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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: Thu, 16 Jan 2020 02:45:27 +0100 (MET)
By Ivelisse RIVERA, con Leila MACOR en Miami

Yauco, Puerto Rico, Jan 16, 2020 (AFP) - Living out in the open, their nerves on edge after a series of earthquakes that have shaken Puerto Rico, some 5,000 people are hoping that their president, Donald Trump, will heed the island's plea to be designated a disaster zone and free up much-needed aid.   Since December 28, more than 1,000 tremors have rattled the US island territory in the Caribbean, which just two years ago was devastated by two powerful hurricanes in quick succession.

In Yauco, one of the areas worst hit by the earthquakes, dozens of people were sitting on cot beds Wednesday in the parking lot of a municipal stadium, sheltered from the sun by white tents and blue tarps handed out by the federal disaster management agency, known as FEMA.  "The most difficult thing is the psychological aspect," said Wilfredo Rodriguez, 31. His house had been fractured by the seismic movement and he has spent a week living with his kids, aged six and 10, under an awning.    "We are living in constant fear of another powerful tremor," he said.

He only returns to his house to wash, then hurries back to the shelter. "We worry that there'll be a more powerful tremor while we are inside the house," he said.   Throughout the day, volunteers arrive to hand out food and toys for the children who fill the shelters: schools have been suspended because the buildings are not sturdy enough to withstand another quake.    The island's earthquake detection system has registered 1,104 tremors in the past two weeks alone, of which 186 could be felt by the population. By comparison, during the whole of 2019 there were 6,442 tremors, of which just 62 could be felt by people on the island.

Further south, in Guanico, Juan Santiago decided to move into a shelter on Saturday after a tremor of 5.9 on the Richter scale hit the island. "The mountain shook and rocks and earth started to come down," said the 30-year-old.  "My house has a crack in it and is about to fall down," he added. His home had weathered the Category Five winds of Hurricane Maria in September 2017 and of Hurricane Irma which followed it just two weeks later.   "It's different to a hurricane. What is happening now is much nastier," he said.

As he was talking the earth shook again, a tremor of 5.2 magnitude. Vehicles rocked like hammocks in the wind, but the quake-hardened victims barely reacted.   The houses in this part of the island are mostly rudimentary constructions built by the people who live in them with scant resources available in the mountains, where no regulations stipulate that buildings should be earthquake resistant.    The government of Puerto Rico said that as of Monday, there were 4,924 people living in 28 shelters in 14 municipalities. There were no figures on how many buildings had been damaged or destroyed.

- Seeking disaster designation -
Puerto Rico's governor Wanda Vazquez Garced called on Trump to declare the earthquake a disaster and clear the way for desperately needed aid. Trump had declared an emergency days before, but the governor wanted more.   The declaration of an emergency frees up to $5 million dollars in aid for the island, although Congress can bump that figure up. But if the situation is designated a disaster, there is no ceiling on funding, a FEMA spokesman said.   On Wednesday, the government said it would release $8.2 billion in delayed hurricane relief that had been stalled after the president threatened to divert Puerto Rico's emergency funds to help pay for his wall on the US-Mexico border.

In the past few days there have been growing calls among Democratic lawmakers for Trump to declare the situation in Puerto Rico a disaster.   It is a delicate subject, as Trump has accused the government of Puerto Rico of incompetence and of siphoning off hurricane relief money, triggering a public spat between the president and the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, as well as the former governor Ricardo Rossello, who was forced to step down last summer amid massive protests.   The Puerto Rican leaders accused Trump of treating the population of the island like second class citizens.
Date: Sat, 11 Jan 2020 15:43:12 +0100 (MET)

Washington, Jan 11, 2020 (AFP) - A 5.9 magnitude earthquake rocked Puerto Rico Saturday, the latest in a series of powerful tremors that have shaken the US territory in recent days, the US Geological Survey reported.

The latest quake occurred at 8:54 am local time (1254 GMT) around 13 kilometres (eight miles) southeast of Guanica, a town on the island's southern Caribbean coastline that was hard hit by earlier quakes.   The USGS revised its initial report of a 6.0 magnitude quake to 5.9.   It follows a 6.4 magnitude quake Tuesday that killed one person, knocked
out electric power and caused widespread damage.

Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency after Tuesday's quake, which forced an automatic shutdown of the power grid.    Puerto Rico's electric power authority reported outages in the towns of Ponce, Lares, Adjuntas and San German after the latest quake.   The Pacific Tsunami Information Center in Hawaii issued a statement saying there was "no significant tsunami threat" but a small possibility of tsunami waves along coasts nearest the epicentre.

The island is still recovering from Hurricane Maria, which came ashore more than two years ago as a devastating Category 4 storm.   Starting December 28, a wave of tremors have swept the island, putting residents on edge.   The 6.4 quake on January 7 came a day after a 5.8 magnitude quake; it was followed by major aftershocks.   Saturday's quakes were also preceded by a string of smaller tremors.
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2020 23:44:45 +0100 (MET)
By Ricardo Arduengo

Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, Jan 7, 2020 (AFP) - Puerto Rico's governor declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake killed at least one person in the south of the island and caused widespread damage.   Governor Wanda Vazquez said the declaration would allow for the activation of National Guard troops in the US territory still recovering from a devastating 2017 hurricane.   The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 4:24 am (0824 GMT) with the epicenter off the coast of the southern city of Ponce, and was followed by more than a dozen aftershocks.

Tuesday's quake was the most powerful in a series of tremors that have shaken the island since December 28.   Scientists initially sent out an alert about a potential tsunami but it was later canceled.   The island's electricity authority said the quake had forced an automatic shutdown of the power grid, already severely damaged by Hurricane Maria more than two years ago.   The worst damage appeared to be in towns on the southwest coast, including Ponce, Guayanilla and Guanica.   El Nuevo Dia newspaper said a 73-year-old man died after a wall fell in his home in Ponce. Eight others there were reported injured.

Two power plants in Guayanilla sustained major damage, the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority said. The city could be without power for two weeks, its mayor Nelson Torres Yordan said.   Celebrity chef Jose Andres announced that a charity he runs, World Central Kitchen, had started serving meals and distributing solar-powered lamps in quake-hit areas.   Vazquez announced that $130 million in emergency aid funding will be disbursed.   On social media, people wrote of being shaken awake by the force of the quake.   One woman on Twitter said she had been "wrenched from sleep."   "Everybody is awake & scared all over," she posted.   In Guayanilla, the Inmaculada Concepcion church, built in 1841, was heavily damaged.   Volunteers salvaged statues and other valuable items from the ruins as a priest consoled distraught parishioners.

- 'Be safe' -
A 5.8 magnitude quake on Monday toppled some structures, caused power outages and small landslides, but did not result in any casualties.   It also destroyed a popular tourist landmark, Punta Ventana, a natural stone arch that crumbled on the island's southern coast.   Vazquez, the governor, said government employees were being given the day off on Tuesday to take care of their families.   "We want everyone to be safe," she said.   She said ports were undamaged and there are several weeks' supply of gasoline, diesel and natural gas stored so people need not worry about shortages.

The White House said President Donald Trump had been briefed and Pete Gaynor, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), had been in touch with the governor.   Trump's administration came under severe criticism for its response to Hurricane Maria.   The Category 4 storm destroyed the island's already shaky power grid, overwhelmed public services, left many residents homeless and claimed several thousand lives, according to government estimates.
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2020 12:52:34 +0100 (MET)

Washington, Jan 7, 2020 (AFP) - A strong earthquake struck south of Puerto Rico early Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, the latest in a series of tremors that have shaken the island since December 28.   The shallow 6.5 magnitude quake struck 13.6 kilometres (8.5 miles) south of the city of Ponce, the USGS said, revising down its initial reading of 6.6.   The quake struck just off the US territory's southern Caribbean coastline at 4:24 am local time (0824 GMT).   "The whole island is without power," the director of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, Jose Ortiz, told local media.

Puerto Rico's governor Wanda Vazquez Garced posted on Twitter that the government's security protocols had been activated.   She said government employees were not expected at work, adding: "We want everyone to be safe."   On social media, people wrote of being shaken awake by the force of the quake.   One woman on Twitter said she had been "wrenched from sleep", adding "Everybody is awake & scared all over."

Dramatic images also shared on social media appeared to show widespread damage in the town of Guayanilla, home to around 20,000 people, as well as nearby Guanica.   The mayor of Guayanilla told local news channel NotiUno that the town's church had collapsed in the incident.

An alert issued by the Tsunami Warning Center immediately following the earthquake was later cancelled.   Tuesday's quake was the strongest of a series of tremors that have shaken the island since December 28, topping Monday's 5.8 quake.   That earthquake toppled houses and caused power outages, but there were no reports of casualties.
Date: Mon, 6 Jan 2020 18:04:21 +0100 (MET)

Miami, Jan 6, 2020 (AFP) - A 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook Puerto Rico Monday, toppling houses and causing power outages and small landslides but there were no reports of casualties, the US Geological Survey said.   The quake, just off the US territory's southern Caribbean coastline, was felt throughout much of the island, including the capital San Juan.

Some 250,000 customers were hit by electric power outages after the quake, which struck at 6:32 am local time (1032GMT).   Images posted on social media showed houses tumbled from their supporting pillars, cracks in walls, cars crushed under collapsed houses and small scale landslides.   The quake was the strongest of a series that have rippled through the island since December 28, and it was followed by at least eight aftershocks, officials said.   No tsunami alerts were issued.
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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: Thu 9 Jan 2020
Source: All Africa/Ghanaian Times [edited]

A total of 3 cases of poliomyelitis with 2 deaths have been recorded in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.

