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Andorra

General
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This small country is situated between France and Spain. Because of its elevation and proximity to the Pyrenees the climate is generally pleasant throughout the year.
Climate
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During the summer months the temperatures can rise to 30c but there is usually a cooling breeze. Lightening storms can occur during the summer months associated with torrential rain.
Sun Exposure and Dehydration
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Those from Northern Europe can develop significant sun exposure and so remember to use a wide brimmed hat when necessary. The altitude can also lead to significant tiredness and dehydration so take sufficient initial rest and drink plenty of fluids.
Safety & Security
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The level of crime throughout the country directed at tourists is very low. Nevertheless take care of your personal belongings at all times and use hotel safety boxes where possible.
Local Customs
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There are strict laws regarding the use of illegal drugs. Make sure you have sufficient supplies of any medication you required for your trip and that it is clearly marked. The European E111 form is not accepted in Andorra and so it is essential that you have sufficient travel insurance for your trip.
Winter Sports
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Andorra is one of the regions where many travel to partake of their winter sport facilities. Generally this is well controlled and one of the safer regions. Nevertheless, make certain your travel insurance is adequate for the activities you are planning to undertake.
Vaccination
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The only standard vaccine to consider for Andorra would be tetanus in line with many other developed countries of the world.

Travel News Headlines WORLD NEWS

Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2018 15:24:06 +0200

Andorra la Vella, Andorra, July 12, 2018 (AFP) - The tax haven of Andorra has long been a favourite destination for smokers looking to stock up on cheap cigarettes, but the enclave said Thursday that it would soon stop advertising the fact.   The government said it had signed up to the World Health Organization's (WHO) anti-tobacco convention, which aims to encourage people to quit smoking and combat contraband sales.   "The goal is to contribute to public health and pursue the fight against trafficking," government spokesman Jordi Cinca said at a press conference.

The tiny principality of Andorra, perched in the Pyrenees on the border between France and Spain, attracts millions of shoppers each year to duty-free stores, where prices of alcohol, cigarettes, electronics and clothes can be up to 20 percent cheaper than elsewhere in the EU.   High taxes on tobacco imposed by many countries to help people kick smoking make Andorra's cigarettes a particularly good deal.   The average pack costs just three euros ($3.50) compared with eight euros in France, which has said it will gradually raise the price to 10 euros a pack by November 2020.

Tobacco sales bring in some 110 million euros a year for Andorra, whose economy is otherwise based almost entirely on tourism.   It is also an enticing destination for smugglers, with French and Spanish border agents regularly seizing cartons from people trying to sneak them out, either by car or by hiking down the mountain trails which criss-cross the Pyrenees.   No date has been set for the advertising ban, which will come into effect three months after the ratification of the WHO accord is voted by parliament.
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2018 02:41:51 +0100

Andorra la Vella, Andorra, March 16, 2018 (AFP) - The tiny principality of Andorra is witnessing a once in a generation phenomenon -- a widespread strike.   Around a third of civil servants across the mountainous micro-state have walked out to protest proposed reforms to their sector in what has been described as Andorra's first large-scale strike since 1933.

With no negotiation breakthrough in sight, picket lines are expected to be manned again on Friday with customs officers, police, teachers and prison staff among those taking part.   The first major strike in 85 years was sparked by plans from the government of Antoni Marti to reform civil servant contracts.   He has assured officials "will not do an hour more" work under the reforms and that 49 million euros would be allocated for the next 25 years to supplement civil servant salaries.   But government workers are unconvinced with unions warning the reforms could risk their 35 hour working week and pay.

Customs officers involved in the strike interrupted traffic on the Andorran-Spanish border this week, according to unions, while some 80 percent of teachers have walked out of classes.   Strikers have occupied the government's main administrative building and held noisy protests outside parliament calling for Marti's resignation.    "We have started collecting signatures to demand the resignation of the head of government and now nobody will stop us," Gabriel Ubach, spokesman for the public service union, told reporters.
Date: Mon 27 Sep 2017
Source: Contagion Live [edited]

A recent Dispatch article published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Emerging Infectious Diseases journal, offers insight into a large norovirus outbreak that sprung up in Spain in 2016 that had been linked with bottled spring water. The Public Health Agency of Catalonia (ASPCAT) reported a staggering 4136 cases of gastroenteritis from 11-25 Apr 2016. Of the 4136 cases, 6 individuals required hospitalization. The CDC defines a "case-patient" as an "exposed person who had vomiting or diarrhoea (3 or more loose stools within 24 hours)," as well as 2 or more of the following symptoms: nausea, stomach pain, or fever.

ASPCAT investigators traced back the outbreak to contaminated bottled spring water in office water coolers. The water came from a source in Andorra, a small independent principality located between Spain and France. Norovirus is a "very contagious virus," according to the CDC, and it is common for individuals to become infected by eating contaminated food. Although it is possible to be infected by consuming contaminated drinking water, this mode of transmission is "rare in developed countries," according to the article.

The investigators collected water samples from a total of 4 19-L water coolers in 2 different offices located in Barcelona, "from which affected persons had drunk; samples 1 and 2 came from 2 water coolers in one office, while samples 3 and 4 came from 2 water coolers in another office. Using "positively charged glass wool and polyethylene glycol precipitation for virus concentration," the investigators tested the samples.

"We detected high RNA levels for norovirus genotype I and II, around 103 and 104 genome copies/L, in 2 of the 4 water cooler samples concentrated by glass wool filtration and polyethylene glycol precipitation," according to the article. The investigators noted that a drawback of using molecular methods is that they are not able to differentiate between particles that are infectious and those that are not. Therefore, they "predicted the infectivity of norovirus in the concentrated samples by treating the samples with the nucleic acid intercalating dye PMA propidium monoazide and Triton X surfactant before RT-qPCR," which allowed them to "distinguish between virions with intact and altered capsids."

In those 2 water samples, they found high genome copy values -- 49 and 327 genome copies/L for norovirus genotype I and 33 and 660 genomes copies/L for norovirus genotype II. This was not an unexpected finding, due to the large number of infected individuals associated with the outbreak. Through "PMA/Triton treatment before RT-qPCR assays," the investigators found that the proportion of infected virions accounted for 0.3% to 5.6% of the total number of physical particles in the water samples, "which was enough to cause gastrointestinal illness."

The investigators also analyzed faecal samples collected from infected individuals who worked at the office in which the 1st 2 water samples were collected. They detected the following genotypes in those faecal samples: GI.2 and GII.17. In the faecal samples collected from the other office, they isolated the following genotypes: GII.4/Sydney/2012, GI.2, GII.17, and GII.2.

"We hypothesize that the spring water was contaminated by all 4 strains (GI.2, GII.2, GII.4, and GII.17) but levels of viral contamination for each genotype were not homogeneous in all bottled coolers," the investigators wrote. "We may have detected only the GII.4 genotype in water samples 1 and 2 because of a higher concentration of this specific genotype or because of bias caused by the sampling, concentration, and molecular detection procedures."

The investigators admit one limitation to their study: the small number of water samples collected and analyzed. They attribute this to the fact that on 15 Apr 2016, 4 days after the onset of the outbreak, the company that produced the drinking water recalled over 6150 containers of water "of suspected quality" as a precautionary measure. The recall prevented the investigators from collecting more samples to assess, according to the article.

Although the exact cause of the contamination has not yet been identified, the investigators posit that "the high number of affected persons from 381 offices that received water coolers, and the many different genotypes found in some patients' faecal specimens" suggest that the spring aquifer had been contaminated by "sewage pollution," and the Andorra Ministry of Health and Welfare banned further use of the spring.

The investigators suggest that assessing commercially-produced mineral waters for different harmful pathogens, such as norovirus would be beneficial. They note, however, that creating, enhancing, and managing such "virus surveillance systems" would be costly. Thus, the investigators suggest taking a "balanced approach to keep both the cost and the time required for the analyses within feasibility limits."  [Byline: Kristi Rosa]
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[The interesting article published in the September 2017 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases is:
Blanco A, Guix S, Fuster N, et al: Norovirus in bottled water associated with gastroenteritis outbreak, Spain, 2016. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017; 23(9): 1531-34; https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/23/9/16-1489_article. - ProMED Mod.LL]

[Catalonia and Andorra can be located on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail map at http://healthmap.org/promed/p/1341. - ProMED Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 2013 22:25:05 +0100 (MET)

ANDORRA LA VELLA, Andorra, Dec 26, 2013 (AFP) - A Spanish skier and a French snowboarder have died in avalanches in different mountain ranges in Europe, officials said Thursday.

The 27-year-old skier, a woman from Barcelona, died Wednesday while going off-piste alone in the Soldeu resort in Andorra, in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, a resort manager told AFP.   Although she was rescued within 10 minutes, after her glove was spotted on the surface, she was unable to be revived despite a helicopter dash to hospital.

In the Italian Alps, close to the border with France, a 24-year-old Frenchman who was snowboarding with three friends on a closed run died Thursday when an avalanche swept over him in the resort town of Les Arnauds.   Local officials said he succumbed to multiple injuries, asphyxia and hypothermia.

Avalanches are common in Europe's ski resorts at this time of year, when early snows are heavy with moisture, and several deaths occur each winter.   Last Sunday, a 35-year-old Frenchman died in an avalanche in the Alps near the Italian border while on a three-day trek with a friend.
Date: Fri 7 Feb 2003 From: Jaime R. Torres Source: EFE Salud, Thu 6 Feb 2003 (translated by Maria Jacobs) [edited] -------------------------------------------------- Close to 300 students in one school and 173 tourists staying in 7 hotels in the Principality of Andorra have been affected by outbreaks of gastroenteritis that, according to local authorities, are not related to each other. Monica Codina, Minister of Health, stated that the outbreak that has affected almost 300 children and 8 adults in the San Ermengol school was detected last Monday [3 Feb 2003] but that it may have started Wednesday or Thursday of the previous week. The epidemiological surveys of a group of pre-school and grammar school students that may also be affected have not been performed yet. Also pending are the results of the microbiological tests of the food and water served in the school dining room, but the minister has indicated that the probable cause of the outbreak is the fact that water pitchers were filled with hoses directly from the faucet. The Minister stated that this outbreak of gastroenteritis is not related to the one that affected 173 tourists, most of them young people on holiday, who where staying in 7 hotels of the Principality. The government is also investigating the cause of this outbreak and has indicated that an anomaly in the system that supplies water to the hotels was detected, requiring a process of chlorination, which has not been carried out due to the heavy snowfall of the past few days. * * * * * * * * * * [The suspicion that defective water supplies may be responsible for all of these independent outbreaks suggests that the etiologic agent may be an enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, or non-viral, rather than one of the noroviruses associated with sudden-onset viral gastroenteritis. Information on the outcome of diagnostic tests in progress would be welcomed. - ProMed Mod.CP]
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Puerto Rico

No Profile is available at present

Travel News Headlines WORLD NEWS

Date: Mon, 12 Feb 2018 05:54:19 +0100

San Juan, Feb 12, 2018 (AFP) - Most of San Juan and a strip of northern Puerto Rico municipalities were plunged into darkness Sunday night after an explosion at a power station, five months after two hurricanes destroyed the island's electricity network.

The state electric power authority (AEE) said the blast was caused by a broken-down switch in Rio Piedras, resulting in a blackout in central San Juan and Palo Seco in the north.   "We have personnel working to restore the system as soon as possible," the AEE said.   San Juan's mayor, Carmen Yulin Cruz, said on Twitter that emergency services and local officials attended the scene in the neighbourhood of Monacillos, but no injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, the Puerto Rican capital's airport said it was maintaining its schedule using emergency generators.   The blackout comes as nearly 500,000 of AEE's 1.6 million customers remain without power since Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck the US territory in September 2017.   AEE engineer Jorge Bracero warned on Twitter that the outage was "serious," and advised those affected that power would not be restored until Monday.
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2017 03:08:12 +0100
By Leila MACOR

Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Dec 13, 2017 (AFP) - Until Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, Jose Figueroa did brisk business renting kayaks to tourists itching to see a lagoon that lights up by night thanks to millions of microorganisms.   Today, things are so dire he's considering selling water to motorists stopped at red lights.   "Now we are trying to survive," the 46-year-old tour guide said.

It used to be that visitors had to reserve a month in advance to get one of his kayaks and paddle around in the dark on the enchanting, bioluminescent body of water called Laguna Grande.   But tourists are scarce these days as the Caribbean island tries to recover from the ravages of the storm back in September.   "We do not know if we will have any work tonight," Figueroa said. "Last week, we worked only one day."    He and another employee of a company called Glass Bottom PR are cleaning kayaks on the seaside promenade of Fajardo, a tourist town in eastern Puerto Rico whose main attraction is the so-called Bio Bay.

The year started off well for Puerto Rico, with the global success of the song "Despacito" by local musicians Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.   The catchy tune helped promote the US commonwealth island of 3.4 million people, which is saddled with huge debts and declared bankruptcy in May.    But the hurricane turned what should be an island bustling with tourists into one with deserted beaches, shuttered restaurants and hotels full of mainland US officials working on the rebuilding of the island.   "What few tourists we have are the federal officials themselves," said Figueroa.

- Locals only -
The grim outlook spreads up and down the seaside promenade of Fajardo, where many restaurants are closed because there is no electricity.   On this particular day around noon, the only restaurant open is one called Racar Seafood. It has its own emergency generator.   "We get by on local tourists," said its 61-year-old owner, Justino Cruz.   "Our clients are local -- those who have no electricity, no generator, cold food or no food."

