An update on the cholera outbreak published this week by the PAHO advised that it had reports of nearly 29,000 suspected cases from all 10 departments, with just over half of cases in Ouest (in particular Port-au-Prince, Delmas, Cité Soleil, Carrefour and Pétion-Ville). The agency announced that in late January the WHO and its regional offices ‘took the unanimous decision to label the current Global Cholera situation as a Grade 3 multi-region Public Health Emergency, which is the highest level of institutional priority assigned a public health event’ – the decision was reached in view of ‘the current scale of the ongoing cholera outbreaks’. Read more
Advice for travellers
While the risk of infection with cholera is low for short-stay travellers, Australians travelling to regions where an outbreak is occurring should adhere to strict personal hygiene and choose food and beverages with care. Read more about cholera.
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.