The 1st case reported, in the Bono Region, was a 24-month-old girl from Asiri in Goka, a subdistrict in the Jaman North District. The 2nd case was a 33-month-old girl resident in Sissala line in the Techiman West submunicipality in the Bono East Region, and the 3rd case was a 37-month-old boy from Kwasuso in the Asutifi South District of the Ahafo Region.

Poliomyelitis is highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects young children. The virus is transmitted from person to person, spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or less frequently by a common vehicle (via contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis.

According to the Bono Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the cases were detected in October and November last year [2019] with the latest one in January 2020.

The Deputy Regional Director of Public Health, Dr. John Ekow Ottoo, who briefed journalists here in Sunyani yesterday [8 Jan 2020], said the 3rd victim, in a critical and paralysed condition, was being treated.

According to Dr. Ottoo, initial symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting and stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs, saying the disease had no cure but could only be prevented by immunisation.

The Deputy Public Health Director stressed the need for the general improvement of sanitation across the country, noting that the virus was in the system due to poor sanitary condition in the affected areas. He said the GHS had deployed staff and volunteers to the affected areas, including the various borders within the jurisdiction for the immunisation exercises.

Dr. Ottoo urged the public to cooperate with the GHS as the immunisation began on Wednesday [8 Jan 2020].  [Byline: Daniel Dzirasah]
====================
[According to the most recent GPEI (Global Polio Eradication Initiative) update, during 2019, Ghana reported 11 cases of cVDPV2 associated disease, with most recent date of onset recorded as 7 Nov 2019 (see Poliomyelitis update (03): global (WPV1 Afghan., Pak., cVDPV2 Zambia), Pakistan http://promedmail.org/post/20200110.6881006). While it is unclear if all 3 of the cases reported in the above media report are newly confirmed cases, this is the 1st report we've seen of a case with onset in January 2020.

More information on these cases would be greatly appreciated with clarification of the situation in Ghana.

A map of Ghana showing new regions after the referendum:

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail maps:
Date: Mon 17 Dec 2019
Source: Peace FM Online [edited]

There has been a surge in the number of polio cases across the country [Ghana] since July this year [2019], and this has been an issue of concern for both the Government and other health partners. Government and donor partners, are therefore, making frantic efforts at addressing the issue while the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and its partners have embarked on a number of measures to contain the situation. In some few years back, the country was nearly declared polio-free as it had chalked a lot of success in eradicating the disease, and so the current trend is disturbing phenomenon for most stakeholders in the health sector.

Briefing journalists on the status of the Polio disease in the country, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director, Diseases Control, GHS, "said the new virus started as a case from the environment seen in Tamale and later some cases was seen in humans". He said at now there have been 10 cases reported in humans while some viruses from the environment have been isolated.

Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe was speaking on the side-lines of the 2nd Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Trainings Programme (GFELTP) and Scientific Conference and Competency Graduation held in Accra where 58 health professionals involving Frontline, Intermediate and Advanced level trainees graduated after going through various levels of training.

He said following the Tamale outbreak, "as an intervention, we have had a number of vaccination exercises in several regions and districts. We have vaccinated the whole of Northern Region, Upper East and Greater Accra and we are going to do some vaccination in Oti and Bono Ahafo Regions come next week." He said hopefully, early next year [2020], the GHS would start a nationwide Polio vaccination campaign to cover the whole country, adding that a lot of work was also being done by the health partners to ensure that there was no complications or minimal effects with the current vaccines. "We are using both the oral and injectable polio vaccines in the country currently."

Explaining the seemingly upsurge in Polio cases, Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe said the world has been polio-free for most countries excerpt for Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but until recently, there had been surge of the disease in some African countries including Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, and Togo. "Apparently, there was a gap that has arisen because some children who were supposed to be vaccinated were not. The thinking was that we thought the global immunity was huge enough to protect us against the disease. Unfortunately some of the children were prone, and they are those who have gotten the disease. And that is why we are going to do this nationwide vaccination campaign to protect all the children who were left out from an earlier planned vaccination exercise, so that the protection will be assured".

He said children from 9 months up to 4 years would be covered in the nationwide campaign while those under 5 would be involved in the oral polio vaccine. He explained that Ghana was now doing a multiple-prone approach to address the threat of Polio, which included "ensuring that our vaccination is intact".

There was also the surveillance system, which was being made very sensitive to be able to comb all the communities and health facilities to detect if the disease was present anywhere while the third approach was ensuring a clean environment.

According to Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe, keeping a clean environment was very important as Polio was a faecal-oral disease and so "we need to make sure that our environment is clean so that children will not go and pick the Polio virus from the soil and put them in their mouths.

"So these are the approach we are to use to make sure that the Polio menace does not get out of hands. But we are certain that we will actually be able to get Polio eradicated globally. He gave the assurance that the combined effort of government and other partners like UNICEF, WHO, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Rotary Club were all on board in the fight against Polio.

Mr. Fred Osei Sarpong, Immunisation Focal Person, World Health Organisation, said with Polio cases being reported in Angola, Nigeria, Benin and other neighbouring countries, "Ghana isn't safe. The virus is in the sub-region that is why we have to make sure everyone is protected, that is why we will call on all caregivers to make sure they send their kids for vaccination. Once your child is protected you don't have a cause to worry". He said children without protection were going down with the disease so all parents should avail their children to ensure that they were all vaccinated and protected from the virus that was in circulation.
===================
[First, congratulations to Ghana and the FELTP Groups in Ghana for graduating 58 Health Professionals from their Field Epidemiology Training Program initiatives this year (2019).

According to the most recent Global update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative / WHO data, there had been 9 cases of cVDPV2 associated disease, with a virus genetically related to the Jigawa Nigeria outbreak (Poliomyelitis update (99): global (WPV & cVDPV), Pakistan (KP), Afghanistan (BL) http://promedmail.org/post/20191212.6837355). The above media report mentions there were 10 cases. No further information was provided. More information from knowledgeable sources would be greatly appreciated including verification of this additional case and demographics including age and geographic location of case, and vaccination history as well as virus type.

HealthMap/ProMED map of Ghana: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/53> - ProMED Mod.MPP]
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2019 15:43:29 +0200 (METDST)

Accra, Oct 18, 2019 (AFP) - Floods caused by eight days of torrential downpours in north-eastern Ghana have left 28 people dead and displaced hundreds, officials said Friday.     "At the moment the death toll is 28. About 640 people in some six communities have been displaced and we are providing shelters for them," George Ayisi, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Organisation, told AFP.    "We've counted about 286 collapsed houses during this disaster and that is making life difficult for the people."

Relief items were being transported 800 kilometres (500 miles) by road from the capital Accra to the affected region on the border with Burkina Faso as meteorologists warned the rains could last into November.    "We have to just prepare for anything," Ayisi said.   So far this year 46 people have been killed in floods in the West African nation, the disaster relief agency said.   Flooding in northern and other parts of Ghana happens each year during the rainy season.    Last year, 34 people died in northern Ghana during flooding caused by heavy rains and waters spilling from a dam in Burkina Faso.
Date:   August 30th 2019
Received from HPSC (Ireland)
HPSC website: https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/vaccinepreventable/polio/

HPSC has received an alert through IHR regarding a recent case of cVDPV2 in a 2 year old female in Ghana who presented with AFP. Hence the cVDPV2 outbreak originating in Jigawa state, Nigeria, continues to spread in West Africa.  Given cross-border population movements with Nigeria and across West Africa, subnational immunity and surveillance gaps, Ghana is considered at high-risk for further transmission of the isolated cVDPV2. In Ghana, the last wild poliovirus was reported in 2008 and this is the first ever cVDPV2 outbreak reported in the country.  [Authorities in] G

WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Residents (and visitors for more than 4 weeks) from infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within 4 weeks to 12 months of travel.

cVDPV2 outbreak originating in Jigawa state, Nigeria, continues to spread in West Africa.  In Ghana, cVDPV2 was isolated from an acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) case in Ando-Nyamanu, Chereponi district, Northern Region, bordering Togo.  The case is a two-year and eight-month old girl who had onset of paralysis on 27 July 2019. Stool samples were taken on 27 and 28 July 2019 and were sent to the National Polio Laboratory at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research for laboratory investigations. The sample tested positive for cVDPV2 as per result received on 17 August 2019.   The sequencing information of the AFP case revealed 25 nucleotide differences compared to the reference Sabin 2 and 6 nucleotides with the closest matching sequence of the AFP case from Kwara State of Nigeria in 2018. Earlier, a related cVDPV2 had been isolated from an environmental sample, collected on 11 June 2019, from Northern Region in Ghana.  Both isolated viruses are linked to an outbreak originating in Jigawa, Nigeria, in 2018.  This same strain has already spread within Nigeria, and internationally to the Republic of Niger, Benin and Cameroon.

On 25 August 2019, the Polio Laboratory reported the isolation of polio virus type 2 in an environmental surveillance (ES) site at Agbogbloshie in Accra, Greater Accra Region, from routine surveillance. This was confirmed as cVDPV2 on 26 August.

Public health response
The Ministry of Health has declared detection of this virus to be a national public health emergency, in line with temporary recommendations issued by the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the international spread of poliovirus. The Ministry of Health and its Partners are working tirelessly to contain the situation and to prevent the spread of the disease.