Puerto Rico's once-devastated power grid is now back up to 70 percent capacity, but this is mainly concentrated in the capital San Juan.   So while inland towns that depend on tourism are struggling mightily, things are getting better in San Juan as cruise ships are once again docking.   On November 30, the first cruise ship since the storm arrived with thousands of vacationers on board. They were received with great fanfare -- quite literally, with trumpet blaring and cymbals crashing.

- Pitching in to help -
The World Travel & Tourism Council, based in London, says tourism accounted for about eight percent of Puerto Rico's GDP in 2016, or $8.1 billion.   Hurricane Maria's damage has been uneven. Although some tour guides now have no work and many eateries are shut down, hotels that have their own generators are doing just fine.   Thanks to the thousands of US government officials and reconstruction crew members that came in after the storm, the hotels that are open -- about 80 percent of the total -- are pretty much full.

These people are starting to leave the island this month but hotels may receive tourists around Christmas, at least in San Juan, where power has for the most part been restored.   The hurricane "undoubtedly cost billions in lost revenue," said Jose Izquierdo, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.    But Izquierdo nevertheless says he is "optimistic" and suggests an alternative: put tourists to work as volunteers in the gargantuan reconstruction effort that the island needs.   "We want to look for travellers who want to travel with a purpose, who might have the commitment to help rebuild," said Izquierdo.

The program, called "Meaningful Travel" and launched in mid-November, organizes trips on which residents, Puerto Ricans living abroad and tourists are invited to help the island get back on its feet.   "The plan aims to create empathy with this tourist destination," said Izquierdo.    "We want to be like New Orleans after Katrina, where 10 years after the hurricane, tourism is the driving force of its economy. We want to build that narrative of recovery," he added.   "There are different ways in which the world wants to help Puerto Rico. The best way is to visit us."
Date: Thu, 9 Nov 2017 12:39:04 +0100
By Marcos PÉREZ RAMÍREZ

San Juan, Nov 9, 2017 (AFP) - Andrea Olivero, 11, consults her classmate Ada about an exercise during their daily English class at San Juan's Sotero Figueroa Elementary School. The task: list the positive and negative aspects of Hurricane Maria's passing almost two months ago.

The girls only have to look around. There is no electricity and they "roast" in the heat, Andrea says. At the back of the room, computers and televisions collect dust.   "We would like to move past the topic of the hurricane a bit. It is already getting repetitive," Andrea told AFP.   She is one of more than 300,000 pupils in the public education system, although only half of schools are functioning. Barely 42 per cent of Puerto Ricans have electricity seven weeks after Maria struck, killing at least 51 in the American territory.

The lack of power has prompted disorienting timetable changes on the tropical island, to avoid both the hottest hours of the day and the use of dining facilities.   "The children are very anxious. We manage to make progress in lessons and they change the hours again. Everything is messed up and we fall behind," English teacher Joan Rodriguez explained.   "We can't use the computers to illustrate classes," she said. "They are reading the novel "Charlotte's Web," and we wanted to do exercises comparing it to the film version. But we cannot use the television.

- Suspicions -
From October 23, some directors reopened their schools in the western region of Mayaguez and San Juan.   But last Thursday, the Department of Education ordered their closure, insisting they must be evaluated by engineering and architectural firms, then certified by the US Army Corps of Engineers.   One of those schools was Vila Mayo, also in San Juan. The community presumed it would open, as it had been used as a shelter, its electrical infrastructure had been inspected and it had not suffered structural damage.

But Luis Orengo, the education department's director in San Juan, told protesters outside the school it was closed as inspectors' findings had not reached the central government.   "This is unacceptable! The school is ready to give classes but they don't want to open it. Our children cannot lose a year," fumed Enid Guzman, who protested with her 11-year-old son, Reanny De la Cruz.   There are suspicions the stalled reopening of schools is, in part, related to the prior closure of 240 schools over the past year during Puerto Rico's long-running financial crisis.   The fiscal difficulties have seen the island's population drop over the past decade by 14 percent, leading in turn to a fall in school enrolment.

Before the storms, 300 schools were at risk of closure -- and for the president of Puerto Rico's federation of teachers, Mercedes Martinez, the government's aim is clear.   "Secretary (Julia) Keleher seems to have an orchestrated plan to close schools," she said, referring to the education secretary. "Why do you have to wait 30 days to get a certification so a school can open?"   Keleher has announced she expects most schools to be open by the middle of November.
Date: Tue 24 Oct 2017
Source: KFOR Oklahoma News4 [edited]

Puerto Rico has reported at least 76 cases of suspected and confirmed leptospirosis, including a handful of deaths, in the month after Hurricane Maria, said Dr. Carmen Deseda, the state epidemiologist for Puerto Rico.

Two deaths involved leptospirosis confirmed through laboratory testing, and "several other" deaths are pending test results, Deseda said. The 76 cases, up from 74 last week, also include one patient with confirmed leptospirosis who is currently hospitalized.

The island typically sees between 63 and 95 cases per year, she said. Health officials had expected that there would be a jump after the hurricane. "It's neither an epidemic nor a confirmed outbreak," Public Affairs Secretary Ramon Rosario Cortes said at a news conference Sunday [22 Oct 2017]. "But obviously, we are making all the announcements as though it were a health emergency."

Leptospirosis may be treated with antibiotics, but many people recover on their own. "The majority of leptospirosis cases is a mild, subclinical disease with no complications," Deseda said. "But one out of 10 people who have leptospirosis develop severe illness." In the 1st stage of leptospirosis, symptoms vary widely from fever and headache to red eyes and rashes. Some people may have no symptoms at all. But a small number will develop dire complications: meningitis, kidney and liver damage, bleeding in the lungs and even death.

Doctors are required to report any potential leptospirosis cases to health authorities, Deseda said. Those cases must then be tested to confirm the bacteria, since the symptoms can be difficult to tell apart from other illnesses. After that, health officials may look for patterns or clusters and determine whether there is an outbreak.

The lab tests on the suspected cases have been sent to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Deseda said. The turnaround time is about 5-6 days.

Doctors on the island have expressed concerns about burgeoning health crises amid hospitals that are overwhelmed, undersupplied and sometimes burning hot. Influenza is another concern on the horizon, Deseda said. Drinking water is also hard to come by on many parts of the island.

Dr. Raul Hernandez, an internist in San Juan, told CNN that people were drinking water from whatever sources they could find, such as rivers and creeks. If that water contains urine from a [leptospirosis-infected rat], those people will be at risk, he said.

Deseda said people should be discouraged from walking barefoot, drinking or swimming in potentially leptospirosis-contaminated waters.

"These diseases are everywhere, and there's a way to prevent them," she said.
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[Leptospirosis is a zoonotic, spirochetal infection that occurs worldwide and is transmitted to humans by exposure to soil or fresh water contaminated with the urine of wild and domestic animals (including dogs, cattle, swine, and especially rodents) that are chronically infected with pathogenic _Leptospira_. _Leptospira_ may survive in contaminated fresh water or moist soil for weeks to months. Outbreaks of leptospirosis frequently follow heavy rainfall, flooding with fresh water, and increasing rodent numbers.

Parts of Puerto Rico saw more than 30 inches of rain and consequent flooding with recent Hurricane Maria. A map showing the estimated rainfall across Puerto Rico with this hurricane is available at <https://twitter.com/NWSSanJuan/status/910983698597777409/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url>.

With continued absence of potable water, inadequate sanitation, and flooding in the streets for a large proportion of the population in Puerto Rico, food- and water-borne diseases, like leptospirosis, will be a major problem. - ProMED Mod.ML]

[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at:
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2017 16:37:27 +0200
By Ricardo ARDUENGO, con Nelson DEL CASTILLO en San Juan y Leila MACOR en Miami

Utuado, Puerto Rico, Oct 19, 2017 (AFP) - It's been a month since Hurricane Maria ripped through Puerto Rico and Samuel de Jesus still can't drive out of his isolated, blacked-out town.   In fact, much of the US territory in the Caribbean is still a crippled mess four weeks after that fierce Category Four storm.

The bridge connecting Rio Abajo to the rest of the island was swept away when Maria slammed the island on September 20. For two weeks Rio Abajo, located in a mountainous region in central-western Puerto Rico, was cut off and forgotten, without power or phone service.   "We didn't know what to do. We were literally going crazy," said de Jesus, 35.   "Those were difficult, desperate days. We could not find a way out, and the hurricane caused extensive damage," he told AFP.

During the two long weeks following Maria, the 27 families living in Rio Abajo saw their supplies quickly deplete.   De Jesus, who has diabetes, needed to keep his insulin refrigerated. The storm blew away the island's already decrepit power grid, so people resorted to emergency generators.   "But I was running out of gasoline to run the generator," he said.   A helicopter now makes regular deliveries of food, water and medicine because with the bridge washed out, there is no other way in or out of town.

People can't wade across the river because it is contaminated with human waste after a pipe broke when the bridge went.   Some brave souls use a precarious ladder rigged to get across the water, but for most people it is too dangerous.   We need a bridge "to take out our vehicles and leave in case of emergency, or if there is a landslide," he said.   Where the bridge once stood, residents set up a system of ropes, pulleys and buckets to move supplies over the river, which has been contaminated with sewer water since the hurricane.   Over the remains of the bridge locals hung the single-star, red, white and blue flag of Puerto Rico and a sign that reads "the campsite of the forgotten."

- Desperate need for electricity -
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello visited the surrounding municipality of Utuado on Wednesday to deliver supplies, but he did not stop in Rio Abajo.   "Utuado is certainly one of the most severely affected municipalities in all of Puerto Rico," Rossello said.   "Our commitment is to give it support and aid during the whole road to recovery."   Eighty-one percent of Puerto Rico remains blacked out one month after Maria struck. Clean water for drinking, cooking and bathing is scarce, too.

Puerto Ricans' main obstacle to getting back to some semblance of normality is the slowness of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority in getting the power grid back up and running.   The lack of power has paralyzed a key industry -- pharmaceutical production -- and most businesses including restaurants are closed or operating at great cost through the use of diesel powered generators.

This nightmare comes about a year after the US government established an external fiscal control board for the island after it declared bankruptcy because of 73 billion dollars in debt.   Economist Joaquin Villamil told AFP that damage from Hurricane Maria is estimated at 20 billion dollars -- four times that of Hurricane Georges in 1998, when measured in 2016 dollars.

Villamil said reconstruction money provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and from insurance companies will have a positive impact on the island's economy in the second half of fiscal 2018 and in fiscal 2019, but this boost will just be temporary.   "From an economic point of view there is not much net gain," said Villamil, who works for a consulting firm called Estudios Tecnicos.   He said the economy has been shrinking since 2006 and Maria will delay any prospect of recovery.   It will take at least until 2026 to get back to the GDP level of 2006, he added.

Making things worse, people are leaving the island for the mainland US. Forecasts are that the population now at 3.4 million will go down to 3.1 million or even less by 2026, said Villamil.   The government of Florida estimates that since October 3 -- the day a state of emergency to deal with an influx of Puerto Ricans was declared -- more than 36,000 people from the island have poured in.
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Ghana

Ghana US Consular Information Sheet
23rd September 2008
DESCRIPTION:
Ghana is a developing country on the West Coast of Africa. The capital is Accra. Facilities for tourism are available in the population centers of the greater Accra regio
, Kumasi in the Ashanti region, and in the Cape Coast area of the Central region, but they are limited in the more remote areas of the country. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Ghana for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:
A passport and visa are required, as is evidence of a yellow fever vaccination. Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of Ghana, 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC
20008; telephone (202) 686-4520. Consular services are also available at the Ghana Permanent Mission to the UN at 19 East 47th Street, New York, NY
10017, telephone (212) 832-1300, and the Honorary Consulate of Ghana, 3434 Locke Lane, Houston, TX, telephone (713) 960-8806. Overseas, inquiries should be made at the nearest Ghanaian embassy or consulate. Visit the Embassy of Ghana web site at www.ghanaembassy.org for the most current visa information.
Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site.
For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.
SAFETY AND SECURITY:
Due to the potential for violence, U.S. citizens should avoid political rallies and street demonstrations and maintain security awareness at all times. There will be frequent political rallies across Ghana in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2008.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada, or for other callers, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.
For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.
CRIME:
Pick-pocketing, purse snatching, and various types of scams are the most common forms of crime confronting visitors. U.S. travelers have reported these types of theft at crowded markets, beaches, parks, and tourist attractions. Incidences of violent crime, such as armed robbery, are on the rise, including reports of armed robberies in expatriate residential areas. Victims who resist attackers run a high risk of serious physical injury. Take security measures, such as traveling in groups and avoiding travel at night. Avoid travel in communal taxis. Travelers who limit their display of jewelry and handle their cash discreetly reduce their vulnerability to crime. Travelers are advised to carry limited amounts of cash and only photocopies of key documents.

Use of credit cards in Ghana should be avoided if possible, as a growing number of travelers have been victims of credit card fraud.

In recent years, U.S. citizens have reported substantial financial losses from questionable transactions involving gold and other precious metals. The Government of Ghana maintains strict regulations on these natural resources. All agents must be licensed and all transactions must be certified. (See Special Circumstances below).

Perpetrators of business fraud often target foreigners, including Americans. Such fraud schemes are now prevalent throughout West Africa, including Ghana.
Please refer to the Country Commercial Guide for Ghana at http://www.buyusa.gov/ghana/en/doing_business_in_ghana.html, for further information.

