With the arrival of the monsoons and a corresponding uptick in associated infections such as leptospirosis, surveillance has been heightened in an area known as the Konkan belt, a coastal fringe which includes parts of Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka. Particular emphasis has been placed on Mumbai where many of Maharashtra’s leptospirosis cases and deaths have been reported over the past five years. People considered at high risk of the infection in areas that have recently been inundated with floodwaters have been administered prophylactic antibiotics. Read more. Dengue fever cases are on the rise in Karnataka (Bengaluru), while authorities in Delhi are preparing for the dengue outbreaks that normally eventuate between July and November.
THE state of Assam is in active Japanese encephalitis season with several districts (four in Upper Assam and one in Lower Assam) reporting many of the cases. As many as 57 deaths have resulted from the more than 230 JE cases over the past three months.
Advice for travellers
A mosquito-borne virus, JE is usually found in many part of Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China, although cases also occur in Indonesia and PNG. It is mainly found in rural areas around rice paddies where pigs, wading birds and humans live closely together, however it does also occur in or near cities. The risk to short-stay travellers who confine their travel to urban centres and use appropriate mosquito bite avoidance measures is low. The recommendations for vaccination are itinerary-specific. Read more on JE.
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.