Shifting disease patterns and outbreaks affect the recommendations and information we provide to travellers during a pre-travel consultation. Each week Travelvax updates the current travel health alerts to reflect those issues which could affect travellers heading to a particular region or country. We do this by scanning the websites of health agencies such as the World Health Organization and the European and US Centers for Disease Control, as well as international news media. Simply click on the point on the map of your area of interest for more details on the current health alert. We also include Advice for Travellers which gives background information and tips. If you have any further questions, of course you can give our Travelvax infoline a call during business hours on 1300 360 164.
World travel health alerts for 9th of December 2020
Risk of contact greater during bat breeding season
A timely reminder for the public to avoid any contact with bats after reports from North Queensland of an increase in bats testing positive for Australian Bat Lyssavirus. This year, 38 people have attended local health services after receiving bites and scratches, many of them in recent weeks which coincides with the most active time of year for bats. Read more
Advice for travellers
Australian Bat Lyssavirus (ABLV) infections in humans is a very rare occurrence, however it is important to avoid all contact with bats. If bitten or scratched, urgent first aid and post-exposure treatment is required. Read more on ABVL from healthdirect.
Brucellosis cases in NW surpass 10,000
An update of the brucellosis alert posted for Lanzhou, Gansu Province in September this year: mass testing has confirmed the final total of people infected had risen to 10,528. Brucella bacteria are more commonly transmitted to humans through direct contact with tissues or body fluids of an infected animal or from consuming their unpasteurised milk, undercooked meat, however this incident was the result of a lapse in safety practices at a veterinary vaccine plant. Read more
GPEI reports 8 polio cases this week
A single wild poliovirus1 case identified in Balochistan province was logged by the GPEI this week, while in Africa, two countries reported cVDPV2 cases: the Democratic Republic of Congo registered five cases from Maindombe, Equateur and Nord Ubangi, making it 68 for the year to date, and two infections in Mali.
Advice for travellers
Poliomyelitis is a potentially serious viral illness that is spread through contact with infected faeces or saliva. The risk to travellers is generally low, however vaccination is recommended for travel to affected regions and is a requirement for travel to/from some countries. If at risk, adults should have a booster to the childhood series. More on polio.
Regional effects of dengue + pandemic
Dengue fever case fatality rates across the Americas in 2020 have been at their lowest in 10 years, as stated by the PAHO in its Dec 3 ‘Epidemiological Update, Dengue in the context of COVID-19’, however two sub-regions, Southern Cone and non-Latin Caribbean, experienced a 5-year peak in cumulative incidence rates. As a consequence of the extensive dengue outbreak early this year, Paraguay claimed the number one spot in the Southern Cone, while countries with high incidence rates listed for the non-Latin Caribbean include the French Antilles and French Guiana (both with current active outbreaks) and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
Advice for travellers
Dengue is spread by Aedes mosquitoes which breed in shady areas close homes and other accommodation. They bite mainly during the daylight hours and can be found indoors, making them difficult to avoid. Travellers should cover up with long-sleeved tops, long pants, and shoes and socks when mosquitoes are most active. Apply repellent containing an active ingredient, such as DEET, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) when outdoors to all exposed skin. Read more about dengue fever and preventing insect bites.
Mystery illness in SE state
The search for source of an illness that has affected hundreds of people in Eluru in the state of Andra Pradesh continues. Early reports focused on organochlorine substances used in insecticide fogging operations, however a more recent news item provides more details of a preliminary study which suggests the cause is neurotoxicity from heavy metals. Investigations are continuing. Read more
More than 15,000 new COVID-19 cases, global digest
In the Western Pacific, Japan’s surge in new COVID-19 cases and death counts leads the region, followed by the Philippines and Malaysia; the region as a whole did record a slight decline in new cases over the past week but there was a four percent increase in deaths. Elsewhere, many EU countries are starting to report levelling off or lower new case numbers which the ECDC says ‘may be evidence that some countries may have peaked’, however case notification rates remain generally high. Read more. Globally, the Americas contributed over half of all new COVID-19 cases last week. More in the weekly WHO epi update on Dec 8
In related news:
-The UK’s Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine approval and vaccination campaign roll-out was expedited through a rolling evaluation of data as it emerged from clinical trials, while in the USA, a review of the vaccine for emergency use authorisation will take place tomorrow, with all data amassed, at a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (livestreamed on the on the FDA’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter feeds and webcast from the agency’s website). More on new Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine findings from CIDRAP.