American citizens frequently consult the Embassy regarding questionable business offers sent by people in Ghana. These are scams and typically begin with an unsolicited communication (usually by e-mail) from an unknown individual who describes a situation that promises quick financial gain, often by assisting in the transfer of a large sum of money or valuables out of the country.
A series of “advance fees” must be paid in order to conclude the transaction, such as fees to open a bank account or to pay certain taxes.
In fact, the final payoff does not exist; the purpose of the scams is simply to collect money from the victim.
The Embassy has also received reports of fraudulent charities soliciting contributions through the Internet or direct mail. If you receive such business offers or charity requests, carefully check them out before you commit any funds, provide any goods or services, or undertake any travel. Check with the U.S. Embassy in Ghana at telephone (233-21) 741-100 for an assessment of the offer’s credibility.

Another type of fraud is committed by persons claiming to live in Ghana or who claim to be traveling to Ghana on business, and who profess friendship or romantic interest over the Internet. Once a relationship has been established, the correspondent typically asks the American to send money for living expenses, travel expenses, or visa costs. Sometimes a “hospital” or “doctor” telephones to say that the friend has suffered an “accident” and needs immediate financial assistance to cover medical bills. There are other variations of this scam, but the common goal is to fraudulently obtain as much money as possible from the victim.
Americans have reported losing thousands of dollars through such scams. The anonymity of the Internet means that the victim cannot be sure of the real name, age, marital status, nationality, or even gender of the correspondent. In most cases reported to the Embassy, the correspondent turned out to be a fictitious persona created to lure Americans into sending money.

Visitors to Ghana should also be wary of overly-friendly locals offering tours, discounted lodging or other services that seem too good to be true.
Tourists are often targeted by touts and scam artists.
Some Americans have been the victims of false criminal accusations and have found themselves separated from time, money and trust as they seek to resolve these difficult situations.

For additional information, please see the Department of State brochure International Financial Scams.

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:
The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.
The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred.
Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
Ghana maintains a specialized Domestic Violence Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) within the Ghana Police Service to assist victims of domestic violence, especially women and children. In addition to its law enforcement responsibilities, the Unit can refer victims to medical providers and counselors, as well as to community support services. Further information is available by following the DOVVSU link at www.ghanapolice.org
The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Ghana is: 191
See our information on Victims of Crime.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:
Medical facilities in Ghana are limited, particularly outside Accra, the capital. Travelers should carry adequate supplies of any needed prescription medicines, along with copies of their prescriptions, the generic name of the drugs, and a supply of preferred over-the-counter medications. For information on avian influenza (bird flu), please refer to the Department of State's Avian Influenza Fact Sheet.
Documentation of Yellow fever vaccination is required upon arrival from all countries.
There are no HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Ghana.

Motor vehicle accidents, drownings and water-related accidents due to Ghana’s rough surf, muggings and other violent attacks, and the development of sexually transmitted diseases—including HIV—are
health and safety concerns that have been reported by U.S. citizens and can be at least partially mitigated by using common-sense safety precautions.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC’s web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.
For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at http://www.who.int/en.
Further health information for travelers is available at http://www.who.int/ith/en
MEDICAL INSURANCE:
The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.
Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.
The information below concerning Ghana is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Primary roads are generally paved and well maintained. However, some side roads within major cities and roads outside of major cities are in poor condition. The road from Accra to the central region tourist area of Cape Coast continues to be the site of many accidents. Travel in darkness, particularly outside the major cities, is extremely hazardous, due to poor street lighting and the unpredictable behavior of pedestrians, bicyclists and farm animals, particularly goats and sheep. Aggressive drivers, poorly maintained vehicles and overloaded vehicles pose serious threats to road safety.

The safety standards of the small private buses that transit roads and highways are uncertain. Travelers are encouraged to consider this when making travel arrangements.

Travelers are routinely stopped at police checkpoints throughout Ghana, and vehicles and passengers may be searched. Drivers must possess an international driver’s license (available from AAA and the American Automobile Touring Alliance). Foreign nationals should carry documentation of their status, such as a passport and visa.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Visit the website of Ghana’s national tourist office at http://www.touringghana.com/default.asp and the national authority responsible for road safety at http://www.mrt.gov.gh/
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Ghana’s Civil Aviation Authority as not being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for the oversight of Ghana’s air carrier operations.
For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

Service provided by a number of regional air carriers is reported to be unreliable. The airlines may alter scheduled stops, cancel or postpone flights on short notice, and regularly overbook flights. Travelers may experience unexpected delays even after checking in. Passengers should get the required seat reconfirmation stamped on the ticket, have enough emergency funds for food and lodging in case of unexpected delays, and arrive at the airport at least two hours before the scheduled departure time.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Effective July 1, 2007, the Government of Ghana redenominated the local currency, the cedi, introducing new banknotes (Ghana Cedi) and coins (Ghana Pesewa). 10,000 cedis = 1 Ghana Cedi = 100 Ghana Pesewas. The old cedi was taken out of circulation on December 31, 2007, and as of January 1, 2008, can be converted only at commercial banks or the Bank of Ghana. Travelers should be alert to persons who may try to defraud them with the old and new bills. The Government of Ghana established a web site in 2007, www.ghanacedi.gov.gh, to inform the public about the redenomination exercise. The web site includes a useful currency converter.

Visitors arriving or departing Ghana with more than $5,000 in cash are required to declare the amount at the border. Currency exchange is available at most banks and at licensed foreign exchange bureaus, but currency transactions with private citizens are illegal. The Government of Ghana also prohibits departing travelers from carrying more than 5,000,000 cedis (500 Ghana Cedis) out of the country. Ghanaian currency must either be spent or exchanged before departure, or it will be confiscated.

Strict customs regulations govern temporary importation into or export from Ghana of items such as gold, diamonds and precious natural resources. Only agents licensed by the Precious Metals and Mining Commission, telephone (233-21) 664-635 or 664-579, may handle import-export transactions of these natural resources. Any transaction without the commission’s endorsement is illegal and/or fraudulent. All transactions must be completed through the commission at the price set daily by the London exchange. Any transaction that discounts this price, or includes a previously negotiated price, is either illegal or fraudulent. Export of gold dust is rare as it encourages dangerous and environmentally destructive practices, and transactions involving the export of gold dust are probably fraudulent. Attempts to evade regulations are punishable by imprisonment. It is advisable to contact the Embassy of Ghana in Washington, DC, or one of the Ghanaian consulates in the United States, for specific information regarding customs requirements.

In rare instances, visitors arriving in Ghana with sophisticated electronic equipment (video cameras and laptop computers) may have to deposit 17.5 per cent of the item's value with the Customs and Excise office at the airport. To get the deposit refunded, visitors must apply to the Customs and Excise Office in central Accra 48 hours before departure.

Taking pictures near sensitive installations, including military sites and some government buildings, is prohibited. These sites are not always clearly marked and application of these restrictions is subject to interpretation. Permission may be obtained from Ghanaian security personnel. Permission should also be obtained before photographing anyone in uniform (e.g., police officers and military officers). In some cases, film and cameras have been confiscated. For security reasons, taking photographs of the U.S. Embassy is also prohibited.

It is strictly prohibited to wear any military apparel such as camouflage jackets or trousers, or any clothing or items that may appear military in nature.

Please see our Customs Information.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:
While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.
Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.
Persons violating Ghana laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Ghana are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.
Please see our information on Criminal Penalties.

CHILDREN'S ISSUES:
For information see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.
REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION:
Americans living or traveling in Ghana are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Ghana. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency. The U.S. Embassy is located at No. 24 Fourth Circular Road, Cantonments, Accra; telephone (233-21)741-000. The public entrance to the Consular Section is No. 19 Fifth Link Road, Cantonments, Accra; telephone (233-21) 741-100; fax (233-21) 741-362 or 741-426; after-hours (233-21) 741-775.
*

*

*
This replaces the Country Specific Information for Ghana dated February 21, 2008, to update sections on safety and security, crime, information for victims of crime, and medical facilities and health information.

Travel News Headlines WORLD NEWS

Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2019 16:30:41 +0200
By Stacey KNOTT

Cape Coast, Ghana, April 30, 2019 (AFP) - Ghana on Tuesday rolled out the world's only proven malaria vaccine for infants as part of a landmark campaign against the deadly mosquito-borne disease, one week after Malawi became the first country to do so.   Malaria kills hundreds of thousands of people each year, mainly in Africa, and it is hoped a vaccine will bring down the toll.    Children are especially at risk, and babies were Ghana's first vaccine recipients Tuesday in the town of Cape Coast, 150 kilometres (90 miles) west of the capital Accra.   "I hope this will help us to be able to eliminate malaria, so Ghana can be a malaria-free country," said Justice Arthur, the doctor running the clinic.

The vaccines will be given to children between the ages of six months and two years, in a project run by Ghana's health ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO).   "I am really hopeful that the vaccine is going to help me and my family," said Abigail Aguanyi, a woman waiting to get her child, Blessing, vaccinated. Many of her family members had previously been stricken.   The vaccine, known by its lab initials RTS,S, has passed lengthy scientific trials which found it to be safe and effective at preventing about four in ten cases of malaria in infants -- the best ever recorded.   To achieve this level of partial protection, four successive doses must be administered on a strict timetable -- a challenge for rural Africa.

- 'Exciting' -
The rollout in Ghana, Malawi, and soon also Kenya, will seek to evaluate the vaccine's effectiveness as a complementary tool, augmenting -- but not replacing -- measures such as insecticide-treated bed nets and the use of sprays.   It will also test the feasibility of administering the four required doses in children in areas of the world with limited access to healthcare.   Data from the programme will inform a WHO policy on the broader use of RTS,S.   Malaria is spread to people by mosquitoes, which transfer the parasite while sucking blood from humans. RTS,S is effective against the Plasmodium falciparum parasite most prevalent in Africa.   In Ghana alone, there were 5.5 million confirmed cases of malaria last year, and many more suspected.

Worldwide, the WHO says malaria killed 435,000 people worldwide in 2017.    The number of cases climbed to 219 million in 2017, two million more than in 2016. Over 90 percent of cases occurred in Africa.   "This is an exciting and long-awaited step forward to fight malaria and its devastating effects on the most vulnerable," said WHO boss in Ghana, Owen Kaluwa.
Date: Sat 3 Nov 2018
Source: Ghana Web [edited]
<https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/health/Doctors-announce-Apollo-outbreak-in-Tamale-697640>

A new surge of the contagious viral eye disease known [locally] as "apollo" or haemorrhagic conjunctivitis has been confirmed by doctors at the Tamale Central Hospital in the northern regional capital. Apollo is an infection caused by the Coxsackie virus and presents with painful swollen red eyes, purulent discharges and headache, and affects the lining of the eyelids and eyeball. It usually affects both eyes but may affect one eye and later spread to the other. The disease affects people of all ages, particularly those in crowded living conditions (i.e., homes, schools, daycare centres, and work places) and those who engage in poor handwashing practices.

Apollo is spread by contact with the hands, towels, face cloths, goggles and other surfaces exposed to secretions that contain the virus. The symptoms of apollo include sore eyes, feeling of grittiness or burning, redness, watery discharge, swelling of eyelids and light sensitivity. The disease has damaged eyes of many people since its last outbreak 7 years ago in the country. A report of the outbreak has been issued by the senior optometrist of the hospital, Dr. Daniel Opoku, to the National Health Directorate in the region. The report said the hospital had received an increasing number of cases of the disease since last month [October 2018], without specifying a figure.

The statement also confirms some of the hospital staff have been affected in the outbreak and have been asked to visit the eye clinic for treatment. The hospital staff have been cautioned to be careful in their contact with patients and their folders. The staff have also been advised to practice proper hand hygiene to avoid being infected. The Ophthalmological Society of Ghana (OSG) in the region has not commented on the report, and there have not been any comments from the Red Cross Society. The Regional Health Service has confirmed the report but said the situation is being contained.
===========================
[Acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) was 1st described in Ghana in 1969 [1]. Its appearance coincided with the 1st Apollo moon landing, prompting the Ghanaians to give it the name Apollo 11 disease [2]. The etiological agent in this outbreak was identified as enterovirus 70 (EV70) [2, 3]. In the following year [1970], an outbreak of apollo was described in Singapore [4]; however, in this case, the cause was determined to be a Coxsackie virus A24 variant (CVA24v) [5].

Since then, numerous reports of AHC have emerged from across the world, associated with either EV70 or CVA24v. These 2 viruses are now recognized as the primary agents of AHC [6]. ... AHC usually resolves without sequelae, although secondary corneal infection has been reported after treatment with topical steroids [8].

