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 16th of August 2023
Mpox reminder to community
The Victorian health department recently posted an alert relating to two locally acquired Mpox cases, the first after a lull in reporting since November. The Victorian notice highlighted ‘a recent increase in case numbers in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions, including in Japan, Republic of Korea, Thailand and China’. NSW Health advised that they have also confirmed two cases, however these involved overseas travel. On a global level, the latest WHO update noted that 1,020 new Mpox cases and three deaths have been recorded since mid-July – Mexico had the biggest rise in cases since the last report. Read more
Advice for travellers
Closely related to the smallpox virus, mpox (monkeypox) was mainly found in Central and Western Africa, with rodents the suspected reservoir, and monkeys and humans as secondary or ‘spill-over’ hosts. People can be infected by eating undercooked ‘bushmeat’ or handling infected animals, making infection a low risk for travellers in the affected African countries. An outbreak of mpox in countries without previously documented transmission began in 2022. Read more information on the 2022 global outbreak from the WHO. Read more on mpox.
Dengue fever outbreaks reported
Dengue fever outbreaks are heading towards their seasonal peak, with reports over the week on surges in infections in Dehradun and Nainital (Uttarakhand state), Bishnupur and Tengnoupal districts (Manipur) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh). In related news, the WHO published a Disease Outbreak News post late last week outlining the situation in Bangladesh, with concerns expressed over the outbreak’s ‘early sharp increase in comparison to previous years’ and its comparatively high case fatality ratio. DENV-2 is circulating, replacing DENV-3’s run as the predominant serotype since 2018. Read more
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, making them difficult to avoid outdoors. 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.
YF positive primate in RS urban area
The detection of a yellow fever-infected monkey within the city limits of Santo Antônio das Missões in Rio Grande do Sul state has prompted health authorities to issue an alert for the Missões region. Residents of the nearby city of São Borja, which sits along the border with Argentina’s Corrientes Province, have been advised not to encourage the presence of monkeys by feeding them. 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
Global polio digest
The latest GPEI update confirmed the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) patient in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province mentioned in our Aug 9 report in addition to circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases in Chad (five cases in total from Logone Oriental, Guera, Lac and Logone Occidental) and Burkina Faso (single case in Gaoua). Read more
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.
West Nile reporting season, week 11
The ECDC summary on West Nile virus (WNV) cases across the region included a list of locations with first-time reporting of human WNV cases and they include Sardinia (Oristano province). According to the latest ECDC summary, two other countries also recorded WNV infections in new areas: Greece (Kastoria) and Serbia (Jablanički). Read more
Advice for travellers
West Nile virus is endemic in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean basin, with epidemics regularly reported in summer and autumn since the 1950s. Most human WNV infections (70-80%) are mild, subclinical or asymptomatic, but around 1-in-150 cases involve potentially severe neuroinvasive disease. The virus is transmitted by Culex mosquitoes, which feed mainly around dawn and dusk. While the risk of infection for most travellers is generally low, those visiting regions reporting human cases, particularly the peak transmission season, should take measures to avoid mosquito bites. Europe’s outbreaks are not as severe or widespread as in other regions where the virus occurs, notably North America. Read more on WNV.
Domestic dengue in 2 Florida counties
The dengue virus has spread from south Florida’s Miami Dade County to its northerly neighbour Broward, with 10 locally-acquired cases reported in the state in the year to August 5. The two cases in Broward County were listed in the latest health department update (total of seven DENV-3, three of DENV-2). Other dengue fever updates within the greater region were posted by Mexico (a 4,375 percent rise in cases compared to the same period last year in the Caribbean coastal state of Quintana Roo, near the resort area of Cancun) and in Guyana. Read more
Advice for travellers
Dengue fever is common in most tropical or sub-tropical regions of the world. The virus is spread by daytime-feeding Aedes mosquitoes and to avoid it and other insect-borne diseases, travellers should apply an insect repellent containing an effective active ingredient, such as DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD), to exposed skin when outdoors during the day. In addition, cover up with long-sleeved tops, long pants, and shoes and socks around dawn and dusk, as well as other times when the mosquitoes are active.
Measles circulating widely
The death toll from the measles outbreak has risen to two from more than 1,700 infections recorded, with highest numbers in Osh region and Bishkek city. Both fatalities were in unvaccinated children. Media report that other countries within the region have also experienced surges in measles transmission – Russia (over 5,000 cases), Kazakhstan (at least 3,000), and Tajikistan (528). Elsewhere, children fleeing conflict in Sudan account for most of the measles cases and deaths in South Sudan’s Unity State, while the ECDC weekly update provided a full summary of measles across the globe. Read more
Advice for travellers
Measles occurs in developing and developed countries and unvaccinated travellers are at particular risk, both in transit and during their stay. While generally benign, infection can result in severe illness or death. Travelvax Australia recommends travellers check their immunisation status for measles and other childhood diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis) and mumps at least 6 weeks before departure. Read more about measles.
Rabies death toll climbs
After reporting seven human rabies cases from Jan to early August in 2022, the Sarawak health director announced this year’s total had risen to 15 – representing an 87.5 percent increase – with 13 deaths. Dog and cat bites and scratches were the sources of exposure in most cases that were reported from Sibu, Serian, Kuching, Bintulu and Samrahan. 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, urgent 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 and also for children. Read more on rabies.
Socialising spreads skin infection
According to local news sources, in the last week as many as 20 people in every 100,000 ‘sought medical advice from their general practitioner for scabies’, double the rate reported over the past two years. Highest case numbers have been among adolescents and adults aged from 15 to 25 years. Read more
Malaria cases at 11-year high
Malaria infections recorded in the first seven months of the year are close to four times greater than last year’s figures, and the total of 782 cases is the highest in over 10 years. Mosquito density rates were observed to be high during vector surveillance in the malaria risk areas of Incheon, Gangwon Province and the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, while earlier this year a malaria positive result was reported in a mosquito caught in the city of Paju, around 37kms north of Seoul. Read more
Advice for travellers
Travellers visiting malarious regions should discuss their itinerary and the possible need for anti-malaria medication during a pre-travel medical consultation. Read more about malaria.
Early start to dengue season
Hanoi’s peak dengue fever season has hit earlier than usual as evidenced by a more than 5-fold increase in cases compared to this time last year. Dengue cases are also surging in Ho Chi Minh City (particularly in Districts 1, 8, and Binh Chanh), and the national case total has passed 53,200 with 13 deaths. Read more
Advice for travellers
Avoid mosquito bites to protect against dengue fever. To avoid biting insects, apply repellent containing an active ingredient, such as DEET, Picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD) to all exposed skin when outdoors. Dengue is spread by two types of aedes mosquitoes. Both breed close to dwellings, are found in shady areas and bite mainly during the daylight hours, making them difficult to avoid outdoors. Travellers should also cover up with long-sleeved tops, long pants, and shoes and socks when mosquitoes are most active.