Figures to Apr 16 point to another three suspected Ebola cases in N’Zérékoré and Gouécké admitted to the treatment centre as surveillance continues in the region; Lola is one of three sub-prefectures on alert. The WHO is maintaining communications with health authorities in the porous border areas shared with Liberia and Sierra Leone. And in the D R of Congo, with no new Ebola cases emerging, it will be another two weeks before the outbreak in North Kivu can be declared over. Read more
IN AFRICA, eight countries reported circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) to the GPEI last week: Burkina Faso, Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the DRC, Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Guinea logged five cases, and Mali and Sierra Leone had two new cases, while the remaining five countries registered one case each. Over in the Middle East, Afghanistan recorded four cVDP2 cases and Yemen added another three cVDPV1 cases, all in Saadah.
Advice for travellers
Poliomyelitis is a potentially serious viral illness that is spread through contact with infected faeces or saliva. The risk to travellers is generally low, however vaccination is recommended for travel to affected regions and is a requirement for travel to/from some countries. If at risk, adults should have a booster to the childhood series. More on polio.
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.