Ivory Coast wester borders re-opens 9 Sep 2016: Ivory Coast re-opens borders closed during Ebola epidemic According to an Ivorian government spokesperson speaking on Fri [9 Sep 2016]; the Ivory Coast has re-opened its western borders with Liberia and Guinea 2 years after they were closed to prevent the spread of an Ebola epidemic thatRead more →
Spain: First Human Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Cases in Western Europe According to Madrid health authorities, 1 locally acquired case of tick-borne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) occurred in late August 2016; infection was likely acquired in the rural countryside in southern Castilla y León Autonomous Community. A human case of CCHF had never been reported inRead more →
Yellow Fever – Africa: Uganda An outbreak of the hemorrhagic yellow fever disease in Uganda that killed 3 people earlier this year [2016] has ended, health authorities in the East African nation said. Uganda and several international agencies vaccinated 627 706 people over May and June [2016] in 3 districts where the disease was detected,Read more →
Measles: Japan (Osaka): Kansai International Airport alert The Osaka Prefectural Government is working to contain an outbreak of measles at a management company at Kansai International Airport that began about 1 month ago, reports the Asahi Shimbun [3 Sep 2016). A total of 31 employees of Kansai Airports have been confirmed to have the virus, which developedRead more →
Qatar Airport introduces new exit tax Qatar’s has introduced a new airport tax on passengers flying from Doha airport as the country seeks new revenue streams amid falling oil prices. Every passenger leaving Qatar from Doha, including transit passengers will be charged 35 riyals (about $9.61) for using airport facilities. The charge applies to ticketsRead more →
America / Cuba / Bahamas: Tropical storm likely to cause travel problems Florida, the Bahamas and Cuba will face heavy downpours and gusty thunderstorms today as a developing tropical storm moves through the region. Tropical Depression Nine is currently near the Florida Keys, the southern part of the Florida Peninsula, the western Bahamas and centralRead more →
Yellow fever immunisation policy SASTM has provided a policy statement on the period of validity of yellow fever immunisation policy (see www.sastm.org.za ). The WHO recently stated that a single yellow fever vaccination is now to be regarded as providing lifelong immunity and all countries were to adopt this policy as from 11 July 2016. InRead more →
Human rabies confirmed in a female child in the Free State province. 22 July 2016Read more →
Tick-Borne Encephalitis – Netherlands (Utrecht) The Netherlands has its 1st recorded case of tick-borne encephalitis, or TBE virus, public health institute RIVM said on Thu [21 Jul 2016]. The patient, who was not identified, is thought to have picked up the tick during a walk in the Heuvelrug area near Utrecht and is now recovering from theRead more →
Low malaria risk in South Africa, June to August 2016 There is currently no increase in the number of malaria cases in the lowveld areas of Mpumalanga Province around and within the Kruger National Park, in contrast to recent media reports. The number of malaria cases reported has in fact been lower during the period MayRead more →