An emergency meeting with key stakeholders and partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) was held on the 19 August 2019, to discuss response measures in response to this, the Ministry of Health / Ghana Health Service has taken these immediate actions:

1. A national team made up of the Ghana Health Service and the WHO has been deployed to support the regional and district teams carry out detailed investigations and response measures
2. A full epidemiological and field investigation is ongoing, active surveillance is being strengthened, subnational population immunity levels are being analysed and outbreak response actions are being planned
3. Areas at risk are mapped conduction of reactive vaccination campaign in the affected and adjoining high risk districts and planned following approval from the Polio Advisory Group for monovalent Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 (mOPV2)

WHO risk assessment
Given cross-border population movements with Nigeria and across West Africa, subnational immunity and surveillance gaps, Ghana is considered at high-risk for further transmission of the isolated cVDPV2.  As the current detected case is in a district sharing international land border with Togo where there is a very low population immunity against type 2 poliovirus (IPV coverage of 20% in 2018), there is an increased risk of further international spread of this outbreak. As this outbreak, originating in Jigawa Nigeria has already spread to Niger, Cameroon and Benin the risk of further international spread across West Africa associated with this virus, remains high.
WHO advice
It is important that all countries, in particular those with frequent travel and contacts with polio-affected countries and areas, strengthen surveillance for AFP cases in order to rapidly detect any new virus importation and to facilitate a rapid response. Countries, territories and areas should also maintain uniformly high routine immunization coverage at the district level to minimize the consequences of any new virus introduction.
As per the advice of an Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations (2005), efforts to limit the international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).  Countries affected by poliovirus transmission is subject to Temporary Recommendations.  To comply with the Temporary Recommendations issued under the PHEIC, any country infected by poliovirus should declare the outbreak as a national public health emergency and consider vaccination of all international travellers.

Further Information:
Polio is a highly infectious disease and can cause permanent paralysis or death. The risk of paralytic polio due to exposure to cVDPV2 remains high due to the low population immunity against polio type-2 virus, after the global switch from trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (tOPV) to bivalent OPV (bOPV). The national immunization coverage for Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine (IPV) in Ghana was 55% for 2018 (WHO/UNICEF estimation). Poliovirus is a pathogen slated for global eradication. In July 2019, cVDPV2 has been confirmed in Ghana in an environmental sample and the last wild poliovirus was reported in 2008. Any detected Poliovirus subtype either in humans or the environment after the global synchronized withdrawal of tOPV in April 2016 is unusual and unexpected and remains to be of a huge cause of concern.  Poliovirus spreads easily and across large distances. There is evidence of genetic linkage of polio virus isolated from Ghana with polio viruses originating in, Nigeria which has already spread to Niger, Cameroon and Benin. The Chereponi district from where the case is reported also shares an international border with Togo that has low population immunity to type 2 Polio (IPV coverage was 20% for 2018). The risk of further spread to Togo cannot be ruled out.

WHO does not recommend any restriction on travel and/or trade to Ghana based on the information available for the current polio outbreak.
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/vaccinepreventable/polio/
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.
More ...

Norway

Norway US Consular Information Sheet
November 10, 2008
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:
Norway is a highly developed stable democracy with a modern economy.
The cost of living in Norway is high and tourist facilities are well developed and widely
available.
Read the Department of State Background Notes on Norway for additional information.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:
Norway is a party to the Schengen agreement.
As such, U.S. citizens may enter Norway for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa.
The passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay.
For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our fact sheet.

Contact the Royal Norwegian Embassy at 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC
20008-2714, Tel: 1-202-333-6000, web site: http://www.norway.org or the nearest Norwegian Consulate.
Consulates are located in Houston, Minneapolis, New York City, and San Francisco.
Information can also be obtained from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration at http://www.udi.no.

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:
Norway remains largely free of terrorist incidents.
However, like other countries in the Schengen area, Norway’s open borders with its European neighbors allow the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity.
The U.S. government remains deeply concerned about the heightened threat of terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.
In the post-9/11 environment, Norway shares with the rest of the world an increased threat of international Islamic terrorism. Norway was among a list of countries named as legitimate targets in al-Qa’ida audiotapes released as recently as, 2006.
Americans are reminded to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.

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 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 A Safe Trip Abroad.

CRIME INFORMATION:
Norway has a relatively low crime rate.
Most crimes involve the theft of personal property.
Residential burglaries, auto theft, and vandalism to parked cars also occur.
Most high-end value vehicles, especially in Oslo, have visible alarm system indicators to discourage joy riders or thieves.
Persons who appear affluent or disoriented may become targets of pick-pockets and purse-snatchers, especially during the peak tourist season (May-September).
Thieves frequently target tourists in airports, train stations, and hotels, particularly lobby/reception and restaurant areas.
Often such thieves work in pairs and use distraction as a method to steal purses or briefcases.
While passports are frequently stolen in the course of these thefts, money, credit cards, and jewelry are the actual objects of interest.
In some cases stolen passports are recovered.
Violent crime, although rare, occurs and appears to be increasing.
Some thieves or burglars may have weapons.

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 http://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, to 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.

Norway has a program to provide financial compensation to victims who suffer serious criminal injuries.
Claimants can obtain application forms from the Norwegian Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority at http://www.voldsoffererstatning.no/index.php?id=10.
Please contact the U.S. Embassy in Oslo for further information. For further information about possible U.S. compensation, see our information for Victims of Crime.

The national emergency telephone numbers in Norway, equivalent to the “911” emergency line, are: Police 112, Fire 110, Ambulance 113.

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:
Medical facilities are widely available and of high quality, but may be limited outside the larger urban areas.
The remote and sparse populations in northern Norway, and the dependency on ferries to cross fjords of western Norway, may affect transportation and ready access to medical facilities.
The U.S. Embassy in Oslo maintains a list of emergency clinics in major cities.

The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Norway.
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:
Healthcare in Norway is very expensive and healthcare providers sometimes require payment at time of service.
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 Norway is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.


Public transportation in Norway is generally safe, and the maintenance and condition of urban roads are generally good.
Rural road conditions are fair and the availability of roadside assistance is limited.
Most roadways beyond the city limits of Oslo and other major cities tend to be simple two-lane roads.
In mountainous areas of Norway, the roads also tend to be narrow and winding, with many tunnels.
The northerly latitude can also cause road conditions to vary greatly, depending on weather and time of year.
Many mountain roads are closed due to snow from late fall to late spring.
The use of winter tires is mandatory on all motor vehicles from November to April.

Norwegian law requires that drivers always use their vehicle headlights when driving.
Norwegian law also requires drivers to yield to vehicles coming from the right.
In some, but not all, instances, major roads with “right of way” are marked.
Seatbelts are mandatory for drivers and passengers.

Norway has some of the strictest laws in Europe concerning driving under the influence of alcohol; those laws prescribe heavy penalties for drivers convicted of having even a low blood alcohol level.
Frequent road checks with mandatory breathalyzer tests and the promise of stiff jail sentences encourage alcohol-free driving.
The maximum legal blood alcohol content level for driving a car in Norway is .02 per cent.

Automatic cameras placed by the police along roadways help to maintain speed limits, which are often lower than in other European countries.
Fines – and sometimes even jail time – are imposed for violations.


Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.
For specific information concerning Norwegian driver's permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, contact the Norwegian Tourist Board office at P.O. Box 4649, Grand Central Station, New York, New York 10163-4649 (tel.: 212-885-9700; fax: 212/885-9710) or visit their web site at http://www.norway.org/travel
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Norway’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:
Please see our information on customs regulations.

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 Norway’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Norway are strict and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Engaging in illicit 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 in or visiting Norway are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration web site, https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Norway. 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 in Oslo near the Royal Palace at Henrik Ibsensgate 48; tel. 47/2244-8550 (24 hours), consular fax 47/2256-2751.
The Embassy’s web site is http://norway.usembassy.gov
*
*
*
*
*
This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated April 23, 2008 to update the sections on Crime, Safety and Security, Information for Victims of Crime, and Medical Facilities and Health Information.

Travel News Headlines WORLD NEWS

Date: Tue 3 Sep 2019
Source: Food Safety News [edited]
-------------------------------------------------------------
More than 100 people have fallen ill in Norway from norovirus likely in a frozen seaweed salad from China. The 1st outbreak of norovirus suspected to be linked to the seaweed salad occurred in mid-June 2019 and the most recent was at the beginning of August 2019. The implicated product was also shipped to Denmark.

"It is suspected that seaweed from China was the cause of more than 100 cases of gastroenteritis from at least 11 eateries in different areas of Norway. Most of the outbreaks were in June and July 2019. Investigations are still ongoing. Norovirus was detected in patients from at least 2 of these eateries," Guri Aanderud, senior adviser in the seafood section at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) told Food Safety News.

"We have no information regarding individual cases such as age, sex, place of residence, or hospitalization related to these outbreaks as norovirus is not notifiable in Norway. However, symptoms of norovirus are generally mild and self-limiting. All involved restaurants have received and served seaweed salad from two different lots in the relevant time period. Many of the people who reported illness have stated that they have eaten dishes containing seaweed salad."

On 22 Aug 2019, Goma Wakame Seaweed salad bags of 1000-gram imported into Norway by Ostlandske Formidling AS (Ofas) were withdrawn from the market due to suspected norovirus. Product was sold to the food service sector in Norway but distribution may have included several stores across the country. It was imported into Denmark by World Seafood and is produced by Dalian Kowa Foods Co. in China. Affected bags have item number 8032 and lot number 1904, which was manufactured on 14 Mar 2019, and lasts until 13 Mar 2021, and lot number 1811, which was made on 8 Nov 2018 and lasts until 7 Nov 2020.

Since withdrawing the product, no further outbreaks linked to seaweed salad have been reported.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority took product samples that have not yet been fully analyzed and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) has informed the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) via the Epidemic Intelligence Information System (EPIS).

Aanderud added it also knew of a Spanish RASFF [Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed] alert from 13 Aug 2019 related to a foodborne outbreak caused by norovirus GI and GII in frozen seaweed salad from China, via Germany. Countries part of this notice include Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) was mentioned in both RASFF notifications.