References
1. Chatterjee S, Quarcoopome CO, Apenteng A. Unusual type of epidemic conjunctivitis in Ghana. Br J Ophthal 1970;54:628-630.
2. Kono R. Apollo 11 disease or acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis: a pandemic of a new enterovirus infection of the eyes. Am J Epidemiol 1975;101:383-390.
3. Mirkovic RR, Kono R, Yin-Murphy M, et al. Enterovirus type 70: the etiologic agent of pandemic acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis. Bull World Health Org 1973;49:341-346.
4. Mirkovic RR, Schmidt NJ, Yin-Murphy M, Melnick JL. Enterovirus etiology of the 1970 Singapore epidemic of acute conjunctivitis. Intervirology A 1974;4:119-127.
5. Line KH, Yin-Murphy M. An epidemic of conjunctivitis in Singapore in 1970. Singapore Med J 1971;12:247-249.
6. Wright PW, Strausss GH, Langford MP. Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. Am Fam Phys 1992;45:173-178. …
8. Vajpayee RB, Sharma N, Chand M, et al. Corneal superinfection in acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. Cornea 1998;6:614-617. Excerpted from Burr SE, Sillah, Joof H, et al. An outbreak of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis associated with coxsackievirus A24 variant in The Gambia, West Africa. BMC Res Notes 2017;10:692. - ProMED Mod.LK]
 
[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
Ghana: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/53>]
Date: Thu, 20 Sep 2018 22:11:23 +0200

Accra, Sept 20, 2018 (AFP) - At least 34 people have died in northern Ghana during flooding caused by heavy rains and waters spilling from a dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso, relief agency officials said Thursday.   Bagre Dam is located on the White Volta river that begins in Burkina Faso and which converges with the Black Volta downstream and feeds into Lake Volta in southern Ghana.  The authorities open the dam's spillways during annual rains, but the excess volumes of water regularly flood communities along the rivers.

People living along the White Volta have been urged to stay away from its banks.Others have been told to move to higher ground.   Seji Saji, deputy head of Ghana's National Disaster Management Organisation, said the situation was under control and teams were working flat out to reach those affected.   "In all we have on record 34 deaths and two people missing. The affected people are over 52,000 and we are still assessing the situation," he added.   "All these happened during the time that the river overflowed its banks but the rate of spillage has reduced considerably and fortunately since last week and this week there has not been any heavy rainfall."

Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government have been criticised for not visiting victims of the floods.  Aid agency Oxfam's inequality programmes and campaign manager in Ghana, Zakaria Sulemana, said the situation required "high-powered political attention".   "People want to hear the president, in fact we should have seen the president visit the area to console them or better still initiate an action to ensure that this does not happen again," he added.   Saji said Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia will be visiting flood victims this weekend.   In 1999, flooding in the Upper West, Upper East, Northern and Brong Ahafo and Volta regions of northern Ghana affected more than 300,000 people, according to NADMO.
Date: Wed 13 Jun 2018
Source: WHO, Regional Office for Africa [edited]

The World Health Organization (WHO) today [Wed 13 Jun 2018] congratulated Ghana for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, 2 decades after the World Health Assembly resolved to tackle the leading infectious cause of blindness. The announcement comes the day after a commitment from Pfizer, the manufacturer of Zithromax (azithromycin) to extend their donation programme for the antibiotic until 2025, if required, to finish the task of global trachoma elimination.

"It's been 20 years since the global health community committed to eliminating trachoma worldwide" said WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Although there's more work to do elsewhere, the validation of elimination in Ghana allows another previously heavily-endemic country to celebrate significant success."

Ghana is the 1st country in WHO's African Region to achieve this milestone.

"This success is a result of a tremendous amount of hard work by thousands of health, education and development workers to improve the lives of individuals with trachoma and their families", said Mr. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, Ghana's Minister of Health. "The Government of Ghana is enormously grateful to its staff and to the many partners that have joined forces with us to eliminate trachoma and the cycle of poverty it triggers."

The global trachoma community learnt a lot from Ghana's experience. Innovations pioneered there include the use of height-based dosing for azithromycin; systematic active case-searches for trichiasis involving door-to-door, community-by-community fieldwork; and, intensive counseling of patients found to have trichiasis with an offer of immediate surgery, which produced considerable improvement in surgical uptake.

"Success in Ghana is a result of the strong leadership at all levels, implementation of the full SAFE strategy right from the outset, strong collaboration between Ghana Health Service and its many partners, and integration at lower levels of programme delivery, including community ownership," said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. "Hearty congratulations are deserved for this achievement."

Trachoma: Ghana's story
-----------------------
Trachoma was identified in the 1950s as the most important cause of blindness in Ghana. By the 1990s, the disease was known to persist as a significant public health problem in the Northern and Upper West Regions. There were about 2.8 million people at risk of trachomatous blindness nationally, with an estimated 13 000 people suffering from trichiasis. In 2000, the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service set up a national Trachoma Elimination Programme.

Ghana's Trachoma Elimination Programme implemented the WHO-recommended elimination strategy, SAFE, which comprises Surgery for trichiasis, Antibiotics to clear infection, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvement to reduce transmission.

Trichiasis surgery was provided at no cost, a critical Ghana Health Service decision reflecting the socioeconomic disadvantage of people with trichiasis and the impact of the condition on future earning potential.

Azithromycin, donated by Pfizer through the International Trachoma Initiative, was distributed with support from FHI 360 (using funds from the United States Agency for International Development), The Carter Center, Sightsavers and other organizations.

Facial cleanliness was promoted through community events, dramas, the school health education programme, radio messages and radio clubs. Environmental improvement was coordinated by Ghana's Community Water and Sanitation Agency.

The disease
-----------
Trachoma, a devastating eye disease caused by infection with the bacterium _Chlamydia trachomatis_, is spread through contact with infective eye or nose discharges, either directly from person to person, or mediated by flies. Active (inflammatory) trachoma occurs as a result of infection, and is common among preschool-aged children. Women are blinded up to 4 times as often as men, mainly due to their close contact with infected children. Transmission is associated with poor sanitation and hygiene, which increase the availability of eye discharges and encourage the breeding of flies.

GET2020
-------
In 1996, WHO launched the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by the year 2020 (GET2020). With other partners in the Alliance, WHO supports country implementation of the SAFE strategy and strengthening of national capacity through epidemiological assessment, monitoring, surveillance, project evaluation and resource mobilization. Elimination of trachoma is inexpensive, simple and extremely cost effective, yielding a high rate of net economic return.
------------------------------------------
Communicated by:
Dr. Anthony Solomon MBBS, DTM&H, PhD, PGCAP, FHEA, FRCP
Medical Officer, Neglected Tropical Diseases
Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases
World Health Organization
Switzerland
========================
[ProMED-mail thanks Dr. Anthony Solomon for this submission. Dr. Solomon comments: "I'm delighted to share news of the validation of elimination of trachoma in Ghana - the 1st country in WHO's African Region to reach this mark."

For a discussion of trachoma, please see my moderator comments in a prior ProMED-mail post Trachoma - Nepal: WHO, eliminated as a public health problem http://promedmail.org/post/20180522.5810321.

HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Ghana can be seen at
Date: Tue, 15 May 2018 12:48:37 +0200
By Stacey KNOTT

Obuasi, Ghana, May 15, 2018 (AFP) - Bismark Owusu moves food and bowls from a bedroom and covers clothes and furniture with a large sheet before mixing a mosquito-killing chemical with water in his spray pack.   He then puts on head-to-toe safety gear, straps the pack to his back and methodically sprays the walls, windows and corners of the room.   Owusu's visit to Domeabra, a small community in the Obuasi area of the Ashanti region in central Ghana, is his latest stop in the country's fight against malaria.

The death of two of his friends from the disease spurs him on. "Why wouldn't I help if others are dying? I am here today helping to eradicate this deadly malaria," he told AFP.   Malaria, which is spread to people through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, is one of the world's deadliest diseases.   According to the World Health Organization, there were 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries across the world in 2016 and 445,000 deaths.   Most of those cases and deaths  -- about 90 percent -- were in sub-Saharan Africa.

In Ghana, which is home to some 28 million people, there were 4.8 million cases and 599 deaths last year, a marked drop from the 2,200 who died in 2011.   But with global concern that the fight against malaria has reached a plateau, African governments and development agencies are looking at new ways to step up the fight.   That includes preventative measures such as distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets and developing a vaccine against the disease but also indoor spraying.   Ghana is the first on the continent to introduce the large-scale use of a new "third generation insecticide" against mosquitoes, which have developed a resistance to other chemicals.

- 'Intelligent insects' -
As Ghana's rainy season approaches, when malaria cases increase, Owusu and his colleagues at the non-profit organisation AGALMal are working flat out.   The organisation grew out of a social initiative by global mining firm AngloGold Ashanti and has a laboratory in the grounds of an old mining site in Obuasi.   There, tiny mosquito pupae dart around in water in a white plastic container in a lab. 

Soon they will transform into mosquitoes and be studied by scientists. Technologist Paul Osei-Bonsu said chemical resistance was a major issue for the spraying programme.   If a population of mosquitoes is sprayed and just one survives and reproduces, the resistance will be passed on, he explained.   "If you use the same spray over time you will have 90 percent of the population not dying," he added.

Programme director Samuel Asiedu says mosquitoes are "intelligent insects", so the new chemical -- SumiShield 50WG -- should be more effective when rotated with others.   In 2006, after the first two years of the indoor spraying, the hospital in Obuasi saw a 75-percent decrease in malaria cases.    That led to the programme being expanded with additional support from global health initiative Unitaid and the Global Fund partnership.

Currently, the indoor spraying programme targets the homes of 1.2 million people.   "We are anticipating other chemicals to come on board by the end of the year so we can be rotating the use of chemicals to prevent resistance development," said Asiedu.   Unitaid project director David McGuire said he hoped the scheme "will convince donors and national governments to increase their investment in this life-saving intervention".

- 'Peace of mind' -
Keziah Malm, who manages the national malaria control programme at the Ghana Health Service, says the new WHO-approved spray is considered safe and has been tested internationally and locally.   It will be used in Obuasi and Ghana's far north -- all of the Upper West region and three districts in the Upper East -- which are high-risk zones for malaria.

Local communities still need to be convinced about the benefits of having their homes sprayed. But Asiedu says only a handful of people refuse.   Sprayers themselves also speak to households about the work and the risks to health from the disease, which can lead to severe illness and death if not treated within 24 hours.   "If I go to the whole house and someone does not want it I have to sit the person and let them know the importance of the spraying because malaria kills," said Owusu.    "It's very important we all understand that malaria is a killer. We have to eradicate it and kick it out of Obuasi and the nation as a whole."

During the course of his work, he's found everyone has a story about the disease.   "I sprayed a full house and the owner was telling me her son died some years go from malaria. He would be 18 years today. She was crying bitterly," he added.   Children under five and pregnant women are considered most vulnerable to malaria.   Seamstress Victoria Awuah lives in an eight-room house some 30 minutes from the lab.   She is seven months pregnant and doesn't need much persuasion to have her room sprayed.   "The spraying really helps. It helps us so that we don't get sick, give us peace of mind and rid this area of all these insects," she added.
More ...

Chile

Chile US Consular Information Sheet
August 20, 2008
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:
Chile is a rapidly developing country with a large, educated middle class and a robust free-market economy.
Tourist facilities are generally good and are continu
usly improving.
Read the Department of State’s Background Notes on Chile for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:
U.S. citizens entering Chile must have a valid passport.
U.S. visitors will be charged a reciprocity fee at the port of entry, and a small receipt for the fee will be stapled in the last page of the passport.
This visa is valid for multiple entries and remains valid until the expiration of the passport.
In addition, visitors will be issued a tourist visa consisting of a single sheet of paper placed in the passport. This visa is valid for a stay of up to 90 days.
An extension of stay for an additional 90 days is possible, but requires payment of an extension fee.
The visa document must be surrendered to immigration authorities upon departure.

Chilean entry and exit control laws require that a minor child under age 18 traveling unaccompanied must have permission from the parents or legal guardians.
The document must be notarized and, if issued in the United States, authenticated by a Chilean consul in the United States.

If the child is traveling in the company of only one parent or guardian, the non-traveling parent or guardian will also be required to grant permission for travel.
In this case, the document will also need to be notarized and authenticated by a Chilean consul.
The permission to travel may also be notarized by a Chilean notary in Chile.

Parents are required to have documentary evidence of their relationship to the child.
An original birth certificate or certified copy of an original birth certificate is required.
This requirement applies to all foreigners as well as Chileans.
This requirement is increasingly being enforced by Chilean immigration officers.
When traveling with a minor child in Chile on a tourist visa, having such documentation on hand will facilitate entry and departure.

Visit the Embassy of Chile web site www.chile-usa.org for the most current visa information and entry/exit requirements.
Visitors should be aware of the severe Chilean restrictions on the importation of fruit, vegetables & agricultural products.
Check the Ministry of Agriculture web site www.sag.gob.cl for current requirements.

Information about dual nationality and the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our website.
For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.
SAFETY AND SECURITY:
The potential for terrorist activity is low.
There has been some politically-motivated violence among indigenous communities in southern Chile, none of which has affected Americans.
Potential for civil disturbance is low, although demonstrations, sometimes violent, do occur.
Particularly violent days are March 29, the Day of the Young Combatant, and the anniversary of the September 11, 1973, coup against the government of President Salvador Allende.

For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's web site where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts can be found.
Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444.
These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas.
For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State’s pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad.
CRIME:
Crime rates are low to moderate throughout Chile and are moderate in Santiago, Valparaiso, and other major cities.
American citizens visiting Chile should be as careful in cities as they would be in any city in the United States.
There have been few violent crimes committed against Americans.
However, American tourists are at a heightened risk for pick-pocketing, purse or camera snatching, and theft from backpacks and rental cars.
Such crimes have been reported in all areas of Chile frequented by tourists.
In Santiago, visitors should be especially alert to the possibility of crime at the Plaza de Armas and the Mercado Central; at major hotels and restaurants in the Las Condes, Vitacura, and Providencia areas, and in the Suecia and Bellavista entertainment districts.
In Valparaiso, visitors should be especially alert in the port and adjoining tourist areas.
Tourists using taxis in Santiago should be alert to possible scams involving currency switching.
Tourists should also be especially alert while using public transportation, such as the Santiago Metro Subway and public buses and while in the vicinity of Metro stations and bus terminals. The emergency number for the police (Carabineros) is 133.

