traced to a returned traveller infected in Thailand. Staff of the north Queensland city's public health unit have sprayed most properties in the affected areas, mainly the suburbs of Whitfield and Edge Hill. Read more.

IN ADELAIDE, a traveller who contracted measles overseas may have infected people at a university campus and a medical practice in South Australia's state capital. Authorities have issued a public alert. Read more.

Advice to travellers: Dengue continues to be a significant risk for all travellers visiting tropical and sub-tropical regions throughout the world. The only sure way of avoiding dengue is to avoid mosquito bites. Use a personal repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus when outdoors and cover up with long sleeved tops, long pants, and shoes and socks when mosquitoes are most active. The Aedes mosquitoes which spread the virus bite during the daylight hours in urban areas. Dengue continues to be a risk to travellers visiting tropical and sub-tropical regions, including northern Australia.

CAYMAN ISLANDS: Dengue count rises to 40

The 23 dengue cases reported last week have now increased to 40 – three-quarters of them in West Bay. Of the 40 positive cases, 28 had no recent travel history to endemic countries. There were 94 cases last year. Read more.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Flu claims 51; Surge in tick disease predicted

The flu season has begun early and with unexpected severity. There have been 51 deaths and 264 cases requiring intensive care this year. European health authorities warn a sudden increase in severe flu cases may be seen also in other countries – especially in eastern Europe. Read more.

EXPERTS have warned of a sharp increase in tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) cases in the Czech Republic and other endemic regions of Europe this year following humid conditions and milder winter weather recently. In the TBE cycle, mild years like 2012 (573 cases) are followed by more severe ones. Ticks, which are active from March to November, are also increasingly appearing in local gardens and municipal parks. With only 1-in-5 Czechs vaccinated, the population is vulnerable to the disease. Read more.

Advice to travellers: The main risk period for TBE is June to October (peaking during the northern summer) and most cases come from Baltic and Nordic countries, and central and eastern Europe – extending west as far as Switzerland and Alsace, France, and southern Europe, up to northern Italy, and the Balkans. Studies show those at highest risk of infection are males aged 40-–60 years, especially those who work outdoors. Short-stay travellers are at low risk, but should take measures to avoid tick bites using an effective repellent if walking in parks, fields, or forests. Those planning an extended stay in rural areas of endemic countries should discuss having the effective TBE vaccine with a travel specialist or with their GP. Special approval is needed for the vaccine. For more information call Travelvax on 1300 360 164.

EUROPE: Flu, rubella on the rise

Flu activity continued to increase in most European countries in the past week, according to a weekly Euroflu Bulletin.

HEALTH authorities report that while Europe's measles is in decline, rubella (German measles) rates are on the rise. Read more.

Advice to travellers: With no seasonal flu vaccine currently available in Australia, travellers should minimise the risk of infection. Avoid contact with fellow travellers showing flu-like symptoms, and thoroughly wash your hands using soap and water after using the toilet and before eating. Alcohol wipes are a convenient alternative for travel. Check their immunisation status for measles and other childhood diseases, including whooping cough (pertussis), diphtheria, mumps, and polio as part of their pre-travel medical preparations – regardless of their destination.

ISRAEL: Hepatitis A linked to veggies

A sharp increase in Hepatitis A in Tel Aviv in recent months could be linked to contaminated vegetables sold in the open air markets of the capital. Authorities have recorded 69 cases – a four-fold increase on the previous year. Read more.

JAPAN: Rubella epidemic hits Tokyo

Tokyo is at the centre of an epidemic of rubella (German measles) with 254 cases recorded in January – 13 times higher than the first month of 2012. The outbreak, which is also affecting surrounding prefectures, follows last year's 2353 cases. Read more.

MEXICO: Dengue rates fall

There have been fewer dengue outbreaks in recent weeks. This week the disease was reported from the states of Tamaulipas (379 confirmed/probable) and Yucatan (106). Read more.

NICARAGUA: Drop in dengue activity

National dengue rates are declining. There have been 132 confirmed cases and one death.