Adam Bradshaw, technical officer in the Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses at the World Health Organization, said INFOSAN was working with colleagues at the European Commission's RASFF because the frozen seaweed salad suspected to be responsible for the outbreak was distributed from China. He added it does not have the authority to disclose non-public information on behalf of countries involved in the outbreak when asked which countries had reported cases and how many.

"To better understand the potential international aspects of this event, we have been in contact with the INFOSAN emergency contact point in China to seek details as to whether the implicated frozen seaweed salad has been distributed from China to any other countries. Once further information is available, we will update all INFOSAN members through the INFOSAN community website," said Bradshaw.  [Byline: Joe Whitworth]
===========================
[It should be noted that the prototypic norovirus, Norwalk virus, was originally isolated in Norwalk, Ohio, the state where an outbreak popped up at the Republican National Convention in 2016. Norovirus infections and outbreaks are usually more common in cooler, winter months. About half of all cases occur from December through February in countries above the equator and June through August in countries below the equator. However, in places closer to the equator, norovirus may be less seasonal. This may be because of temperature or the timing of the rainy season, but may also be associated with the birth rate. Worldwide, norovirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks. New norovirus strains emerge about every 2 to 4 years. Often, but not always, these new strains lead to an increase in outbreaks worldwide. - ProMED Mod.LL]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail maps:
Date: Tue 11 Jun 2019
Source: Associated Press [edited]

Norwegian authorities said Tuesday [11 Jun 2019] they were trying to identify the source of water contamination that has sent dozens of people in southern Norway to the hospital. Since Thursday [6 Jun 2019], 55 people, including 13 children from Askoy, an island north of Bergen, have been hospitalized following the contamination. All have been discharged. Norwegian news agency NTB reported that in all, some 2000 people had fallen sick.

A one-year-old child on the island died last week [week of Mon 3 Jun 2019] of an infection in the digestive tract, but it was not clear whether it was linked to the contamination.

"None of the patients are critically ill," said Oeyvind Kommedal, a doctor with the Haukeland university hospital that carried out laboratory tests. "We have a good control of the situation." He said tests showed that the bacterium _Campylobacter_ has been found in 36 cases.

On Monday [10 Jun 2019], Baard Espeli, deputy mayor of the municipality of Askoy, also said that _E. coli_ was found in a reservoir that supplied part of the area's drinking water. Espeli said that reservoir has been closed, but it remains unclear how the bacteria contaminated it in the 1st place.

_Campylobacter_ is one of the main causes of diarrheal diseases and is considered the most common bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis. Infections are generally mild but can be fatal among very young children and the elderly.
========================
[It is not specifically stated that all the cases are on the island. The finding of _E. coli_ in the water reflects faecal contamination but not necessarily that _E. coli_ was a pathogen. The outbreak, as many from contaminated water, may be related to multiple pathogens.

Askoy is a municipality in Hordaland county, Norway. The island municipality is located in the Midhordland district of the county, sitting in a large group of islands immediately northwest of the city of Bergen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the urban village of Kleppesto on the south-eastern shore of the island of Askoy. Its location can be found on a map at <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ask%C3%B8y>. - ProMED Mod.LL]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
Hordaland county, Norway: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/32342>]
Date: Mon 6 May 2019
Source: News in English (Norway) [edited]

A Norwegian woman in her 20s who was bitten by a dog while travelling in Southeast Asia 2 months ago died Monday night [6 May 2019]. Hospital officials confirm that the woman was infected with the deadly rabies virus.

She's the 1st person to have [died of] rabies on the Norwegian mainland since 1815. Rabies is extremely seldom on the Scandinavian peninsula.

The woman was originally from Hordaland but lived in the county of Sogn og Fjordane. She died at the hospital in Forde, where she'd been in intensive care since last week [week of 29 Apr 2019].

Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported that she was bitten by a dog while on a tour of Southeast Asia 2 months ago. The hospital wasn't alerted to her case until last [2 May 2019], when she was admitted after falling seriously ill. Test results confirmed the rabies virus on [Sat 4 May 2019].

There were several other Norwegians in her tour group from various places around the country. All of them have been alerted to her rabies infection and are being followed up by their local health care centres.
=======================
[This tragic event lacks detail. Reportedly, the victim was in a "tour group" to "South East Asia" (which country/ies?) including participants from various places in Norway.

Travellers must be aware of the rabies status in countries they are to visit. And a tourist, or, as a matter of fact, anybody getting bitten by a (stray?) dog in a rabies-endemic country, should immediately seek medical treatment, after thoroughly washing the bite wound.

Several worrying questions arise. Had the participants been informed, prior to travel, about health risks, rabies being just one of the potential hazards? Were medical care and advice sought following the bite? Were other co-travellers bitten as well?... - ProMED Mod.AS]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail maps:
Date: Mon 1 Apr 2019
Source: GIDEON (Global Infectious Disease Epidemiology Network) [edited]

re: ProMED-mail Tick-borne encephalitis - Norway: cattle
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is one of 8 zoonoses carried by ticks in Norway (the others are anaplasmosis, babesiosis, louping ill, Lyme borreliosis, relapsing fever, rickettsial spotted fever, and tularemia). As displayed in the following graphs, rates of human TBE are considerably lower than those of other tick-borne diseases in Norway, and below TBE rates reported by neighbouring countries. [1-3]

See graphs at

References
----------
1. Berger S. Infectious Diseases of Norway, 2019. 387 pages , 138 graphs, 858 references. Gideon e-books
2. Berger S. Tick-borne Encephalitis: Global Status, 2019. 89 pages , 49 graphs , 787 references. Gideon e-books
3. Gideon multi-graph tool,
-----------------------------------------------
Communicated by:
Prof Steve Berger
Geographic Medicine
Tel Aviv Medical Center
Israel
==========================
[ProMED-mail thanks Dr Berger for pointing out that TBE virus is not the only tick-borne zoonotic pathogen in Norway. The objective of the author's study, as they defined it, was narrowly focused on TBE in cattle. They chose to analyse unpasteurized cow milk for TBEV RNA and to study the presence of IgG antibodies to TBEV in the same animals. They found evidence for TBE virus infection in cattle in certain areas and pointed out potential risk of infection of humans who consume unpasteurized milk from positive herds. - ProMED Mod.TY]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
Date: Tue 15 Jan 2019
Source: Food Safety News [abridged, edited]

A traditional Norwegian fish dish has been recalled due to a link with a case of botulism. Torpet Fiskeoppdrettsanlegg AS recalled rakfisk due to suspicions that consumption can cause botulism. Rakfisk is a traditional Norwegian fish dish made from trout or char, salted and then fermented for up to a year before being eaten without cooking. The withdrawal applies to all varieties of the product that the company produced in 2018.

Rakfisk was sold via various market stalls in Trondelag, direct delivery from Torpet Fiskeoppdrettsanlegg AS, and via COOP stores in Alen, Brekken, Roros, and Os, according to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet). The one reported case is in a person who lives in Trondelag, in central Norway.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstituttet) said rakfisk from the company is the suspected source for the case of foodborne botulism. People who have rakfisk of this type in the refrigerator should throw the product out and not eat it. Those who have eaten it and have symptoms consistent with botulism should consult a doctor. The agency said toxins can develop under certain adverse conditions in the production of certain foods, such as rakfisk, cured meats, and canned items.

Previous botulism cases in Norway have been associated with rakfisk and home canned meats.

Botulism is a rare but life-threatening condition caused by toxins produced by _Clostridium botulinum_ bacteria. Onset of symptoms varies from a few hours to several days after exposure to the bacteria or toxins. Symptoms can include blurred or double vision, facial muscle weakness, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech and breathing difficulties.  [Byline: Joe Whitworth]
===================
[Given the vehicle, botulism type E is the likely culprit here.

The following was extracted from ProMED-mail Botulism, smoked fish - Finland ex Canada http://promedmail.org/post/20060721.2000: _Clostridium botulinum_ type E is naturally highly prevalent in aquatic environments and fish, leading to a high risk of contamination. The hot-smoking processes are usually too low to eliminate botulinum spores. Growth and toxin production from spores in vacuum-packed smoked fish products with anaerobic atmosphere and limited preservative factors is likely during extended storage at temperatures above 3 deg C (37.4 deg F). Therefore the most important factors controlling _C. botulinum_ growth and toxin production are efficient heat treatments, restricted shelf life, and continuous storage below 3 deg C (37.4 deg F). - ProMED Mod.LL]

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

Cameroon

Cameroon - US Consular Information Sheet
April 02, 2008
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION:
Cameroon is a developing country in central Africa.
Although there are many natural and cultural attractions in Cameroon, facilities catering to Western-styl
tourism are quite limited.
The capital is Yaoundé, though Douala, the country's largest city, is its main port and commercial center.
Official languages are French and English, though French predominates in most of the country.
English may be used in Cameroon's two Anglophone provinces of Southwest and Northwest, and the larger cities.
The staff of major hotels in Cameroon’s large cities is usually bilingual.
In February 2008, social and political unrest led to civil unrest, although the immediate threat of violence has now receded.
For general information on Cameroon, read the Department of State Background Notes on Cameroon.

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS:
A valid passport, visa, evidence of yellow-fever vaccination, and current immunization records are required, and travelers may be denied entry if they lack the proper documentation.
Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon, 2349 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington D.C. 20008, tel: (202) 265-8790, fax: (202) 387-3826.
Visit the Embassy of Cameroon’s web site at http://www.ambacam-usa.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:
During the week of February 25, 2008, Cameroon experienced significant civil unrest in half of its ten provinces, most notably in the port city of Douala.
Demonstrators clashed violently with police and then military personnel, resulting in the reported deaths of forty persons and arrest of over 1,600 individuals.
The unrest was marked by widespread road blockages, attacks on public and private vehicles, looting, burning of government and other buildings, and roaming crowds of malcontents.
This disturbance created shortages of fuel, food and other supplies throughout the country, and was ended through the deployment of military units and the use of significant force.