In many countries around the world, counterfeit and pirated goods are widely available.
Transactions involving such products may be illegal under local law.
In addition, bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines.
More information on this serious problem is available at www.cybercrime.gov/18usc2320.htm.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME:
The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance.
The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends and explain how funds could be transferred.
Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed. You will find information about the Chilean legal system at the following website www.ministeriopublico.cl.
Women that are victims of domestic violence will find helpful information at the website www.sernam.cl.

The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Chile is:
131 – AMBULANCE (SAMU)
132 – FIRE DEPARTMENT (BOMBEROS)
133 – POL
ICE DEPARTMENT (CARABINEROS)
See our information on Victims of Crime.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:
Medical care, though generally good, may not meet U.S. standards, especially in remote areas.
Although emergency rooms in some major hospitals accept credit cards, many doctors and hospitals in Chile expect immediate payment in cash.
Prescriptions written by local doctors and over-the-counter medicines are widely available.
Air pollution is a major source of health concern in Santiago, resulting in severe bronchial ailments affecting infants, small children and the elderly.
The most severe air pollution occurs during the winter (May through August). Additional information on air quality levels is available at the National Air Quality Information Service (SINCA) web site - www.sinca.conama.cl.

The ozone layer is especially thin at the bottom of the world.
Travelers should take proper precautions to protect themselves from ultraviolet radiation.

Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRI (1-877-394-8747) or from the CDC’s web site http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.
For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) web site at www.who.int/en.
Further health information for travelers is available at www.who.int/countries/chl/en/.
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Chile.

MEDICAL INSURANCE:
The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation.
Please see our information on medical insurance overseas.

TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:
While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.
The information below concerning Chile is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance
Driving in Chile is on the right-hand side of the road.
Traffic laws in Chile differ from traffic laws in the United States in some respects.
Right-hand turns are generally prohibited at red lights unless otherwise posted.
Seat belts are mandatory. Several modern toll highways have recently been opened in and around Santiago, dramatically improving transit into and through the city.
Major roads are generally in good condition throughout the country.
Some secondary roads, however, may be poorly maintained.
At night, occasional heavy fog in rural areas may lead to vehicle accidents with occasional deaths and injuries.
Care should be taken while driving in the mountains because the roads tend to have many tight switchbacks and may not have guardrails.
Chains are often required and should be used on mountain roads during the winter.
Many major highways in Chile are toll roads; drivers should carry a sufficient amount of local currency to cover the tolls.
The new major highways in and around Santiago generally collect tolls through use of an electronic transmitter issued by the concessionaire and placed on the vehicle.
“Day passes” may be purchased separately.
Vehicles rented at Santiago airport generally are equipped with the electronic transmitter and the rental car companies charge a surcharge for its use.
Some major arteries remain under construction in Santiago and drivers should be alert for detours and delays. Information on the major highways in the Metropolitan Region requiring an electronic transmitter is found at www.concesiones.cl.
Throughout Chile, care should be exercised when changing lanes or merging because many drivers do not signal lane changes and rarely yield to merging traffic.
Many Chilean drivers exceed posted speed limits, do not maintain safe distances, and do not observe posted road signs.
Buses are especially aggressive in moving between lanes.
Speeding is common, including in urban areas.
Traffic jams and detours in Santiago and other areas are common.
Taxis are plentiful and relatively inexpensive.
Drivers should drive with car doors locked at all times, especially in the southern parts of the city and near the airport, as there have been reports of thieves entering cars stopped at traffic lights or moving in slow traffic.
In Santiago, certain major arteries switch directions during morning and evening rush hours.
Visitors to Santiago should obtain up-to-date information on these changes from their auto rental company or the Chilean Automobile Association (please see below).
Visitors that wish to use the public bus and subway system in Santiago should visit the following websites for information on purchasing a “BIP” card, a prepaid ticket required for public buses, routes and other helpful information regarding the public transportation systems: www.transantiagoinforma.cl; www.metrosantiago.cl and www.micros.cl.
Driving under the influence of alcohol in Chile is severely punished, and can result in incarceration if the driver is involved in an accident. In accidents involving injuries or death, police may detain both drivers for many hours.
Visitors must have an international driver’s permit in order to drive legally in Chile. The international driver’s license must be obtained in the United States before traveling to Chile.
Although car rental firms may rent to customers with only a U.S. driver’s license, the police fine foreigners for driving without a valid international permit.

Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.
Visit the website of Chile’s national tourist office at www.sernatur.cl and national authority responsible for road safety at www.vialidad.cl.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Chile’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Chile’s air carrier operations.
For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s web site at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
Visitors should take care to use only the services of government licensed tour operators throughout Chile as the Embassy is aware of at least one accident involving American fatalities with an unauthorized tour operator.
Special care should be taken by arriving cruise ship passengers if arranging land tours not authorized by the cruise line.
Chile is an earthquake-prone country.
Information on Chilean earthquake preparedness is available from the Oficina Nacional de Emergencia de Chile (ONEMI) at www.onemi.cl.
General information about natural disaster preparedness is available via the Internet from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at www.fema.gov.
Information about emergency preparedness is also available on the Embassy web site at http://santiago.usembassy.gov/.
The U.S. Geological Survey provides earthquake information on Chile at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/index.php?regionID=8.
Minefields are found in Chile’s northern border with Peru and Bolivia and on the southern border with Argentina in Patagonia.
Minefields are generally marked, but markers may have been shifted, become obscured or been vandalized.
Travelers should pay attention to markers and follow clearly identified roads and trails when traveling in minefield areas.
Border crossings should only be made at authorized locations.
Persons visiting wilderness areas in the border regions mentioned above should check with park or other local officials concerning minefields and other potential hazards.
Chile is a popular destination for outdoors and adventure sports.
Much of the country is mountain, forest, desert, or glacier.
Despite the best efforts of local authorities, assisting persons lost or injured in such areas can be problematic.
American citizens have been killed in recent years in mountain climbing and whitewater rafting accidents, and seriously injured while skiing.
Persons planning to travel in isolated and wilderness areas should first learn about local hazards and weather conditions.
Information about parks and wilderness areas can be obtained from the Chilean Forestry Service at www.conaf.cl.
Information about mountain climbing in Chile can be obtained from the Federacion de Andinismo de Chile at www.feach.cl.
Current weather forecasts are available from the Chilean Meteorological Service at www.meteochile.cl.
Reports of missing or injured persons should be made immediately to the police so that a search can be mounted or assistance rendered.
Travelers in isolated areas should always inform park rangers, police, or other local authorities of their itinerary before starting off.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES:
While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law.
Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.
Persons violating Chilean laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Chile are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States.
Just as in the United States, foreigners in Chile must have proper immigration status and pay taxes on income earned in Chile.
Recently, Americans have been deported for working in Chile without authorization.
Please see our information on Criminal Penalties and ensure compliance with all Chilean immigration regulations; consult the web site of the U.S. Embassy in Chile for more information at http://santiago.usembassy.gov/
CHILDREN'S ISSUES:
See our Office of Children’s Issues web pages for information on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.
Chile has demonstrated patterns of noncompliance with the Hague Child Abduction Convention. Chile’s patterns of noncompliance fall in its judicial performance. The courts continue to demonstrate a clear bias toward Chilean mothers.

REGISTRATION/ EMBASSY LOCATION:
Americans living or traveling in Chile are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s travel registration web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Chile.
Americans without Internet access may register directly with the U.S. Embassy.
By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency.
The U.S. Embassy is located at Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago, Chile.
The telephone number is (56) (2) 330-3000.
The Embassy web site is http://santiago.usembassy.gov, and the email address for the American Citizen Services Unit is SantiagoAMCIT@state.gov.
The Consular Section fax number is (56) (2) 330-3005.
The American Citizen Services Unit is open to the public from 8:30am-11:30am, Monday through Friday, except U.S. and Chilean holidays and the first Friday of each month.
* * *
This replaces the Country Specific Information dated October 23, 2007 to update all sections except Aviation Safety Oversight.

Travel News Headlines WORLD NEWS

Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2019 03:38:45 +0200 (METDST)
By Paulina ABRAMOVICH

Santiago, Aug 16, 2019 (AFP) - Once deep in powder this time of year, Chile's ski stations are fighting the ravages of climate change and pollution that have brought less and less snow to the central Andes.   Just a few decades ago, the Andes mountain range could be buried under four meters of snow, forcing the closure of access roads and requiring the use of tractors to get around.

But this year, it's snowed only three times in the Chilean Andes, and never more than 30 centimetres.   It's not just Chile affected, but the whole of the Andes where the area of snow cover in the central zone has diminished by five to 10 percent each decade, according to Raul Cordero, an academic at the University of Santiago.   "But it's not just snow cover that's decreasing, the thickness of the snow cover is also reducing," he said.   "So when we talk about a decrease of the cover of five to 10 percent, this probably signifies a much greater reduction in the volume of available snow over the Andes."

Rising temperatures mean the snow line -- above which snow never melts all year round -- keeps creeping upwards.   The snow melt is even more pronounced in the central zone due to pollution from the Chilean capital, one of the most contaminated urban areas in the region.   A recent study led by Cordero found that soot, or black carbon, from Santiago was settling in the Andes and accelerating the snow melt.   As it's black, it absorbs more solar radiation and heats up quicker.   "When this pollution is over the cities it poisons people and when the wind blows, this pollution goes and is deposited on the mountains and contributes to the snow melt," said Cordero.

- Essential snow cannons -
The upshot is that Chile's ski stations have had a difficult season.    But thanks to the snow cannons, the erection of fences and a tailored piste management policy, the resorts have managed to stay open throughout a winter in which there has been almost no snow.   "All the ski centers in the central zone are without natural snow. However, thanks to the fabrication of snow we've been able to keep open pistes that without this fabrication would not have been able to stay open," Fernando Montenegro, the operations director at Andacor, which operates the El Colorado and Parque Farellones ski stations, told AFP.

El Colorado is 50 kilometers from Santiago and sits at 2,800-meters. It pumps out snow whenever the conditions allow it.   Low temperatures and high humidity is what's needed for the snow cannons to chug into gear and churn out snowflakes from water.   This technology has been around since 1994, but it's never before been in use as much as it is now -- and even then the ski station is only operating at 70 percent capacity.   But even if the situation gets worse, the ski stations will manage, according to Montenegro.   "There's no risk. However, we need to manage the snow and manage the water in the mountain range in a good way."   El Colorado has already invested almost $4 million in buying snow cannons and hopes to increase that to $10 million over the coming years.

- 'Variety so important' -
Last weekend, some 7,000 people descended on El Colorado where ski and snowboard national teams come to train -- although, they're not necessarily happy.   "If there's not enough snow, there's not as many hills. We don't get the variety, we don't get steepness, (or) different slopes: it's so important for us to have that variety," Megan Farrell, a member of the Canadian snowboard team, told AFP.   Amateur skiers also noticed the difference from previous years.   "You can see that the snow is harder. It's not very deep, there are a lot of stones and snow made by the cannons, which makes it feel like you're skiing on a different type of snow," said Chilean Rado Milosevic, 24.
Date: Thu 28 Mar 2019
Source: Cronica Digital [in Spanish, trans. ProMED Mod.TY, edited]

Health authorities in Chile today [28 Mar 2019] confirmed the detection in the north of the country of _Aedes aegypti_, the vector of dangerous diseases such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever [viruses].

The secretariat of the Ministry of Health in the northern Tarapaca region states that on 21 Mar [2019], a specimen of the mosquito was captured in a ovaposition trap for monitoring the presence of these insects in a women's penitentiary in Iquique city.

According to press reports from this region, the presence of larvae of the mosquito was confirmed by the Public Health Institute, although up to now, no locally acquired clinical cases of these _Aedes aegypti_-transmitted diseases have been reported.

The Tarapaca Secretary of Health, Manuel Fernandez, stated that 193 household visits have been made in the area of detection as part of preventive efforts. The official indicated that the mosquito is not able to transmit the indicated diseases without having previously had contact [bitten] with a person infected by any of these viruses. He also called on the public to collaborate with measures against this vector by opening the doors of their houses to the teams that visit to view hygienic conditions and to maximize the recommended measures with that objective.

According to health authorities, Chile, which borders Peru, Bolivia and Argentina [all of which have the mosquito and these viruses], has natural protection with the Andes mountain chain for the length of the country and extensive deserts in the north that make it difficult, but not impossible, for the mosquito to migrate [into the country]. In this respect, he advised that the effects of climate change could be favourable for the arrival of the mosquito and facilitate its reproduction due to the increase of temperature and humidity in some areas.

To date, no cases of dengue or Zika have been reported in the country except for imported ones.
===========================
[Chile has been fortunate in having escaped locally transmitted cases of these viruses due to the absence of _Aedes aegypti_ (except for far distant Easter Island, which has had cases of dengue and Zika virus infections). That situation of geographic and ecological isolation may now be changing with the discovery of a breeding population of this mosquito in the far north of the country. One hopes that this early detection and a timely surveillance effort will permit the mosquito's elimination. Continued surveillance will be critical, since this mosquito is famous for its ability to be moved around by human activity. - ProMED Mod.TY]

[HealthMap/ProMED map available at:
Date: Thu 6 Dec 2018
Source: AND radio [in Spanish, machine trans., edited]
<http://www.adnradio.cl/noticias/nacional/alertan-por-consumo-de-pescado-crudo-tras-brote-de-difilobotriasis-en-puerto-octay/20181203/nota/3832533.aspx>

Health authorities alerted the population about the consumption of raw fish after detecting 6 confirmed cases and another 14 suspects of contagion with difilobotriasis [_Diphyllobothrium latum_] at Puerto Octay Hospital. Also known as the tapeworm of fish, [_Diphyllobothrium latum_] is the largest parasite that infects humans.

