COVID-19 cases are accelerating, with daily confirmations sitting second only to those in the US (which are showing some decline). The national total has now risen to third globally, behind the USA and Russia. São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are the infection epicentres. One media outlet forecast the potential for ‘a perfect storm’ of outbreaks of COVID-19, dengue, influenza and measles hitting the country at once. Read more
In the Middle East, per capita, COVID-19 cases are showing a markedly increasing trend in Qatar and to a lesser extent in Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE, according to the May 18 Johns Hopkins newsletter. While in Africa, the WHO regional office now reports that all countries are affected, with urban areas most impacted by infections and no, or only sporadic, cases in rural districts to date. Read more in the May 19 WHO Sitrep.
In other news:
On May 14, the WHO issued a scientific brief on ‘Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children and adolescents temporally related to COVID-19’.
Among the results from a Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) press release, Findings from Investigation and analysis of re-positive cases, published yesterday: ‘Based on active monitoring, epidemiological investigation, and laboratory testing of re-positive cases and their contacts, no evidence was found that indicated infectivity of re-positive cases’. Read more
Before you travel, call Travelvax Australia’s telephone advisory service on 1300 360 164 (toll-free from landlines) for country-specific advice and information. You can also make an appointment at your nearest Travelvax clinic to obtain vaccinations, medication to prevent or treat illness, and accessories for your journey.