Eight human rabies infections have been registered this year, the most recent, two fatal cases in young children from the districts of Zululand and eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal. Eastern Cape has reported three cases and Limpopo, one. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) attributed these preventable rabies deaths to ‘a lack of public awareness of the disease, low dog vaccination rates, and sometimes inadequate PEP [post-exposure prophylaxis] given to bite victims’. Read more
THE NICD HAS confirmed an upsurge in measles cases centred on the province of Gauteng since the second week of August. According to the agency, the ‘measles cases were increasing in Tshwane district and emergence of new measles cases is seen in City of Johannesburg’. In more news on measles from around the globe, in Romania there has been an uptick in measles reported since March in four counties - Cluj, Bistrita Nasaud, Sibiu and Mures. National MMR vaccine coverage this year is below the recommended levels at 78 percent. The index measles infection reported in a February overseas arrival in Kazakhstan’s western region of Aktobe has now resulted in 177 confirmed cases, mostly affecting unvaccinated children living in seven districts (Aktobe, Shalkar, Martuk, Uil, Algin, Aitekebi and Khromtau), meanwhile this week there are new reports of measles cases in North Kazakhstan (Petropavlovsk and three districts). Lastly, measles is spreading among young children and adolescents living in the district of Dakshina Kannada, west of Mangaluru in the Indian state of Karnataka. More news on measles in the EU and across the globe is detailed in the latest ECDC update. Read more
Advice for travellers
Rabies is present in most countries and all travellers should be aware of the importance of avoiding contact with wild and domestic animals. If bitten or scratched, urgent post-exposure treatment is required. Vaccination is normally recommended for longer stays, especially travellers planning to live in, or travel extensively through, rural areas and also for children; however the final recommendation is itinerary-specific. Read more on rabies.
Measles is a highly contagious virus and can cause serious illness in people of all ages. Most cases reported in Australia are linked to overseas travel - both developing and developed countries. Travelvax Australia recommends travellers check their immunisation status for measles and other childhood diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis) and mumps 6 weeks before departure.
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.