This animal has the appearance of a worm, can reach up to 10 m [approx. 32 ft] and is lodged in the intestines, where it is able to reproduce. According to Las Últimas Noticias, the Health Seremi of Los Lagos, Scarlett Molt, called on the population to "be responsible with their health and avoid the risk of getting sick through the consumption of raw fish." He also warned that "food should be consumed and purchased only in established places, with sanitary certification."

The academic and member of the Chilean Society of Parasitology, Veronica Madrid, stressed that the parasite is common in dishes such as ceviche, sushi and even in "smoking processes that do not reach enough temperature to devitalize the larva." According to the specialist, the only way to be sure of avoiding its presence in fish is to cook it or freeze it to more than 24 deg C below zero [approx. -11 deg F], something that can only be achieved at an industrial level.
=================================
[_Diphyllobothrium latum_ is only seen in fish caught in fresh water, not in salt water fish. A 10 years-old report from Chile indicated that a resurgence of _D. latum_ in Chile could be linked to salmon aquaculture (Cabello FC. Aquaculture and public health. The emergence of diphyllobothriasis in Chile and the world. Rev Med Chil. 2007;135:1064-71, available at: <https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872007000800016&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en>).

Another study found that introduced trout in Lake Panguipulli was much more susceptible to _D. latum_ than the native fish (Torres P, Leyán V and Puga S. Prevalence, intensity, and abundance of infection and pathogenesis caused by diphyllobothriosis in vulnerable, native fish and introduced trout in Lake Panguipulli, Chile. J Wildl Dis. 2012;48:937-50, abstract available at: < http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.7589/2011-08-235?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed&>).

More information about the parasite can be found at:
<https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/diphyllobothrium/index.html>. - ProMED Mod.EP]
Date: Thu 27 Sep 2018
Source: Bio Bio Chile [in Spanish, machine trans., edited]
<https://www.biobiochile.cl/noticias/nacional/region-del-bio-bio/2018/09/27/explosivo-incremento-casos-de-hepatitis-a-aumentan-un-140-en-regiones-del-bio-bio-y-nuble.shtml>

A 140% increase has occurred in 2018 in cases of hepatitis A, in the area that includes the regions of Bio Bio and Nuble, compared to the same date of 2017. In fact, in 2018, 779 cases have been reported, worrying figures for the authorities due to the increase registered since the start of the outbreak of the disease in 2013. According to the health secretary in Bio Bio, Erick Jimenez, the causes could be associated with the consumption of non-potable water, incorrect handwashing, and lack of adequate cooking of seafood.

The communes most affected by hepatitis A are Coronel, where 122 cases were reported, followed by Talcahuano with 94 and Concepción with 78. Despite the figures recorded in the commune of Cuenca del Carbón, epidemiologist Andrea Silva indicated that there will be no focused work in that commune. As of 9 Sep 2018, a total of 11 940 infants in the area had been vaccinated against hepatitis A. [byline: Nicolas Parra]
======================
[The cases are not broken down in regards to age. In children, most cases of HAV infection are subclinical so it is likely that the cases reported were in adults. In the developing world, HAV is not reported much in adults as most children have been infected, and therefore immune to subsequent infection, by the age of 10. That outbreaks are occurring in the area suggests improvement in potable water so less children are infected and therefore still susceptible to HAV as adults. - ProMED Mod.LL]

[Maps of Chile: <https://tinyurl.com/yaklcu2s>
and <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/7>.]
Date: Fri 21 Sep 2018
Source: Biobiochile [machine trans., edited]

The Ministry of Health confirmed that from June 2018 to date, 31 people have been infected with cholera in 3 different regions of the country. The microorganism has been present in Chile for some time, but the Undersecretary of Public Health, Paula Daza, told El Mercurio that "this year [2018] what we have had is an outbreak, because we've had a larger number of cases in a short period of time."

According to data from the Regional Ministerial Secretariat (Seremi) of Health of the [Santiago] Metropolitan Region, of the total number of patients, 29 are in this region, with the municipality of La Florida leading the list with 4 infections. Other communes with reported cases are Huechuraba, Las Condes, Vitacura, La Reina, Penalolen, Puente Alto, La Cisterna, Pedro Aguirre Cerda, Santiago, Maipu, Central Station, Renca, Quinta Normal, Conchali, Independencia, Recoleta, and Providencia.

The list is magnified by other cases that occurred in the regions of Valparaiso and Atacama. Of the total number of patients registered so far, 19 are women, and 18 had a history of other underlying diseases.

The symptoms of the infection are similar to a prominent gastroenteritis. The Ministry of Health confirmed that currently no deaths have been recorded as a result of the infections, but 9 people had to be hospitalized.

As to which polluted irrigated waters were the trigger of the outbreak, the Health Seremi of the Metropolitan Region, Rosa Oyarce, assured the same media that "it was ruled out because all the necessary tests were done to the irrigation canals that go directly to the irrigations of the vegetables." Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary Paula Daza indicated that the cause of the outbreak cannot yet be determined. The health authority stressed that it has been ruled out that the bacterium came from abroad, because the ministry's information indicates that none of the patients took previous trips to other countries that could have caused the infection.  [Byline: Felipe Diaz]
===============================
[In the previous post, 14 cases were reported; now that number has more than doubled. Chile had a toxigenic cholera outbreak that originated in neighboring Peru between 1991 and 1994, affecting approximately 150 persons.

It is not stated if this cluster of cases is related to a non-toxigenic O1 or O139 strain or a non-epidemic strain of non-O1, non-O139 _Vibrio cholerae_. As a review, the flagellar (H) antigens of _V. cholerae_ are shared with many water vibrios and therefore are of no use in distinguishing strains causing epidemic cholera. The O (somatic) antigens, however, do distinguish strains of _V. cholerae_ into 139 known serogroups. Almost all of these strains of _V. cholerae_ are non-virulent. Until the emergence of the Bengal (O139) strain (which is "non-O1"), a single serogroup, designated O1, has been responsible for epidemic cholera.

There are 3 distinct O1 serotypes -- Ogawa, Inaba, and Hikojima -- each of which may display the "classical" or El Tor phenotype (or biotype). The biotypes are distinguished by their expression of surface antigens A, B, and C. Ogawa contains antigens A and B; Inaba contains antigens A and C; and Hikojima contains antigens A, B, and C. The latter serotype is relatively rare.

In almost all cases, non-O1, non-O139 _V. cholerae_ isolates do not possess the genes for cholera toxin. Some isolates can cause substantial diarrhea (1-4). The type III secretion system (TTSS) is a mechanism for Gram-negative bacilli to introduce effector proteins into host cell cytoplasm (5). It has been reported that a functional TTSS is required for at least in some non-O1, non-O139 isolates to induce diarrhea in an animal model associated with small-bowel damage and production of proinflammatory cytokines (6). In addition, TTSS contributes to virulence even in the presence of cholera toxin and TCP (6).

References
----------
1. Bhattacharya MK, Dutta D, Bhattacharya SK, et al. Association of disease approximating cholera caused by _Vibrio cholerae_ of serogroups other than O1 and O139. Epidemiol Infect. 1998; 120(1): 1-5; <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2809342/>.
2. Sharma C, Thungapathra M, Ghosh A, et al. Molecular analysis of non-O1, non-O139 _Vibrio cholerae_ associated with an unusual upsurge in the incidence of cholera-like disease in Calcutta, India. J Clin Microbiol. 1998; 36: 756-63;  <http://jcm.asm.org/content/36/3/756.long>.
3. Bidinost C, Saka HA, Aliendro O, et al. Virulence factors of non-O1, non-O139 _Vibrio cholerae_ in Cordoba, Argentina. Rev Argent Microbiol. 2004; 36: 158-63;  <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15786867>.
4. Chatterjee SC, Ghosh K, Raychoudhuri A, et al. Incidence, virulence factors, and clonality among clinical strains of non-O1, non-O139 _Vibrio cholerae_ isolates from hospitalized diarrheal patients in Kolkata, India. J Clin Microbiol. 2009; 47(4): 1087-95; <http://jcm.asm.org/content/47/4/1087.long>.
5. Gatan JE, Colimer A. Type III secretion machines: bacterial devices for protein delivery into host cells. Science 1999: 284(5418): 1322-8; <http://science.sciencemag.org/content/284/5418/1322.long>.
6. Shin OS, Tam VC, Suzuki M, et al. Type III secretion is essential for the rapidly fatal diarrheal disease caused by non-O1, non-O139 _Vibrio cholerae_. mBio 2011; 2(3): e00106-11; <http://mbio.asm.org/content/2/3/e00106-11.long>.
- ProMed Mod.LL]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
More ...

Marshall Islands

Introduction
 
After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Mar
hall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.
 
Geography
 
Located in the Oceania region its consists of two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
 
Climate
 
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt

Travel News Headlines WORLD NEWS

Date: Mon, 28 May 2018 01:20:00 +0200

Majuro, Marshall Islands, May 27, 2018 (AFP) - Haze from the Kilauea volcano eruption in Hawaii blanketed the Marshall Islands 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) away on Sunday, as officials warned it would continue moving west.   The haze, a phenomenon known as "vog" or volcanic smog, "is spreading across Micronesia," the US National Weather Service based in Guam said.

The volcano on Hawaii's Big Island is now in its fourth week of eruptions.   Meteorologists advised residents on the Marshall Islands with respiratory problems to stay indoors while airlines and shipping companies were warned to be aware of "lower visibilities".

The Guam weather office said haze produced by Kilauea would spread farther westward and reach Kosrae, Pohnpei and possibly Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia over the next few days.   Kilauea is the world's most active volcano and one of five on Hawaii's Big Island.   It started erupting on May 3, prompting about 2,000 people to flee from their mountainside homes.   Scientists believe the volcanic activity may be a precursor to a major eruption similar to the one that shook the island in the mid-1920s.
Date: Fri 4 May 2018
Source: CDC. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018; 67(17):504-5 [edited]

ref: Hofmeister MG, McCready JA, Link-Gelles R, et al. Notes from the field: Increase in hepatitis A virus infections -- Marshall Islands, 2016-2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018; 67:504-5. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6717a5
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In mid-September 2016, a case of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection was reported to the Marshall Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS). On 4 Nov 2016, MOHHS received laboratory confirmation of 4 additional cases, prompting activation of an outbreak investigation by the MOHHS Exposure Prevention Information Network (EPINet) team and solicitation of technical assistance from the Pacific Island Health Officers' Association, the WHO, and CDC. CDC began participating in the investigation by providing technical assistance remotely at that time. CDC provided remote assistance throughout the course of the investigation. In April 2017, the CDC-affiliated coauthors traveled to the Marshall Islands to provide in-person technical assistance.

To characterize the outbreak, the MOHHS EPINet Team, with assistance from CDC, conducted an investigation through in-person interviews and medical chart abstractions. A probable HAV outbreak case was defined as an acute illness with onset of any signs or symptoms consistent with acute viral hepatitis (such as fever, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, dark urine, clay-colored stool, or abdominal pain) on or after 1 Sep 2016, and either jaundice or elevated serum aminotransferase levels; a confirmed case met the probable case definition and also had either a positive immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody to HAV on laboratory testing or an epidemiologic link to a confirmed case.

>From September 2016 (epidemiologic week 37) through July 2017 (epidemiologic week 28), 194 outbreak-associated hepatitis A cases (168 confirmed and 26 probable) were reported by MOHHS (Figure [available at the source URL above. - ProMED Mod.LL]). Illness onset dates ranged from 12 Sep 2016 through 11 Jul 2017. The median age of infected persons was 8 years (range equal to 2-76 years), 57 percent of patients were male, 91 percent were Marshallese, and 11 percent were hospitalized. No deaths were reported. Persons younger than 25 years accounted for 90 percent of cases, and 92 percent of patients were residents of the capital, Majuro. The most commonly reported signs and symptoms were jaundice (92 percent), nausea (76 percent), anorexia (75 percent), and dark urine (68 percent). Clay-colored stool (10 percent) was less commonly reported.

Complete contact information was available for 102 (53 percent) patients. A total of 1143 contacts were identified, with a mean of 11 contacts identified per patient (range equal to 2-60). Among the identified contacts, 902 (79 percent) received post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with hepatitis A vaccine. Some contacts were identified outside the recommended PEP window of 14 days after exposure, and 14 contacts were infants who were too young to be vaccinated (1). 7 contacts refused vaccination.

The EPINet team disseminated public information about the outbreak and recommendations on hygiene and vaccination through radio shows, mass text messages, posters, and school presentations; developed standardized case reporting and interview tools; and expanded case finding through investigation of contacts. Hepatitis A vaccine is not currently included in the Marshall Islands routine childhood immunization schedule. Marshall Islands began immunization of contacts of patients with hepatitis A in January 2017 and then launched a comprehensive immunization campaign targeting school-aged children on Majuro in February 2017, which ultimately covered approximately 70 percent of the total kindergarten through 8th grade student population. Once the vaccine supply was replenished in April 2017, a 2nd immunization campaign was directed at high school students aged 14-19 years on Majuro. In total, approximately 12,500 doses of hepatitis A vaccine were administered to school-aged children and adult contacts of patients in response to the outbreak. No additional cases were reported as of 30 Aug 2017.