Following the restoration of order, some efforts have been made to address fuel and food prices that were among the key grievances of the demonstrators.
However, economic conditions, notably the high unemployment rate, remain difficult without the prospect for rapid improvement.
Political tensions also remain, particularly over a possible amendment to the Constitution that would allow President Biya to serve again.
Although a rapid resumption of violence is considered unlikely, Americans living in or visiting Cameroon are encouraged to stay abreast of local political and social developments that could signal additional difficulties for the country.

Embassy employees have been instructed to refrain from travel outside of city limits after dusk, and to monitor their movements in centrally located areas within cities and towns.
Private American citizens are urged to follow the same guidelines and are strongly advised against nighttime travel.
Armed highway bandits (most notably in border areas); poorly lit roads; hazardous, poorly maintained vehicles; and unskilled, aggressive and/or intoxicated drivers pose a threat to motorists.
Attacks and accidents are most common outside major towns, especially in the provinces bordering Chad and the Central African Republic but occur in all areas of the country.

The U.S. Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against travel to neighboring Central African Republic (CAR).
On occasion, conflict between insurgents and government security forces in CAR has spilled across the border into Cameroon, affecting outposts in both Adamawa and East Provinces.
Humanitarian and religious workers in eastern Cameroon are strongly encouraged to coordinate their efforts with the Embassy and the Office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Yaoundé.

In February 2008, an attack by rebel insurgents on Ndjamena, the capital of Chad, forced the evacuation of the Embassy in Chad and sent up to 50,000 refugees across the border into the town of Kousseri in Cameroon.
Although the attack was ultimately repelled, the possibility of further military action by the rebel forces remains.

In late 2006, inter-ethnic clashes were reported in the town of Kye-Ossi near the Cameroonian border with Gabon.
These confrontations were a result of a discord between moto-taxi drivers and the security forces, which resulted in demonstrations and roadblocks.
According to security authorities, tensions in the area are still high, despite the deployment of a large security force to the region.

Following a ruling from the International Court of Justice defining a section of the Cameroon-Nigeria border, Cameroon assumed administrative control of most of the Bakassi Peninsula, in August 2006, with Nigerian military forces withdrawing across the border.
Although the transition has generally gone smoothly, there was an attack on Cameroonian military forces in November 2007, reportedly by criminal elements from the Niger Delta not connected to the Nigerian government.
It is very difficult to reach Bakassi, but travelers thinking of going near there should exercise extreme caution as there is the potential for violence if tensions rise.

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 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. and Canada, 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 is a serious and growing problem throughout Cameroon and U.S. citizens should exercise caution when traveling in Cameroon.
Internet-based crime is escalating rapidly, and Americans should be extremely skeptical of financial
transactions --
e.g. adoptions, hiring a service worker, such as a nanny, to come to the U.S., or purchasing a pet -- that involve sending money for goods or services not yet delivered (see below).
In February 2008, two European nationals were kidnapped by criminals posing as businessmen seeking to establish a palm oil export business. Although several perpetrators were arrested and the individuals were not harmed, the incident highlights a dangerous new confluence of internet-based and violent crime.
If you have concerns about the legitimacy of a transaction, such as adoption, in Cameroon contact the U.S. Embassy in Cameroon – see Registration/Embassy Location section below.
All foreigners are potential targets for theft with possible attendant violence.
Petty crimes, crimes against persons, thefts from vehicles, and of vehicles are the most common criminal activities.
Armed banditry is a growing problem throughout all ten provinces in Cameroon.
Specifically, incidents of armed highway-robbery have been reported in the North West, West, South West and East provinces.
Armed bandits have erected road barricades on major routes that link rural towns to provincial headquarters, and have taken as many as 100 cars in a single attack.
To curb banditry, security personnel may request persons to show their passport, residence card, driver's license, and/or vehicle registration at random checkpoints.
Certified copies of these important documents should be kept in a secure location separate from the originals.
Security personnel have been known to ask for bribes and may hurt citizens who refuse to pay.
The U.S. Government does not condone bribery or corruption of any kind.

Due to the frequency of criminal incidents involving public transportation, American citizens are advised that use of public taxis can be dangerous.
In April 2007, two American women were assaulted and robbed in a taxi.
Public taxis in Cameroon function more like the U.S. bus system with drivers stopping to pick up additional passengers as long as there is space left in the vehicle.
There have been numerous reports of assaults and robberies committed by "passengers" in shared taxis since crimes – rape and robbery being among the most common – are often a collaborative effort between the driver and "passengers."
If a traveler must use a taxi, the use of a private taxi – or a taxi hired for exclusive use by the individual for that particular trip – where the driver is known to the passenger is a better alternative to the use of shared taxis.
Taxi passengers should be particularly vigilant at night.

The risk of street and residential crime is high, and incidents of violent crime are on the rise throughout the country.
During the last year, the number of carjacking and armed burglary incidents in residences and restaurants, particularly in Yaoundé and Douala, continued to increase.
Carjacking and robbery has also been reported on rural highways, especially in the Northern provinces and regions near Cameroon's border with the Central African Republic.

On March 27, 2006, 11 armed men attacked a group of four U.S. citizens in a private residence (adjacent to a hotel frequented by expatriates) in Kribi, located in the Southern province.
A group of five armed bandits held up and robbed staff and guests of a hotel in Ngaoundere (Adamawa Province) on December 20, 2006.
Similar incidents occurred in the middle of the night at hotels in Bertoua (East Province) on April 22, 2007, and in Yaoundé (Central Province) on May 15, 2007 when assailants broke into hotel rooms and robbed the residents.
Americans were among the victims.
Crimes against property, such as carjacking and burglaries, have often been accompanied by violent acts and have resulted in fatalities.
There were four incidents of armed robberies in the month of April 2007, involving American citizens in or near restaurants in Yaoundé and Bertoua.

In January 2007, a French expatriate was fatally shot in the upscale Bastos neighborhood of Yaoundé.
The woman was dropping off a friend to her residence and interrupted an attempted home invasion.
Upon realizing what was happening, the friend returned to the vehicle and both women attempted to flee the scene.
As they were leaving, an armed bandit shot and fatally wounded the driver of the vehicle.

In September 2007, several expatriates suffered armed attacks.
In one incident, an Israeli citizen giving a ride to a friend was attacked in Bastos by two men with knives.
In the ensuing scuffle, the Israeli was critically wounded.
A Moroccan diplomat was fatally injured while walking near his residence.
Found unconscious by security guards, he was taken to a local hospital where he died the following day.
A Chinese business woman was also robbed and killed outside her home in a neighborhood near Bastos.
All incidents occurred late at night.

In December 2007, a police officer was arrested and jailed in Yaoundé after he and his accomplices surprised a couple returning from Europe and stole a briefcase and jewelry.

In January 2008, three bandits posing as passengers on a bus to Douala – and carrying locally made guns - were intercepted at Bafoussam and apprehended.
In Douala, armed bandits robbed a soap company at gun point, surprising the employees.
They attempted to loot the company’s computers, but were intercepted by a SWAT team and ran off.
Also in January, an Embassy employee using public transportation in the Northwest Province was the victim of highway robbers, who robbed the passengers (including a local mayor) and roughed-up those who did not have enough money.
In February 2008, Cameroon experienced a brief period of civil unrest during a taxi strike that involved road blockages, attacks on public and private vehicles, looting, burning of government and other buildings, and roaming crowds of malcontents.
This period was attended by a sharp increase in reported crimes, including the stabbing death of a night watchman at a residence in Yaoundé, an attack at the Brussels Airline travel agency in the Bonapriso district of Douala, an attack by a group of armed bandits on a motorbike rider who suffered a gunshot wound to the head, and numerous reports of rape and armed attacks with firearms and machetes in Douala.

Recently, many American citizens have become victims of Cameroonian advance-fee fraud and other scams offering antiques, exotic and domesticated animals, and even adoption services through the Internet.
Americans should be very cautious about sending money or traveling to Cameroon to meet someone contacted via the Internet.
Commercial scams targeting foreigners, including many U.S. citizens, continue to be a problem.
The scams generally involve phony offers of lucrative sales and repeated requests for additional funds to pay for unforeseen airport and/or customs fees.
No one should provide personal financial or account information to unknown parties.
The ability of U.S. Embassy officers to extricate U.S. citizens from unlawful business deals and the consequences is limited.
For more information on international financial scams, including those involving Internet dating, a promise of an inheritance windfall, a promise of a work contract overseas, overpayment for goods purchased on-line, or money-laundering, see the Department of State's publication 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.

See our information on Victims of Crime .

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION:
Medical facilities in Cameroon are extremely limited.
Even in large cities, emergency care and hospitalization for major illnesses and surgery are hampered by the lack of trained specialists, outdated diagnostic equipment, and poor sanitation.
Medical services in outlying areas may be completely nonexistent.
Doctors and hospitals often require immediate payment for health services in cash.
Pharmacies in larger towns are well stocked, but in other areas many medicines are unavailable.
Travelers are advised to carry their own supply of needed prescription and anticipated over-the-counter medicines.

Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease.
Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the type that predominates in Cameroon, is resistant to the antimalarial drug chloroquine.
Because travelers to Cameroon are at high risk for contracting malaria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that travelers should take one of the following antimalarial drugs: mefloquine (Lariam™), doxycycline, or atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone™) as prophylaxis to reduce this risk.
Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area, and up to one year after returning home, should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and what antimalarials they have been taking.
For additional information on malaria, including protective measures, see the CDC Travelers’ Health web site at http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/.
There are periodic outbreaks of cholera in Cameroon.
Yellow fever can cause serious medical problems, but the vaccine, required for entry, is very effective in preventing the disease.

