Travel Health Alerts

Legionnaires outbreak

Victoria has recorded more than 77 cases, 7 suspected and 2 deaths of legionnaire’s disease patients admitted to hospitals, with several patients in intensive care units. The cases are mostly in adults over 40 years and all had visited or lived in metropolitan Melbourne. Read more

Advice for travellers

Advice for travellers: Legionnaire’s disease occurs worldwide and many of the increasing number of cases reported in Australia in recent years have been linked to overseas travel. Outbreaks have been associated with cruise ships, hotels, and resorts. The bacteria that causes Legionnaires’ disease is found in airborne droplets of warm, fresh water, such as from fountains, spas, showers and the cooling towers of buildings. Over 50s, current or former smokers, those with a chronic lung condition, and the immunocompromised are at higher risk of developing illness after exposure. Read more

Pertussis (whooping cough) increase of 300%

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported yesterday a significant increase in pertussis (whooping cough) cases in the Region of the Americas. Pertussis Cases Increased 300% in 2024. Read more

Advice for travellers

Travelvax recommends Australians travelling overseas check their immunisation status for childhood diseases such as whooping cough, diphtheria, measles and mumps at least 6 weeks before departure. Read more about whooping cough.

Mpox cases continue spiking

The Africa CDC has stated mpox cases have risen 160% on the continent this year compared to 2023, with over 14,000 cases recorded across 10 African nations including Burundi, Cameroon, CAR, Congo DRC, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. 96% of cases are in the Congo DRC. Read more

Advice for travellers

Closely related to the smallpox virus, monkeypox is mainly found in Central and Western Africa. Rodents are the suspected reservoir, with 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. Read more on monkeypox. https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html

H5N1 flu cases reported

The Cambodian Ministry of Health has alerted the public of two new cases of H5N1 bird flu in two children from the same province, Svay Rieng, but different villages. These are the 9th reported cases for 2024. Read more

Advice for travellers

H5N1 is one of several influenza viruses that causes a highly infectious respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza (or "bird flu"). Infections in mammals, including humans, have also been documented. Read more

H5N1 flu case reported

China has reported another H5N6 avian flu infection resulting in a death in Hefei, eastern China. The woman is reported to have been to a live poultry market prior to her symptoms. Read more

Advice for travellers

H5N1 is one of several influenza viruses that causes a highly infectious respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza (or "bird flu"). Infections in mammals, including humans, have also been documented. Read more

First country to launch new malaria vaccine

Ivory Coast has become the first country to launch the 2^nd available malaria vaccine to enter the market –R21, which was co-developed by Oxford University and the Serum Institute of India (SII). WHO pre-qualified the vaccine which means access for lower- and middle-income countries. Read more

Advice for travellers

The R21/Matrix-M™ vaccine is a vital new tool to help stop the devastating health and economic impact of malaria on nearly half of the world's population, including the tragic loss of 1,300 children every single day. Read more

Viral encephalitis outbreak

Viral encephalitis is a viral infection often spread by sand flies and ticks. India's western state of Gujarat has reported 133 cases and 57 deaths from the virus in one month. Authorities have increased surveillance for the disease. Read more

Advice for travellers

Viral encephalitis, which can cause high fever and in many cases affect the brain, is common in several parts of India during the monsoon season, but many of the deaths in Gujarat were caused by the Chandipura virus, a relatively new form that is known to affect mostly children under 15.

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Spain

Two confirmed cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), a disease spread by ticks, have been reported from Spain in the Salamanca province, Castile-León and the municipality of Buenasbodas. Read more

Advice for travellers

The risk of contracting CCHF for travellers in endemic areas is mainly related to tick bite exposure during outdoor activities. For most UK travellers visiting Spain, the risk is very low if precautions are followed. You can reduce your risk of infection with the following measures [5]:

• Avoid areas where ticks are abundant at seasons when they are most active (Spring to late Autumn).
• Use tick repellents and wear long sleeved clothing/socks.
• Check clothes and skin carefully for ticks and remove them with a recommended technique - see our insect and tick bite avoidance factsheet for details.
• If working with animals in endemic areas, use tick repellents on skin and clothing, and wear gloves/protective clothing to prevent skin coming into contact with infected tissues/blood [5].