Before this outbreak, the last HAV outbreak in the Marshall Islands occurred approximately 25 years ago. Since then, approximately 5 hepatitis A cases per year have been reported (MOHHS, unpublished data, 2017). HAV infection is typically acquired through faecal-oral transmission, either from direct person-to-person contact or consumption of contaminated food or water. In this outbreak, transmission occurred primarily through direct person-to-person contact, and despite extensive measures, the initial source of HAV infection was not identified.

HAV infection occurs in 3 distinct epidemiologic patterns (high, intermediate, and low endemicity) associated with hygiene and sanitation, access to clean drinking water, household crowding, and socioeconomic conditions (2). As socioeconomic conditions and sanitation improve, areas transition from high to intermediate endemicity, which is associated with an increased incidence of symptomatic clinical disease and potential for outbreaks. Hepatitis A-related hospitalizations and mortality also increase as the age of infection shifts from early childhood, when disease is typically asymptomatic or mild, to adolescence and adulthood, when illness is more likely to be severe (2).

Before this outbreak, HAV was thought to be endemic in the Marshall Islands; however, this outbreak demonstrates that the country might be undergoing an epidemiologic transition toward intermediate endemicity (3). Health officials are evaluating the potential costs and benefits of incorporating routine hepatitis A vaccination in Marshall Islands as a means of reducing ongoing transmission and preventing outbreaks.

References
-----------------
1. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, CDC: Update: prevention of hepatitis A after exposure to hepatitis A virus and in international travelers. Updated recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2007; 56(41): 1080-84; available at
2. Wasley A, Fiore A, Bell BP: Hepatitis A in the era of vaccination. Epidemiol Rev 2006; 28: 101-11; available at
3. Jacobsen KH: The global prevalence of hepatitis A virus infection and susceptibility: a systematic review. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2009; available at
===================
[This posting underscores the importance of the kind of epidemiologic pattern of HAV in an area and certainly suggests that this island nation has improved hygiene and sanitation to transition to intermediate endemicity where routine childhood HAV vaccination bears consideration. The current outbreaks in a variety of areas in the USA (including parts of Michigan, Utah, and Kentucky) affecting certain cohorts of adults (who were old enough not to be immunized as children) underscore immunization.

The Marshall Islands (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Islands>), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an island country located near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the International Date Line. Geographically, the country is part of the larger island group of Micronesia. The country is spread out over 29 coral atolls, comprising 1156 individual islands and islets. Politically, the Marshall Islands is a presidential republic in free association with the United States, with the USA providing defense, subsidies, and access to USA-based agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Postal Service. - ProMED Mod.LL]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map
Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2018 05:50:34 +0100

Majuro, Marshall Islands, Feb 3, 2018 (AFP) - Emergency services were put on standby Saturday in Majuro, as rising king tides threatened to flood the capital of the low-lying Marshall Islands.

The national weather service warned "major inundation" was possible from Saturday evening through to Tuesday at peak tide periods in the Pacific island nation, highlighting its vulnerability to rising sea levels.   "We're on stand-by through Tuesday," Public Works Minister Tony Muller said Saturday as the 30,000 population of Majuro Atoll braced for the expected floods.    Heavy equipment, including bulldozers, was being positioned at critical locations around Majuro so emergency crews can respond quickly in the event of flooding, he said.

Majuro is barely a metre above sea level and the single road along the 30-mile (50-kilometre) length of the coral atoll is often blocked during serious flooding by coral, rocks, sand and garbage tossed up by waves.   The National Disaster Management Office has been placed on high alert and used its mass text messaging system for the first time Friday to issue a high tide advisory.

The US National Weather Service in nearby Guam issued an advisory Saturday morning warning "major inundation of one to two feet is possible, especially during high tides inside the lagoon".   King tides, which are extremely high tides, are a natural phenomenon early in the year in the Marshall Islands caused by the strong gravitational pull from a new or full moon when the moon is at its closest to the earth.
Date: Sat 1 Apr 2017
Source: Outbreak News Today [edited]

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday [30 Mar 2017] congratulated the Republic of the Marshall Islands on eliminating lymphatic filariasis -- also known as elephantiasis -- as a public health problem.

Lymphatic filariasis is a mosquito-borne disease that damages the lymphatic system, leading to severe disfigurement, pain, and disability. For people affected by this disease, the impacts of disfigurement and the associated stigma are profound: people often lose their livelihoods and suffer from psychological impacts such as depression and anxiety.

"Lymphatic filariasis is a terrible disease, causing untold suffering for those who are affected by it. I sincerely congratulate the Republic of the Marshall Islands for eliminating this disease as a public health threat; this is an enormously important achievement for the health of your people," said Dr Shin Young-Soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands joins 6 other countries in WHO's Western Pacific Region that have been validated as having achieved elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem since WHO launched the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis in 2000: Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Niue, the Republic of Korea, and Vanuatu.

Lymphatic filariasis is classified by WHO as a neglected tropical disease (NTD). NTDs are a diverse group of communicable diseases that thrive mainly among the poorest populations in tropical and subtropical areas. NTDs cause serious illness and in some cases death, but they are preventable. Through a series of public health strategies, including preventive treatment of communities, intensive case management, vector control, controlling diseases in animals that can spread to humans through vaccination, and provision of safe water, sanitation and hygiene, many NTDs can be controlled, and eventually, eliminated.

The fight against lymphatic filariasis in the 17 countries and areas where it remains endemic in the Western Pacific Region is an important priority for WHO's work in this region.

Following the initiation of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis, many of these countries and areas are making progress towards elimination. WHO works directly with countries and partners to support large-scale mass drug administration campaigns and better access to effective medicines and diagnostic tests. These efforts are paying off as more countries -- like the Republic of the Marshall Islands -- are approaching the elimination threshold for lymphatic filariasis.

"The Republic of the Marshall Islands has shown that with commitment and creativity, and despite significant geographic challenges in reaching people in many far-flung islands, it can be done. WHO is committed to supporting Member States to rid our region of the scourge of lymphatic filariasis so no one need suffer from this awful disease," concluded Dr Shin.
=====================
[ProMED-mail congratulates the Marshall Islands for reaching this important milestone.  Nearly 25 years ago, lymphatic filariasis was endemic (see: Kimura E et al. Parasitological and clinical studies on _Wuchereria bancrofti_ infection in Chuuk (formerly Truk) State, Federated States of Micronesia. Trop Med Parasitol. 1994;45:344-6). The study found a microfilaria rate of 6-10 percent in males over 20 years of age. - ProMED Mod.EP]

[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at:
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2016 09:48:21 +0200

Majuro, Marshall Islands, April 29, 2016 (AFP) - The Marshall Islands on Friday hailed a US decision to declare a drought disaster in the parched Pacific nation, welcoming much-needed aid from Washington to cope with one of the worst dry spells in its history.   US President Barack Obama signed a disaster declaration Thursday as the drought in the Marshalls enters its fourth month, with residents scrambling to find fresh water amid mounting concerns over food crops.   Marshalls and its Pacific neighbours are in the grips of a drought caused by one of the strongest El Nino events in recorded history, according to US weather officials.   Obama's declaration will trigger $3.0 to 4.0 million in aid from Washington, according to a US official in Majuro. 

The money is expected to be put toward drought damaged crops that support subsistence islanders in remote parts of the Pacific nation, according to the Marshall's government.   "The president's action makes federal funding available for US government emergency relief and reconstruction assistance to the Republic of the Marshall Islands," a White House statement said.   Kino Kabua, Marshalls' deputy chief secretary overseeing the drought response, said the US declaration would boost resources and provide much needed reverse osmosis (RO) water-filtration units.    "Obviously we cannot provide RO units to all islands at the moment but... once the additional ones arrive, we will send out more," he said.   The Marshalls declared a drought emergency in February, then elevated it to a disaster and appealed to the United States and other countries for aid.    Australia, India, the European Union and the Asian Development Bank have provided funding in recent weeks to buy water filtration units, water delivery trucks and catchment tanks.

About a third of the Marshalls' population of 56,000 rely on subsistence farming on remote, difficult to access islands, eating fish, breadfruit, pandanus, coconuts and bananas.   Crops began wilting in March, several months into the drought.   "I can tell you that the water situation is getting worse," said Ota Kisino, the mayor of Wotje atoll in the northern islands.   In the capital Majuro, water is being rationed to four hours, just one day per week and the supply of water in the city reservoir has dwindled to less than half its capacity.    Elsewhere in the region, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau have declared states of emergency, while Guam and the Northern Marianas are experiencing low rainfall.
More ...

World Travel News Headlines

Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2019 18:28:15 +0200 (METDST)

Abuja, Aug 21, 2019 (AFP) - Nigeria on Wednesday announced that three years had elapsed since it last recorded a case of polio, a key step towards eradicating the notorious disease in Africa.    "Three years without a case of wild polio virus is a historic milestone for Nigeria and the global community," said Faisal Shuaib, director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.   Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, was the last country on the continent to suffer from outbreaks of the wild polio virus, but has recorded none since August 2016. 

The West African giant will submit data on its polio cases to the World Health Organization (WHO) in March 2020, a move that could pave the way for the whole of the continent to be declared free of the virus.   "If the data confirms zero cases, the entire African region could be polio-free by middle of next year," the WHO representative in Nigeria, Clement Peter, said.    The poliovirus infects the brain and spinal cord, potentially causing lasting muscle pain, weakness or paralysis.    The virus only infects humans, with young children highly vulnerable.   It is transmitted through contact with the faeces of infected individuals, such as through unsanitary water or food.   It has no cure but can be prevented through immunisation.

Only Pakistan and Afghanistan are still battling incidents of the disease around the world.   The fight against the virus in Nigeria was slowed by the Boko Haram insurgency that has torn apart the northeast of the country over the past decade.    The insecurity, which has displaced more than two million people, hampered vaccinations in the region and prevented access to people in remote areas.    While fighting jihadists, Nigeria and neighbouring countries in the Lake Chad Basin have held polio vaccination campaigns to prevent the spread of the virus.

Once a worldwide scourge, the number of cases around the globe have fallen by more than 99 per cent since 1988, according to the WHO.   In 2012, Nigeria had 122 polio sufferers, more than half of the 223 victims worldwide.   Despite the progress, aid organisations warned there could be no letup.   "The battle is not over yet," Pernille Ironside, Unicef's deputy representative for Nigeria, said.    "We have to maintain our effort and intensify them to make sure the historic gains are sustained."
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2019 23:46:29 +0200 (METDST)

Los Angeles, Aug 20, 2019 (AFP) - The jam-band Phish announced Tuesday that plague-infected -- yes, that plague -- prairie dog colonies had forced the cancellation of overnight camping and vending for its annual concert series near Denver.   The band will still play over the Labor Day holiday weekend but said in a statement that health officials overseeing Colorado's Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge urged precautionary measures like restricting parking and camping to prevent potential spread of the disease.   "We recognize the tremendous inconvenience this may cause for those who had planned on camping," said Phish, a rock band known for its improvisation and hardcore fan base.   Officials had closed parts of the 15,000-acre refuge starting in July, a statement from the US Fish & Wildlife Service said. Some were re-opened in recent days but several trails remain closed.   Today the plague can be treated with antibiotics but is best known for killing 60 percent of Europe's population during the Black Death of the Middle Ages.

The last epidemic in the United States was in the 1920s in Los Angeles.   Humans can contract the easily spreadable plague from fleas that transmit it from infected rodents, as well as from coming into contact with infected bodily fluids or by inhaling coughed-up bacteria.  

Many dedicated Phish fans had decried the lack of information concerning the August 30-September 1 concerts in the lead-up to Tuesday's announcement: "People are already changing their plans. People are mad," fan Keegan Lauer told a local CNN affiliate of the confusion.   "People are Phish fans and Phish fans that are mad are really mad."
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2019 23:40:37 +0200 (METDST)

Madrid, Aug 20, 2019 (AFP) - Unions representing Ryanair cabin crew in Spain warned on Tuesday of a 10-day strike in September to protest against the anticipated closing of some airport bases for the low-cast Irish airline.   After meeting with Ryanair representatives for more than seven hours, "which ended without an accord," the unions USO and Sitcpla issued a warning of a strike at 13 Ryanair bases in Spain, the USO said in a statement.   It said the protest was over the possible closing of Ryanair bases at airports on the popular tourist Canary islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria and also the "future uncertainty" for Girona in northeast Spain.   More meetings between unions and Ryanair management could be held next week, USO said.   Cabin crew are set to observe the strike mainly on Fridays and Sundays in September.

Ryanair had announced last month that it would close some bases because of problems with Boeing's crisis-hit 737 MAX jet, which has been grounded after two fatal accidents.   The Irish no-frills airline said it expected to take delivery of just 30 Boeing 737 MAX 200 jets by the end of May 2020, instead of the 58 that it originally expected, and shortfall would mean it would have to close some bases.   Ryanair also announced in July that it intends to eliminate 900 jobs in its 13,000-strong workforce, and it has faced several protests by employees in Europe.   Pilots in the UK and Ireland warned of strikes in August and September to protest against their working conditions and salaries.
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:45:49 +0200 (METDST)

Madrid, Aug 20, 2019 (AFP) - A 90-year-old woman has died and 53 people are in hospital in Spain, including several pregnant women, after eating contaminated meatloaf, officials said Tuesday.   Listeria is a commonly found bacteria and most people who consume foods that contain it do not become ill.  But for elderly people, pregnant women or those with serious conditions like diabetes or cancer, it poses a serious threat.   The outbreak of listeria is affecting mainly the southwestern region of Andalusia where 114 cases have been confirmed, according to the regional health department.