NIGERIA: Measles surfaces in Kaduna

A significant outbreak of measles in Kaduna-South (Kaduna State) has stretched hospital resources, according to a media report. The number of cases was not revealed. Read more.

PAKISTAN: Second polio case confirmed

Pakistan's second case of polio this year has been confirmed in a Bannu district (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province) boy. The one-year-old boy's father refused to allow him to be vaccinated. Read more.

PHILIPPINES: Villagers net Chikungunya

A suspected outbreak of 17 cases of Chikungunya fever is occurring in Bagamanoc (Catanduanes Province). The virus may have been imported by fishermen in contact with infected fishermen from Rapu-Rapu Island in Albay Province, where the disease infected 83 people from Batan village in the Bicol region last September. Read more.

SOUTH AMERICA: Weekly Dengue Review

BRAZIL – An average 200 patients are seeking treatment for suspected dengue infection in Uberaba (Minas Gerais State) each day as the tally passed 3000 cases and one death last Friday. Read more.

COLOMBIA – Almost 100 dengue cases have now been reported as activity increases in the city of Medellin, the capital of the north-western department (State) of Antioquia. Meanwhile, cases are also mounting in La Guajira Department (170) in the northeast, and the central-west department of Tolima (762 cases, 2 deaths). Read more.

ECUADOR – A sudden spike in dengue cases in the past 2 weeks has seen cases rise from 476 to 1208. Read more.

PARAGUAY – Dengue levels rose 33% last week, with new cases taking the tally of confirmed (8406) and suspected (17,055) cases to 25,954. Read more.

VENEZUELA – Dengue activity is increasing in 9 states and declining in 13 others. Almost 4000 cases have been registered. In Lara State, Iribarren (119 cases) has been hardest hit by dengue in the first 3 weeks of January, when 265 cases and 2 deaths were recorded. Read more.

SUDAN: Mopping up after yellow fever

The final phase of a mass yellow fever vaccination campaign involving 2 million people is underway in Kabkabiya (North Darfur). It will include the gold mining area of Jebel 'Amer, home to an estimated 40,000 miners from Sudan and neighbouring countries. The most recent cases were recorded in West Darfur on January 24. Read more.

SYRIA: Cutaneous leishmaniasis outbreak

Almost 100 cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis have been reported in the governorates of Hamah, Hassaka, Damascus (rural areas), and Homs. Both in their own country and in the refugee camps, Syrians are facing a raft of health issues. Read more.

TAIWAN: Scanner detected travel measles

An airport's body temperature scanner has detected an eight-month-old infant infected with measles after she returned with the disease from China. The child contracted the virus in Hunan province while in China with her mother to visit relatives. Read more.

UNITED KINGDOM: Traveller battles novel coronavirus; New measles hot spot

A 60-year-old British man is under intensive care with novel coronavirus (CoV) and influenza infections after visiting Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The case is the 10th caused by the new virus, which causes severe respiratory illness. Read more.

ENGLAND'S north-east is taking over from Merseyside and Lancashire as England's measles hot-spot. As many as 21 new cases last week brought the number of confirmed and suspected cases to 126 over the past 5 months. Read more.

SUSSEX County is experiencing its highest number of measles cases in almost 20 years, with Roma and Steiner (school) communities – both opposed to vaccination – lowering vaccine coverage. Read more.

USA: Pair 'imports' measles

In Santa Cruz (California), an Indian-born woman and her child who were infected with measles while visiting relatives in India, have prompted a community-wide alert. The woman returned to work at a local supermarket before the disease was diagnosed. Neither was vaccinated. Read more.

VIETNAM: Young bear dengue burden

Young people aged 15 to 35 made up 42% of the 62,039 dengue patients Ho Chi Minh City last year. Of the adult patients, 11 people died and 511 had serious complications, including bleeding, kidney failure, and prolonged shock. Despite the rising rate, both doctors and local people don't know enough about the disease, avoidance and treatment, according to a local tropical diseases specialist.