Authorities in the state of Maharashtra report a rise in chikungunya cases over the past three months which has been greatest in Nashik, Kolhapur and Nagpur - most recent case numbers show a 2-fold increase compared to the same period last year. Read more. A similar trend has also been seen in Jharkhand, with a higher incidence of chikungunya cases than dengue fever being reported. In Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district, dengue cases are four times higher than in 2020 and chikungunya infections have doubled. The number of typhoid fever cases reported has also climbed, up by half compared to last year with 1464 infections registered.
THE WHO has released a summary on the Nipah virus infection and subsequent death of a 12yo boy in Kozhikode district of Kerala earlier this month, noting that this was the fifth outbreak recorded in India. The last reported incident was in Kochi district, also in Kerala in 2019. In its risk assessment the agency stated that the ‘event is an isolated case and the risk is low at national level and low at the regional level’ as the country has demonstrated its ability to control outbreaks in the past.
DATA released by health agencies in Maharashtra highlight the burden of leptospirosis in the city of Mumbai, revealing that since 2015 the infection had been more deadly than both dengue and malaria. Fatal cases resulted most often when infected people presented late for treatment. Read more
Advice for travellers
Fruit bats (flying foxes) are the natural hosts of Nipah virus, and females shed the virus when pregnant or lactating. The fruit-eating bats perch on the jars used for collecting juice from palm or date trees, contaminating the juice with infected saliva and droppings. People are infected when they drink the raw juice, although it is also spread through person-to-person contact. Read more about Nipah virus.
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.