Outside Andalusia, only one case has so far been confirmed in the neighbouring region of Extremadura, Spain's Health Minister Maria Luisa Carcedo told Cadena Ser radio.   A 90-year-old patient affected by the outbreak died overnight at a hospital in Seville, the capital of Andalusia, the regional government said in a statement.   It said another 53 people are in hospital including 18 pregnant women and two new-borns.

Spanish consumer group Facua said two pregnant women who ate meatloaf, suspected of being contaminated with listeria, "lost their babies" in Seville.   An investigation has been opened because there appears to be a link to the outbreak of listeria, the health ministry said.   The regional government of Andalusia warned last Thursday that meatloaf sold under the commercial name "la Mecha" made by Seville-based company Magrudis was the source of a listeria outbreak.   The factory was closed and all of its meatloaves were recalled from shops, the health ministry said.   Listeriosis begins with flu-like symptoms including chills, fever and muscle aches. It can take up to six weeks after consuming contaminated foods for symptoms to occur.
Date: Tue 20 Aug 2019
Source: WTOP [edited]

Health authorities in Spain are on high alert after a 90 year old woman died amid a listeria outbreak in the southern region of Andalusia that has affected more than 110 people.

Jose Miguel Cisneros, director of the infectious disease department at Seville's Virgen del Rocio Hospital, on Tuesday [20 Aug 2019] announced the 1st casualty since the outbreak was declared on 15 Aug [2019]. Authorities have closed the pork meat supplier's plant and recalled all of its products. Cisneros said roughly half of the 114 people affected by the bacteria remain hospitalized.

Health minister Maria Luisa Carcedo said an investigation is looking into how the meat evaded what she called "strict food safety controls".

Listeria is a bacteria that usually causes mild illness in healthy people but can be dangerous to pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.
======================
[The listeriosis outbreak, which was previously reported to have affected 44 people mainly in the cities of Huelva and Seville (ProMED-mail post Listeriosis - Europe (06): (Spain) meat, recall, alert http://promedmail.org/post/20190817.6627473), is now said to involve 114 people.

Huelva, with a population of 144,258 residents, is a city located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast in south western Spain in the autonomous community of Andalusia (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huelva>). Seville, with a metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Andalusia, located about 80 km (50 mi) inland from the Gulf of Cadiz coast (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seville>).

A map showing the location of Huelva and Seville can be found at

We still have not been told the characteristics of the meat product involved in this listeriosis outbreak. Adequate cooking of the meat before eating should have markedly reduced the risk for listeriosis. However, refrigerated ready-to-eat cold cut meats are well-recognized sources for listeriosis. Even if initial contamination added only a few listeria organisms to the food, the contamination can be significant for refrigerated foods because _Listeria monocytogenes_ can subsequently multiply at refrigerator temperatures to sufficient number to cause disease. Refrigerated ready-to-eat meat products should not be served to people who are likely to be at increased risk for listeriosis, such as pregnant women, adults aged 65 years or older, and people with weakened immune systems.

The meat ("La Mecha" made by the Magrudis company, based in Seville) suspected to be the source has been recalled, but because it can take up to 70 days after exposure to listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop, more cases can be expected.

In the USA and Europe, clusters of related cases are identified based on clinical isolates of _L. monocytogenes_ that have similar genotypes. Food is confirmed to be the source if listeria isolated from it has a genotype that matches the genotype of the clinical outbreak strain. We await further developments in the investigation of this outbreak. - ProMED Mod.ML]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Spain:
Date: Mon 19 Aug 2019
Source: ARY News [edited]

One more case of Congo virus [has been] reported in Karachi as a young boy was diagnosed with the disease after being admitted at a hospital in Nazimabad area, ARY News reported on Sunday [18 Aug 2019]. Doctors confirmed that the 17 year old boy, named as [QS] who is [a] resident of Sohrab Goth and worked at a dairy farm, was diagnosed with Congo virus during the initial medical examination tests.

It is pertinent to mention here that the 1st case of Congo virus was reported on [11 Feb 2019] in the metropolis as a woman, [TF], [who] had been brought to Jinnah Hospital in critical condition.

In 2018, at least 16 deaths were reported in Karachi from the life-threatening virus, and 41 patients -- mainly from Quetta, Balochistan -- were diagnosed with it.

Earlier on [25 Jul 2019], a Congo virus alert had been issued for the metropolis, stipulating precautionary instructions for all those people who visit cattle farms. The alert was issued by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to hospitals, directing the management to adopt special precautions for a Congo-affected patient. The letter of the KMC further asked hospitals to establish special wards for Congo patients, and run awareness campaigns about the virus through banners and posters.

The disease is caused when a tick attaches itself to the skin of cattle, and when that infected tick or animal comes in contact with people, the highly contagious virus is transmitted into the human body and the person falls ill. This disease has a 40% to 50% mortality rate. The initial symptoms of Congo fever include headache, high fever, rashes, back pain, joint pain, stomach pain and vomiting.

Precautions: people should wear light-coloured and airy clothes while going to cattle farms. Use of mask and gloves is also recommended while touching animals.
Date: Wed 21 Aug 2019
Source: The Canberra Times [edited]

Australian Capital Territory (ACT) health officials are investigating a cluster of hepatitis A cases in Canberra's South Korean community. There have been 8 cases of the virus in the ACT and Sydney since June 2019. The cluster of cases comes as South Korea experiences a large outbreak of the virus, with more than 11,000 cases reported in the country in 2019.

ACT Health said it was working with its counterparts in New South Wales to investigate the cause of the outbreak. An ACT Health spokesman said most of the people affected by hepatitis A in recent weeks in Canberra had not reported travelling overseas recently. "Australia has a low incidence of hepatitis A, and when outbreaks occur, they are linked to consumption of contaminated food products or person-to-person spread," the spokesperson said. "However, at this stage of the investigation, no specific food has been connected to the outbreak."

Symptoms of the virus may include nausea, vomiting, fever and yellowing of the skin, dark urine and pale stools.

"The ACT Health directorate is reminding the South Korean community in Canberra and anyone travelling to South Korea, of the importance of vaccination prior to travel and practicing good hand hygiene to reduce the risk of spread," the spokesman said. Health officials have recommended at least one dose of a hepatitis A vaccination before travel. Two doses prevent an infection.

Handwashing in soap and water for at least 15 seconds has also been recommended by health officials to help prevent the spread of the virus.
===================
[Since no travel was involved, it is not clear if the cases were from imported food, food contaminated by an infected food handler or from transmission from an asymptomatic person. - ProMED Mod.LL]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Australia:
Date: Tue 20 Aug 2019, 4:29 PM
Source: Arka News Agency [edited]

Anthrax cases have been reported in Geghhovit community of Armenia's Gegharkunik province, the press office of Armenia's health ministry reported on [Tue 20 Aug 2019]. According to the ministry's press release, 2 residents of the community came to a medical centre in Martuni with sores on their fingers. The patients told doctors that they had taken part in butchering a cow of a fellow villager.

The health ministry has dispatched its experts to the community. As a result of joint efforts with local medical centres' workers, 6 other infected people have been found. All the patients are being treated now, and the community is under medical control now. The Armenian Food Safety Agency has been informed.
===================
[Gegharkunik province is on the eastern border of Armenia and pokes into Azerbaijan; see:
<http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/commonwealth/armenia_pol_2002.jpg>

Geghhovit is south of Sevana Lich (lake); see:

When the dust settled there were 2 initial cutaneous cases subsequent to them butchering a neighbour's cow, which would have been sick or dead. The first report suggests that they might have butchered a number of "cattle" carcasses, though the 2nd report has a single cow. And in due course another 6 villagers came down with cutaneous anthrax as they were sent to the local hospital merely for diagnostic confirmation.

Anthrax is sporadic in Armenia and thus the risks of butchering sick and dead animals are only realised after the onset of human anthrax lesions. And the number of human cases can exceed the indirectly reported livestock cases. - ProMED Mod.MHJ]

[HealthMap/ProMED map available at:
Date: Mon 19 Aug 2019
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [edited]

Viral hepatitis, outbreaks, hepatitis A outbreaks
-------------------------------------------------
Since March 2017, CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis (DVH) has been assisting multiple state and local health departments with hepatitis A outbreaks, spread through person-to-person contact.

The hepatitis A vaccine is the best way to prevent HAV infection.

The following groups are at highest risk for acquiring HAV infection or developing serious complications from HAV infection in these outbreaks and should be offered the hepatitis A vaccine in order to prevent or control an outbreak:
- people who use drugs (injection or non-injection);
- people experiencing unstable housing or homelessness;
- men who have sex with men (MSM);
- people who are currently or were recently incarcerated; and
- people with chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C.

One dose of single-antigen hepatitis A vaccine has been shown to control outbreaks of hepatitis A and provides up to 95% seroprotection in healthy individuals for up to 11 years.

Pre-vaccination serologic testing is not required to administer hepatitis A vaccine. Vaccinations should not be postponed if vaccination history cannot be obtained or records are unavailable.
[further information available at URL above]
=============================
[Overall, the top 4 states for HAV cases remain Kentucky, Ohio, Florida and West Virginia.

As the numbers of cases continue to raise in a number of states, and news of smaller (so far) outbreaks occur in others, the question at the end of ProMED-mail post http://promedmail.org/post/20190104.6241686 by a Kentucky official -- "This is a disease of developing countries. One has to ask: Why are we seeing it in the USA?" -- is more and more relevant. We are seeing these outbreaks because of the inability to deal with marginalized populations among our midst. The dramatic cutbacks in public health infrastructure in some of these states clearly feed the fire of these outbreaks. They must be addressed by bolstering public health resources and education and directly addressing the needs of these marginalized populations. - ProMED Mod.LL]

[HealthMap/ProMED map available at:
Date: Fri 16 Aug 2019
Source: Fox News [edited]

A 7 year old girl from Mt Vernon, Ohio has been infected with a rare mosquito borne virus that, in severe cases, can cause encephalitis, or an inflammation of the brain. The girl, who was not identified, has been confirmed to have La Crosse virus (LACV), local news outlet Knox Pages reported, citing the Knox County Health Department. It wasn't immediately clear where or when the girl was infected.

La Crosse virus is typically caused by a bite from an infected eastern tree-hole mosquito [_Aedes triseriatus_], which "lays its eggs in tree holes and man-made containers" and "typically bites during the day", according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A rare disease -- there is an average of 70 cases in the United States each year, according to the federal health agency -- LACV can make a person feel ill with fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Most people begin to notice symptoms 5 to 15 days after they are bitten. In severe cases, however, LACV can lead to encephalitis -- though this is commoner in children under 16 "and is often accompanied by seizures," says CDC. "Coma and paralysis occur in some cases," it added.

The disease is diagnosed through blood and spinal fluid tests. There's no specific treatment for the mosquitoborne ailment. "Antibiotics are not effective against viruses, and no effective anti-viral drugs have been discovered. Severe illnesses are treated by supportive therapy which may include hospitalization, respiratory support, IV fluids, and prevention of other infections," CDC added, noting that most people infected make a full recovery.

People are most at risk for LACV if they live in wooded areas. Most cases in the US have occurred in upper Midwestern, mid-Atlantic and southwestern [sic. southeastern] states. Ohio, specifically, sees about 20 cases of the disease each year, according to the Knox Pages.

The best way to prevent LACV and other mosquitoborne ailments is by draining standing water -- like in birdbaths, buckets or on pool covers -- which can serve as a breeding ground for these insects. Other preventative measures include covering skin with long-sleeved pants and shirts while outside and using insect repellent containing DEET or another EPA-recognized ingredient.  [byline: Madeline Farber]
=======================
[The previous case of La Crosse virus encephalitis in Ohio was in a boy, also 7 years old. Severe neurological cases of La Crosse virus encephalitis mainly occur in pre-school age children. They are seldom fatal, but prolonged hospitalization and sequelae including personality changes, may occur.

As noted earlier, La Crosse encephalitis virus (LACV) is a member of the California serogroup of arboviruses. A map of the distribution of California virus serogroup neuroinvasive disease cases (mainly LACV cases) shows 3 major focal geographic areas: (1) in the unglaciated areas of south eastern Minnesota/south western Wisconsin/north western Illinois, (2) Ohio, where this case occurred, and (3) the central Appalachian Mountain areas of Virginia/West Virginia and North Carolina/Tennessee, (see the CDC map at <http://www.cdc.gov/lac/tech/epi.html>).

Cases may occur earlier in the summer season than other arthropod-borne viruses because the virus can be transovarially transmitted by the infected female to her eggs, so that emerging adults may already be infected and ready to transmit the virus without the need to take an infectious blood meal from an infected forest mammal. It is wise to eliminate fresh water catchments, which are breeding sites of _Aedes triseriatus_, the La Crosse virus vector mosquito. The Asian tiger mosquito _Aedes albopictus_ can also transmit the virus.

The CDC has a good summary of LACV, its epidemiology, geographic distribution, and clinical characteristics at

An image of _Aedes triseriatus_ can be seen at

[HealthMap/ProMED map available at:
Ohio, United States: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/237>]