Six people have succumbed to rabies over the past two months in a province that had been declared free of the virus in 2016, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). (It was one of nine announced together with Bangka Belitung, Riau Islands, Jakarta, Central Java, East Java, Yogyakarta, Papua, West Papua). It joins North Sumatra, Central and North Sulawesi and Ambon in reporting human rabies deaths this year. Read more
NEWS this week from GPEI that two cases of genetically-linked circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) have been identified in Papua province. They were detected in a case of acute flaccid paralysis and a healthy community contact. The GPEI states that ‘this outbreak is not linked to the cVDPV1 currently affecting neighbouring Papua New Guinea.’
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.
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.