Outbreaks and Incidents Around the World – Precautions for Travelers – April 2024
Measles
EUROPEAN UNION
- From February 29, 2024 to April 10, 2024 new cases were reported in 20 EU/EEA countries: Austria (125), Belgium (11), Bulgaria (1), Czech Republic (3), Estonia (1), France (25), Germany (76), Hungary (5), Ireland (11), Italy (186) , Lithuania (10), Malta (3), Netherlands (33), Poland (25), Portugal (4), Romania (4,154)Spain (7), Sweden (4) and Norway (1)
- 2024 have been announced 13 deaths associated with measles in the European Union (12 in Romania and 1 in Ireland)
OUTSIDE THE EUROPEAN UNION/EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA
- From 01/01/24 to 11/04/24, 58 confirmed cases of measles were reported from Switzerland
- From 01/10/23 to 11/04/2024 they were declared 368 confirmed cases of measles from United Kingdom
- From 01/01/24 to 28/02/24 they were declared through the regional office of the WHO Europe- WHO/EURO, 13,635 confirmed cases of measles, of which the 13,176 referred to non-EU countries and especially in Kazakhstan (9,510)in Russia (1,401)in the Kyrgyzstan (1,988)in the Uzbekistan (136)and to Armenia (50)
Instructions
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can affect people of any age, lead to complications, mainly from the digestive, respiratory and central nervous systems and even death. It is mainly transmitted airborne and less commonly from surfaces contaminated by nasal or pharyngeal secretions. The incubation period of the disease varies between 10-12 days, while from the exposure to the virus to the appearance of the rash it takes an average of 14 days. Patients are contagious from 4 days before the onset of the rash to 4 days after. The maximum of transmission is placed from the beginning of the precursor stage up to 3-4 days after the appearance of the rash.
Travelers, children and adults, to countries with outbreaks are recommended to confirm their full vaccination with two doses of the mixed measles-rubella-mumps vaccine (MMR vaccine) before travel. As far as Europe is concerned, special caution is recommended for travelers to Romania.
Source: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Communicable-disease-threats-report-week-15-2024.pdf
COVID-19
Following the announcement by the WHO on May 5, 2023, regarding the end of the global health emergency and the transition of the pandemic to a new phase of management, the priority for travelers is to observe the basic measures to prevent the transmission of infections of respiratory system such as
- the frequent application of hand hygiene
- the respiratory hygiene (covering mouth and nose with tissue when coughing or sneezing, avoiding hand contact with mouth, nose or eyes)
- the avoid contact with people showing symptoms from the respiratory system
They are additionally recommended
- the annual vaccination for COVID-19
- the postponement of the trip in the event of symptoms compatible with COVID-19, as well as in the event of awaiting a result or a positive result in a rapid antigen test or molecular test by RT-PCR
- the application of a mask, staying in the accommodation and seeking medical help in case of illness during the trip
- the seek medical help in the event of fever and/or symptoms from the respiratory system up to 5 days after return
The use of a mask in public closed or open spaces in crowded conditions is recommended by people belonging to a high-risk group.
Cholera
From 1the January until the 29ththe February 2024, have been reported 66,530 new cases of choleraincluded 946 new deaths, worldwide. The countries reporting the most cases are Zambia the Afghanistanthe Zimbabwethe Mozambique the Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Somalia.
Also, new cases have been reported in Burundiin the Cameroonat Comorosin Ethiopiain Haitiin Kenyain the Malawiat Nigeriain Uganda and to United Republic of Tanzania.
At Comoros cholera has been officially declared endemic disease from February 2, 2024 and have been recorded in total on all three islands, 655 casesincluded 16 deaths from early 2024. Before the year 2024, no case of cholera had been recorded in the region since 2000.
Instructions
Travelers are advised to strictly observe precautionary measures for the safe consumption of food and beverages. In the case of long stays in endemic areas, such as members of humanitarian missions, vaccination is recommended.
Source:
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/communicable-disease-threats-report-week-13-2024.pdf
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/communicable-disease-threats-report-31-march-6-april-2024-week-14
Dengue fever and Chikunguny fevera (CHIKVD)
Dengue
From early January 2024, more than 2 million dengue cases and more than 500 related deaths were reported worldwide.
THE Brazil has mentioned above 1.5 million cases in 2024and 278 deaths. Dengue vaccination has also started in Brazil.
Most cases were reported in the area PAHO WHO (North/South/Latin America, USA, Canada, Caribbean) until March 7, 2024, presenting 249% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
In Africa they have been reported 5,427 cases (2,686 confirmed and 2,741 suspicious), from Mauritius (2. 433 outbreaks and 2 deaths), the Ethiopia (1,621 outbreaks and 2 deaths), Mali (1 349 cases), the Senegal (25 cases) and Sao Tome and Principe (9 cases).
Chikunguny fevera (CHIKVD)
2024 to February 29, have been reported approx 70,000 cases CHIKVD and 15 related deathi globally. A total of sixteen countries reported CHIKVD cases from the Americas (11), Asia (4) and Africa (1). The countries reporting the highest number of cases are Brazil (71,487)the Paraguay(2,270)the Argentina(156) and the Bolivia(126).
Outside the Americas, cases of CHIKVD have been reported in Asia since East Timor (195); her Thailand(139),the Pakistan (26)the Malaysia (6) and in Africa from Senegal (3).
No indigenous cases of the virus disease have been reported Chikungunya in Europe to date.
In the year 2023, approximately 500,000 cases of Chikungunya fever and more than 400 related deaths were reported worldwide.
Instructions
Dengue fever and Chikungunya fever are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and therefore it is recommended to take all necessary measures to protect against insects. There is no vaccine for prophylaxis and travelers returning from endemic areas are advised to monitor their health for 2 weeks after their return. In addition, it is recommended that they apply mosquito protection measures for two (2) weeks after their arrival/return from an endemic country, throughout the day, regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms, with the aim of preventing the possible local transmission of the disease to mosquitoes.
According to the guidelines of the World Health Organization there is no restriction regarding trade and international movements.
Sources: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/communicable-disease-threats-report-week-12-2024.pdf
Polio
The year 2024 has been recorded two new cases acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) due to the WPV1 type of poliomyelitis in Pakistan.
From January 1, 2023 to February 20, 2024 they were recorded 133 cases of acute flaccid paralysis due to type cVPDV1 of the diseasefrom the Democratic Republic of the Congo (105)from the Madagascar (24) and the Mozambique (4).
In 2023 to February 20, 2024 they were recorded 389 cases of acute flaccid paralysis due to cVPDV2 type of the disease from 22 countries. The majority of incidents were recorded in Democratic Republic of the Congo (118)at Nigeria (87)in the Chad (54) and in Guinea (47).
In 2023 and 2024, not cases of AFP caused by cVDPV3 type were reported.
European Union/European Economic Area countries have been polio-free since 2002.
Instructions
The polio virus is transmitted from person to person mainly through the fecal-oral route and less often through the oral-oral route, in conditions of low sanitary standards. The virus is detected more easily and for a longer period of time in feces than in pharyngeal secretions. In rare cases, milk, other foods, and objects contaminated with feces have been implicated as conduits of transmission. There is no reliable evidence of insect transmission. Water and sewage are rarely blamed. In most cases, no symptoms appear, while less than 1% of those infected with the virus manifest the severe paralytic form of the disease. Polio is a vaccine preventable disease. Vaccination of all travelers to and from countries where the disease is endemic is recommended, as well as the recording of the vaccination on the International Certificate of Vaccination.
Sources: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/communicable-disease-threats-report-week-12-2024.pdf
