According to the latest WHO weekly bulletin, the outbreak of visceral leishmaniasis that was declared in January 2020 remains active in four counties - Kutui, Tharaka Nithi, West Pokot and Wajir. The case count now sits at 1,120 with 10 deaths. In Panama, it’s cutaneous leishmaniasis that has sickened some members of the indigenous Ngäbe communities of Charco La Pava, Guayabal and Valle del Rey.
Advice for travellers
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease found in parts of the tropics, subtropics, and southern Europe. There are two main forms – cutaneous and visceral – both transmitted by bites from infected sand flies. The former causes skin ulcers and the latter a severe systemic disease that is usually fatal without treatment. India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Brazil account for 90% of visceral leishmaniasis, while 90% of cutaneous leishmaniasis cases occur in Afghanistan, Algeria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, as well as the South American countries of Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina. Read more on the disease and prevention.
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.