In March 2006, avian influenza (H5N1) was confirmed in wild ducks in northern Cameroon.
There have been no reports of avian influenza among humans in Cameroon.
Avian influenza has been reported in both birds and humans in neighboring Nigeria.
For additional information on avian influenza as it affects American citizens residing abroad, please visit the U.S. Department of State’s Avian Influenza Fact Sheet.

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 website at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx.
For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website 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 Cameroon is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Cameroon's road networks, both paved and unpaved, are poorly maintained and unsafe at all times of the year.
Vehicles are poorly maintained and there is no mechanism or requirement to inspect for roadworthiness.
During the rainy season, many roads are barely passable with four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Livestock and pedestrians create constant road hazards (especially at night) and road safety rules are frequently ignored.
There are few road and traffic signs; speed limits are neither posted nor enforced.
Buses and logging trucks travel at excessive speed and are a constant threat to other road traffic.

Travelers on roads near the borders with CAR and Chad should ensure that their vehicles are fully fueled, and that they have adequate cooking fuel, food, and water for several days as well as a reliable means of communication, such as a satellite or cell phone, or radio.

Visitors who are not in possession of a valid passport and a visa may experience difficulties at police roadblocks or other security checkpoints.
It is not uncommon for a uniformed member of the security forces to stop motorists on the pretext of a minor or non-existent violation of local motor vehicle regulations in order to extort small bribes.
Visitors are advised not to pay bribes and to request that the officer provide a citation to be paid at the local court.

Local law states that vehicles involved in an accident should not be moved until the police arrive and a police report can be made.
If an accident results in injury, drivers should be aware of the possibility that a "village justice" mentality may develop.
If an angry crowd forms, drive directly to the U.S. Embassy or another location where you can receive assistance.
Contact the local police once you are safely away from danger.
Cameroon has no real equivalent to 911-type service or roadside emergency telephone numbers, but you can dial 112 in major cities to contact ambulance services.
American citizens should contact the U.S. Embassy (237) 2220-1500 if emergency assistance is needed.
Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.

AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT:
As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Cameroon, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Cameroon’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.
For more information, travelers may visit the FAA’s internet website at http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:
While visiting game parks and reserves, tourists should bear in mind that they are ultimately responsible for maintaining their own safety.
Tourists should use common sense when approaching wildlife, maintain a safe distance from animals, and heed all instructions given by guides or trackers.
Even in the most serene settings, the animals in Cameroon's game parks are wild and can pose a threat to life and safety.

Cameroonian Customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Cameroon of items such as large quantities of medicine or wood products.
Customs regulations also restrict the importation of ivory.
Please see our information on customs regulations.

Cash in local currency, the Central African franc (CFA), is the only form of payment accepted throughout the country.
Larger hotels in Yaoundé and Douala will change U.S. dollars and cash traveler's checks, though at a disadvantageous rate.
Credit card cash advances are not available, and most banks do not cash personal or traveler's checks for non-clients.
While credit cards are accepted at some larger hotels and shops in Yaoundé and Douala, caution is urged, as identity theft is endemic in the region.
Some larger banks in Yaoundé and Douala have ATM facilities, and several banks in Cameroon have wire transfer services through Western Union.
The U.S. Embassy does not provide currency exchange, check cashing or other financial services.
Tourists and business travelers should also note that there is an increasing circulation of counterfeit U.S. and Cameroonian currency in the country.
In recent years, business travelers have experienced difficulty in obtaining adequate services from Cameroon's banking sector.
Business travelers are also advised that using the services of a local agent is strongly recommended in establishing a presence in the Cameroonian market.

While photography is not officially forbidden, security officials are sensitive about photographs taken of government buildings, military installations, and other public facilities, many of which are unmarked.
Photography of these subjects may result in seizure of photographic equipment by Cameroonian authorities.
Due to the threat of harassment and the lack of signs designating sites prohibited for photography, photography should be limited to private homes and among friends.
U.S. citizens are advised to seek proper permission before taking a photograph of a specific subject or location.

The government of Cameroon has recently started enforcing laws against homosexuality.
Charges of homosexuality and/or of corruption are also made and enforced indiscriminately in the course of business or personal disputes.

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.
Cameroonian law does not afford many of the protections to which Americans are accustomed, and legal proceedings tend to be complex, lengthy, and subject to inappropriate influence.
Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses.
Additionally, the condition of detention centers, while improving, is poor.
Persons violating Cameroonian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
During the February 2008 civil unrest, there were reports that people were arrested arbitrarily by law enforcement officials quelling the civil disorder that ensued.
Although no expatriates were known to have been arrested, the Department of State cautions Americans against venturing out during such periods of unrest.

Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Cameroon 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 Cameroon are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy through the State Department’s travel registration website so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Cameroon.
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 in Yaoundé is located on Avenue Rosa Parks in the Mbankolo Quartier, adjacent to the Mount Febe Golf Club; mailing address P.O. Box 817; embassy tel. (237) 2220-1500, fax: (237) 2220-1572.
The Embassy Branch Office in Douala is located on the corner of Rue Ivy and Rue French in the Ecobank Building in Bonanjo, tel: (237) 3342-5331, fax: (237) 3342-7790.
Further information, including the U.S. Embassy's business hours, is available at the U.S. Embassy's web site: http://yaounde.usembassy.gov.
*

*

*
This replaces the Country Specific Information for Cameroon dated 7 June 2007, to update sections on Country Description, Entry and Exit Requirements, Safety and Security, Crime, Aviation Safety Oversight, Criminal Penalties, Children’s Issues, and Registration/Embassy Location.

Travel News Headlines WORLD NEWS

Date: Mon 13 Jan 2020
Source: Cameroon Ministry of Public Health, secretariat general, Eastern Regional Delegation, Regional Center for Prevention and Control; tweet published by @Dataminr [in French, trans., edited]

Original public tweet
Local authority orders strict health monitoring after minor dies from monkeypox virus in Ayos, Cameroon:

#AlerteSante [health alert] of a case of monkeypox in the town of Ayos, Center region. [There is] a deceased infant. This note indicates how the virus is contracted, not how to prevent it or what to do after the symptoms. I think it is urgent to communicate on it.
===================
[This very brief report provides little information about the case, such as the age and sex of the infant and how the monkeypox (MPX) infection might have been acquired, nor is there information to indicate if the MPX diagnosis was laboratory confirmed and if chickenpox (varicella virus) was excluded, since there can be some similarity of symptoms.

Although Ayos is in the Central region, there is also concern in the East region. The regional delegate of Public Health for the East region, Dr Anicet Desire Mintop, calls for a health watch in all health districts in the East region, notably in Abong Mbang, Nguelmendouka, and Messamena. According to the release, the above-mentioned health centres should be on serious alert because they are closer to the area where the monkeypox case was detected (see  <http://outbreaknewstoday.com/monkeypox-alert-issued-in-eastern-cameroon-media-report-52099/>).

It seems likely that the infection was acquired from an animal source. MPX is endemic in Cameroon. The main reservoirs of monkeypox virus are suspected to be rodents, including rope squirrels (_Funisciurus_ spp, an arboreal rodent) and terrestrial rodents in the genera _Cricetomys_ and _Graphiurus_. A confirmed case of monkeypox in the Ekondo-Titi health district in Southwest region of Cameroon was reported in October 2019 (see Monkeypox - Africa (06): Cameroon http://promedmail.org/post/20191106.6765533), and 16 cases were reported in April-May 2018 from Njikwa, Northwest region (7); Akwaya, Southwest region (6); Biyem-Assi, Central region (1); Bertoua, East region (1); and Fotokol, Far North region (1) (see Monkeypox - Africa (10): Cameroon http://promedmail.org/post/20180605.5838919). - ProMED Mod.TY]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
Ayos, Center, Cameroon: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/65281>]
Date: Tue 1 Oct 2019
Source: Outbreak News Today [edited]

Health officials have reported a confirmed case of monkeypox in the Ekondo-Titi health district in South-west region of Cameroon last week. Supportive measures for case management have been put in place, and community-based surveillance has been stepped up in the region.

Monkeypox is a rare disease that occurs throughout remote parts of Central and West Africa, often near tropical rain forests. Fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and exhaustion are followed by a rash. Patients are usually ill for 2-4 weeks. Monkeypox is fatal in as many as 10% of people who get it.
===================
[Monkeypox (MPX) cases in Cameroon are not new. MPX cases there were reported last year (2018) (see Monkeypox - Africa (10): Cameroon http://promedmail.org/post/20180605.5838919). The previous ProMED-mail posts on monkeypox cases in Cameroon did not provide numbers of cases (see ProMED-mail. Monkeypox - Africa (09): Cameroon http://promedmail.org/post/20180519.5805270). Monkeypox virus is widespread in central and west Africa, and sporadic human cases occur there.

Monkeypox is a rare viral disease predominantly found in central and west Africa. People get the disease through contact with an infected animal, which can occur in a number of ways. People may be bitten or come into contact with the animal's blood or body fluids. Infection can also occur if a person touches the rash on an infected animal's skin, which sometimes happens during food preparation. Infected people can pass the disease on to other people. Symptoms are similar to smallpox, but milder. They start out flu-like: fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes and a general feeling of discomfort and exhaustion. Within a few days, patients show a rash of raised bumps. The illness lasts 2-4 weeks. There is no specific treatment available for the disease. It is fatal in about 10 percent of all cases [for the central African clade, but seldom fatal for the West Africa clade.