-Australia’s TGA issued a statement on Dec 2 regarding the UK government’s emergency use authorisation of the COVID-19 vaccine BNT162b2 supplied by Pfizer/BioNTech
-A STAT News article, ‘Detailed data on AstraZeneca-Oxford Covid-19 vaccine show it has moderate efficacy’, summarises the analysis of trials continuing across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa.
-In the last week, Imperial College, London updated its scenario analysis tool Covidsim.org which allows the user to project the global coronavirus epidemic course (including expected number of people requiring hospitalisation) for all countries; and the World Bank published details of a new global dashboard that compiles publicly available Google search data which ‘can be used to effectively assess the spread of the coronavirus in real-time for almost 200 countries worldwide’. The blog notes that ‘search interest precedes official data by more than a week, on average, predicting spikes in the incidence of the disease’.
-WHO looks at possible 'e-vaccination certificates' for travel: Read more
Another rabies-related death in Sarawak
Sadly, Sarawak’s rabies death toll has risen again after a man in his 50s was reported to have succumbed to the infection late last month. Another case, a young boy who had apparently received some post-exposure treatment for a dog bite in early November has been readmitted to hospital after suffering from fever, weakness, restlessness, hydrophobia and aggressive behaviour. He is said to be in a stable condition. 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 – especially dogs, the main source of infection. If bitten or scratched, urgent first aid and post-exposure treatment is required. Vaccination recommendations are itinerary-specific but include those travellers planning to live in, or travel extensively or repeatedly through, endemic countries. Read more on rabies.
Malaria upsurge in northern district
Malaria cases numbers have risen significantly this year in Zambezi region, bordering Angola. The northern region’s health director announced there have been in excess of 2,600 cases and six deaths in 2020, a marked increase on the 261 cases and a single death reported last year. Also in Africa, Uganda’s malaria cases surged by more than 40 percent this year following heavy rains. A local news source reports that the country ‘registers at least 16 malaria deaths per day’. Read more
Advice for travellers
Travelvax recommends that travellers planning a visit to malarious regions discuss their itinerary and preventative measures, including medication, during a pre-travel medical consultation. More on malaria.
Norovirus notifications up
A surge in norovirus cases over the past month in Auckland, many occurring in early learning facilities, has prompted health services to call attention to the need for strict hygiene measures, appropriate cleaning routines and, importantly, keeping kids home if they suffer gastrointestinal symptoms. The 29 outbreaks notified to health authorities over four recent weeks generated 10 times the norovirus infection average for the region. Read more
Advice for travellers
Extremely contagious, norovirus infection is typically intense but generally short-lived, causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which may lead to more serious complications among young children, the elderly, and the sick. To minimise the risk, wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet and before eating, and practice good hygiene. Read more on norovirus.
NE state responds to 2 fever threats
Bauchi’s death toll from Lassa fever this year is the nation’s highest – 19 people died of the infection to November and news reports added that cases occur in only two local government areas (Toro and Tafawa Balewa LGAs). State health authorities are also planning a yellow fever vaccination campaign for next month in response to an outbreak that has so far killed 10 people in Ganjuwa LGA this year. Read more
Advice for travellers
Yellow fever virus is a mosquito-borne disease found in tropical and subtropical areas in Central/South America and Africa. While it can be severe, yellow fever infection is a very rare in Australian travellers. However, under the International Health Regulations (IHR), proof of vaccination may be required of any traveller entering or leaving an area at risk of yellow fever transmission. Read more about yellow fever.