There is no indication of how the above case contracted MPX, but it seems likely to have been from an animal source. The main reservoirs of monkeypox virus are suspected to be rodents, including rope squirrels (_Funisciurus_ spp; an arboreal rodent) and terrestrial rodents in the genera _Cricetomys_ and _Graphiurus_. Halting the bushmeat trade and consumption of wild animals in order to halt MPX virus exposure will be culturally and economically difficult, so continued occasional occurrence of cases can be expected. - ProMED Mod.TY]

[HealthMap/ProMED map available at:
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2019 20:29:08 +0100 (MET)
By Reinnier Kaze

Yaoundé, Oct 29, 2019 (AFP) - More than 30 people were killed after their houses were swept away Tuesday in a landslide caused by torrential rain in the western Cameroon city of Bafoussam, state media reported, showing images of rescuers desperately sifting the rubble for survivors.   "Searches are ongoing. We fear there are further deaths," a senior local official told AFP, on condition of anonymity, as nightfall neared.   the state-run Cameroon Tribune newspaper, on its Facebook page, said "at least 33 bodies" had been found.   Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) earlier gave a death toll of around 30 after a score of houses collapsed.

A government statement broadcast on CRTV spoke of a "serious" incident causing "much loss of life" without mentioning a toll.   "The houses that collapsed were built on the side of a hill in a risk zone," said the official of the West Region, of which Bafoussam is the capital, some 300 kilometres (185 miles) northwest of the capital Yaoundé.   He said the landslide was caused by the torrential rain that has fallen in the country over the past few days as well as the wider region, with neighbouring Central African Republic and Nigeria also seriously hit.

Pictures of the tragedy at Bafouassam posted to social media showed ramshackle houses having crumbled into the ochre-coloured terrain and men clad in hard hats digging away at piles of mud in the search for survivors.   Landslides are quite exceptional in the area although further south they are less rare in the rainy season, notably in the English-speaking southwest. It was in the southwestern coastal resort town of Limbe that five people died in a landslide following flooding in July last year.

Beyond Cameroon, the Central African Republic, already mired in a brutal civil war, is reeling from ten days of torrential rain which have plunged swathes of the country underwater, creating a new emergency in one of the world's poorest nations.   Tens of thousands of people have been left homeless after the CAR's largest river, the Oubangui, burst its banks at the height of the country's worst floods in decades which have left parts of the capital Bangui submerged, prompting authorities to warn of the risk of cholera.   Several agrarian states in another Cameroon neighbour, Nigeria, have also been hit by flooding. A torrential downpour Monday allowed dozens of inmates to escape from prison in the central state of Kogi.
Date: Tue 9 Jul 2019
Source: Agence Cameroun Presse [in French, trans. Corr.SB, edited]

A highly contagious disease with faecal-oral transmission, cholera is transmitted by dirty hands or by food contamination and water (contaminated water). According to our colleague, [Journal du Cameroun], 48 deaths due to cholera have been recorded in the northern part of Cameroon.

According to figures compiled on Mon 8 Jul 2019 by the Ministry of Public Health (Minsante), the cholera epidemic, which is raging in the northern part of Cameroon, has already killed 48 people. The northern region, which has been particularly affected by this epidemic for almost a year, has a fatality rate of 6.2%.

Outside the North, the neighbouring Far North region is also affected by the disease, which raises fears of a spread of the disease with the onset of rains in this part of the country. Cholera had also been reported in the southern part of the country, particularly in the Central and Littoral regions, where one death had been registered.

According to the Journal du Cameroun, since the reappearance of the disease last February 2019, 775 reported cases have been counted and confirmed, revealing "an alarming epidemiological situation".

It should be noted that cholera 1st appeared in Cameroon in 1971. Since 1990, major epidemics have been recorded, particularly in 1991, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2010 and 2011. The general trend shows an annual increase in the number of cases. Between 2004 and 2016, epidemiological surveillance reported 50 007 cases with 2052 deaths, a high case fatality rate of 4.1%.

The main epidemics were recorded in the north, in the northern regions and the Far North and in the south of the country in the Littoral region, which is home to the economic capital Douala.  [Byline: Danielle Ngono Efondo]
Date: Thu, 30 May 2019 19:24:40 +0200

Yaoundé, May 30, 2019 (AFP) - Cameroon has declared a public emergency after reporting a polio case in its far north, four years after the virus disappeared from the country, the health ministry said on Thursday.   The confirmed case of polio type 2 was found in the Mada area in the remote north bordering Chad and Nigeria, the ministry said in a statement.   It declared a "new polio epidemic following the confirmation of a case of poliovirus type 2 detected in samples."

A source at the ministry said the outbreak may have been caused in part by a refusal of vaccinations and the cross-border movement of people in the area.   Polio is a highly infectious viral disease which mainly affects young children and can result in permanent paralysis. There is no cure and it can only be prevented through immunisation.   International polio vaccination efforts have run into problems in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Militants and religious leaders in rural areas often tell locals immunisation is part of a shadowy conspiracy to weaken their faith.
More ...

World Travel News Headlines

Date: Fri 17 Jan 2019
Source: Front Page Africa [edited]

The Surveillance Officer of Grand Bassa County Health team has confirmed to FrontPage Africa that there is a Lassa fever outbreak in District 4, Grand Bassa County leading to 3 deaths and 20 others confirmed infected with the virus.

Gabriel B. Kassay said over 60 specimens were taken to Monrovia for testing as a result of the outbreak.  "Out of the 60 plus, over 20 specimens were confirmed affected with Lassa fever," he said, adding that 3 persons have died from the disease at the Liberia Agricultural Company (LAC) concession area in Wee Statutory District.

Kassay said there were several incidents of Lassa fever in the LAC plantation area in 2019.  "According to the Liberia health law, one confirmed case of Lassa fever is considered an outbreak, and so since August 2019, there have been lots of people affected in the LAC area," he said while expressing concern that "the lack of awareness is a major factor" for the frequent cases of the virus in the county.  "The Grand Bassa Health Team has been very instrumental in helping to curtail the spread of the disease in the affected area, but there is a need for awareness in the entire county."

Kassay said the spread of Lassa fever might increase if the citizens are not trained to know the cause and effects of Lassa fever.
=====================
[The number of cases has increased from 9 on 2 Dec 2019 (See Lassa fever - West Africa (43): Liberia http://promedmail.org/post/20191207.6828798) to 20 confirmed cases now. The reported number of deaths remains at 3. The previous ProMED-mail post (see Lassa fever - West Africa (31): Liberia http://promedmail.org/post/20190902.6653653) reported that according to MoH data, a total of 92 suspected cases between 1 Jan-25 Aug 2019, including 21 deaths, have been reported. Of these, 25 cases have been confirmed by RT-PCR (Nimba (9), Bong (10), Grand Bassa (5), and Grand Kru (1)), while 9 remain suspected cases, the release recorded. The case-fatality rate among confirmed cases in that report was stated as 36% (9 deaths out of 25 confirmed cases). Males are mostly affected by the disease (56%) of confirmed cases as compared to females.

Occurrence of Lassa fever cases in areas outside the usual "Lassa fever belt" is of concern, and the Ministry of Health is wise to increase public information and advize citizens about measures that should be taken to avoid infection with the virus. Occurrence of Lassa fever in Liberia is not new, and cases have occurred there sporadically for several years. Between 1 Jan and 27 Jun 2018, 20 cases were laboratory confirmed (see archive no. http://promedmail.org/post/20180711.5898495). Apparently, all those Lassa fever virus infections were acquired by contact with infected rodents or their excretions. Lassa fever virus can be acquired from infected rodents or patients in the hospital. Transmission can occur in health facilities when personal protective equipment is not employed or barrier-nursing practices or biocontainment facilities in the laboratory are not adequate to protect staff from blood and secretions of infected patients.

As mentioned in previous posts, Lassa fever virus transmission to humans occurs when people are in contact with the reservoir rodent host, the multimammate mouse (_Mastomys natalensis_ and _M. erythroleucus_) and the African wood mouse (_Hylomycus pamfi_) or their excreta, as was likely the situation in many of these cases. Rodent control has to be undertaken at the village level with individual households employing the preventive measures listed above. This requires an extensive and continuous public education effort.

Images of the _Mastomys natalensis_ mouse, the rodent reservoir of Lassa fever virus, can be seen at
_M. erythroleucus_ and _Hylomycus pamfi_ at

Date: Sun 19 Jan 2019
Source: Outbreak News Today [edited]

With the arrival of summer when the occurrence of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, such as yellow fever, increases, the Brazilian Ministry of Health is alerting the population to get vaccinated against the disease.  The alert is mainly focused on the population that lives in the South and Southeast regions of the country due to the confirmation of 38 monkey deaths in the states of Parana (34), Sao Paulo (3), and Santa Catarina (1). In total, 1087 reports of suspected monkey deaths were recorded in the country.

The alert is given because the regions have a large population and a low number of people vaccinated, which directly contributes to the cases of the disease.

The target public for vaccination is people from 9 months of age and 59 years of age who do not have proof of vaccination.

Regarding human cases, 327 suspected yellow fever cases were reported in the same period, of which 50 remain under investigation and one has been confirmed.

The yellow fever vaccine is offered in the National Vaccination Calendar and distributed monthly to the states. In 2019, more than 16 million doses of the yellow fever vaccine were distributed throughout the country. Despite this availability, there is a low demand from the population for vaccination. For 2020, the portfolio acquired 71 million doses of the vaccine, enough to serve the country for more than 3 years.

In 2020, the Ministry of Health will gradually expand yellow fever vaccination to 1101 municipalities in the Northeast states that were not yet part of the vaccination recommendation area. Thus, the whole country now has a vaccine against yellow fever in the routine of services.

Another change in the calendar was that the children started to have a booster vaccine at the age of 4. The decision came because recent scientific studies have shown a decrease in the child's immune response, which is vaccinated very early, at 9 months, as predicted in the child's National Vaccination Calendar. Since 2017, the Ministry of Health has followed the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) to offer only one dose of the yellow fever vaccine in a lifetime.
=========================
[The current expansion of yellow fever in South America raises concern for public health and also about potential conservation problems for susceptible non-human primate species in the continent. Yellow fever virus was introduced into the Americas approximately 400 years ago, yet the complex interactions that were established after its introduction are far from being elucidated. There is a need for more research on the eco-epidemiology of the disease in the continent, especially in the presence of the persistent anthropogenic global environmental change. - ProMED Mod.PMB]

[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Brazil:
Date: Sat 18 Jan 2020 03:15 WAT
Source: Actualita [in French, machine trans., edited]
<https://actualite.cd/2020/01/18/rdc-une-maladie-inconnue-fauche-des-vies-kiri-5-morts>

An unknown disease has already killed 5 people at Kiri General Hospital, in the province of Mai-Ndombe, in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to the authorities. The provincial minister of public health has said that all measures are underway to detect [diagnose?] the mysterious disease. "Admittedly, this was an abnormal situation; however, the situation is manageable because we have just gone into this health facility and we have tried to carry out investigations. My collaborators and I took some samples which have quickly been sent to the National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa for the appropriate medical tests which can give us accurate [diagnosis] on this abnormal situation," declared the minister Jean Claude Bola. First, added the same official, "it is not an Ebola epidemic, contrary to the rumour circulating in the Kiri territory and in the social networks."

In an exclusive interview with actualita.cd, the provincial authority also confirmed the deaths. "However, I warn all those who broadcast through the various media and social networks that there is Ebola in Mai-Ndombe that they have neither qualification nor competence to do so, because the only authority having jurisdiction in the provinces to declare an epidemic is the provincial governor," declared Paul Mputu Boleilanga. "Severe and disciplinary sanctions will be reserved against usurpers of power," he threatened. According to provincial authorities, a team from the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), a team is expected in the Kiri territory for "rapid" management of all patients and to determine the disease underlying deaths in this region.
=============================
[Other than the number of deaths and the geographical location of the cases there is no additional information to permit reasonable speculation as to the aetiology or dates of illnesses. ProMED Mod.MPP noted that Ebola denial leads one to suspect this is a viral haemorrhagic fever.

Laboratory tests should confirm or rule out diseases such as yellow fever or Lassa fever. However, there is no indication that these cases are due to a virus or other infectious agent. Toxicants should also be ruled out. Additional information about these or new cases would be appreciated. - ProMED Mod.TY]

[Maps of DR Congo: <http://goo.gl/DM2AT8> and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/194> and
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/65284>]
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2020 17:48:09 +0100 (MET)

Barcelona, Jan 17, 2020 (AFP) - Spain's Balearic Islands passed a bill Friday aimed at clamping down on alcohol-fuelled holidays in the Mediterranean archipelago which bans happy hours when drinks are offered a discount and open bars.   "This is the first law adopted in Europe which restricts the sale and promotion of alcohol in certain touristic areas," the regional government of the Balearic Islands which have long been a magnet for young German and British tourists, who often drink heavily and enjoy rowdy late-night clubbing.

The restrictions will apply to three areas with a reputation for excess: San Antoni on the island of Ibiza and El Arenal and Magaluf -- which has been nicknamed "Shagaluf" because of its reputation for drunken casual sex -- on Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic's four islands.   The law, which was drawn up in consultation with the tourism industry also bans pub crawls and two-for-one drink offers, prohibits the sale of alcohol in shops between 9:30 pm and 8 am and forbids advertising party boats in the designated areas.   Establishments that break the new rules risk fines of up to 600,000 euros ($669,000) and the threat of being closed down for three years.

The new law also takes aim at the so-called "balconing" craze, the term given to holidaymakers who decide to jump into a swimming pool from a hotel or apartment balcony, a stunt which claims several lives every year.   It bans "balconing" across the entire archipelago and requires hotels to evict anyone who does it. Those caught jumping from balconies face fines of up to 60,000 euros ($67,000).   Up until now only some resorts on the Balearics imposed fines for "balconing".

The regional government of the Balearics said the law, which stiffens measures already introduced in 2015, will "fight excesses in certain tourist zones" and "force a real change in the tourism model of those destinations".   Magaluf made global headlines in 2014 after a video showing a young woman performing oral sex on several men on the dance floor of a nightclub went viral.   Local shops sell souvenir T-shirts with the catchphrase "On it 'till we vomit".

The four islands which make up the Balearics -- Palma de Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, received nearly fourteen million tourists in 2018, drawn by their crystal clear waters, and in many cases by all-inconclusive package holidays.   The archipelago is Spain's second most visited region. Spain is the world's second most visited country after France.
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2020 12:55:16 +0100 (MET)

Rennes, France, Jan 17, 2020 (AFP) - Several oyster farmers along France's Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts have been forced to halt sales since December after their sites were contaminated by the highly contagious norovirus, which they blame on overflowing sewage treatment plants.   Authorities ordered the suspensions at 23 of the country's 375 designated fields, and recalls of affected oysters as well as mussels and clams, after tests revealed the virus, which can cause severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

The move came just before the year-end holidays, when oysters are a traditional delicacy on millions of French tables.   "The oysters are not sick. They're carrying the virus because it's in the water they are constantly filtering," Philippe Le Gal, president of France's national shellfish council (CNC), told AFP this week.   "They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said, adding the ban had prompted many people to stop eating oysters altogether.   Local officials say oyster farmers are paying the price of insufficient spending on wastewater treatment, with facilities strained to the limit even as development of coastal areas has surged in recent years.

Heavy rains before Christmas prompted treatment basins to overflow, they say, spilling tainted water into rivers.   "This was predictable -- they've kept issuing building permits even though treatment sites are already at full capacity," said Joel Labbe, a senator for the Morbihan region in Brittany.   Oyster farmers are demanding compensation, and a delegation met with agriculture ministry officials in Paris last week warning that more than 400 businesses had been impacted by the sales ban.

This week, angry growers dumped trash bins full of oysters and mussels in front of the offices of the regional ARS health authority in Montpellier over the decision to halt sales from a nearby basin on the Mediterranean coast.   "We're the victims, and we shouldn't have to suffer any financial damages," Le Gal said.
Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2020 04:44:41 +0100 (MET)

Suva, Fiji, Jan 17, 2020 (AFP) - Fiji opened evacuation centres and warned of "destructive force winds" Friday as a cyclone bore down on the Pacific island nation for the second time in three weeks.   Two people were missing after attempting to swim across a swollen river late Thursday when heavy rain fell ahead of the advancing Cyclone Tino, police said.   On the outer islands, locals prepared to go to emergency shelters while many tourists fled beach resorts and made their way to the capital Suva before regional flights and inter-island ferry services were suspended.

The Fiji Meteorological Service said Tino was strengthening as it headed for Fiji's second-largest island, Vanua Levu, warning of wind gusts of up to 130 kilometres per hour (80 mph), heavy rain, coastal flooding and flash flooding in low lying areas.    "I'm preparing to go to an evacuation centre soon with my family and wait for the cyclone to pass," Nischal Prasad, who lost his home in northern Vanua Legu when Cyclone Sarai struck just after Christmas, told AFP.   "Sarai destroyed my house and almost left my family homeless. My daughters had to hide under their bed from the strong winds. It was a scary experience," he said.

Russian tourist Inna Kostromina, 35, said she sought safety in Suva after being told her island resort was in the path of the cyclone.   "We didn't want to get stuck in there and with the authorities warning of coastal flooding, anything can happen. So we decided to move to Suva for now. I think we will be much safer here."    Police said a man and his daughter, believed to be aged nine or 10, were attempting to swim across a flooded river when they were caught in the strong currents.    The incident happened on Thursday before the storm developed into a tropical cyclone, but a police spokesman linked the tragedy to "heavy rain brought about by the current weather system (which) raised the river level".   Although the Pacific islands are popular tourist destinations in summer it is also the cyclone season, and Fiji is being targeted for the second time in three weeks.

In late December, Tropical Cyclone Sarai left two people dead and more than 2,500 needing emergency shelter as it damaged houses, crops and trees and cut electricity supplies.    On its present track, Tino would hit Tongatapu, the main island of neighbouring Tonga, on the weekend.    Two years ago, Tongatapu was hit by Cyclone Gina, with two people killed and nearly 200 houses destroyed.
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2020 16:38:39 +0100 (MET)
By Hiroshi HIYAMA

Tokyo, Jan 16, 2020 (AFP) - Japan has confirmed a case of a mystery virus that first emerged in China and is from the same family as the deadly SARS pathogen, authorities said Thursday.   It appears to be only the second time the novel coronavirus has been detected outside China, after the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed a case in Thailand.   Japan's health ministry said a man who had visited the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the apparent epicentre of the outbreak, was hospitalised on January 10, four days after his return to Japan. He reported a persistent fever.

Tests on the patient, who was released from hospital on Wednesday, confirmed he was infected with the new virus.   "This is the first domestic discovery of a pneumonia case related to the new coronavirus," the ministry said in a statement.   "We will continue active epidemiological research while also coordinating efforts with the World Health Organization and related agencies to conduct a risk assessment."   The outbreak has killed one person so far, with 41 patients reported in Wuhan.

The outbreak has caused alarm because the new virus is from the same family as the pathogen that causes SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed 349 people in mainland China and 299 in Hong Kong in 2002 and 2003.   Authorities in Wuhan said a seafood market was the centre of the outbreak. It was closed on January 1.   Japanese authorities said the man had not visited the market and that it was possible he had been in contact with a person infected with the virus while in Wuhan.

- Outbreak in Japan 'unlikely' -
Health ministry official Eiji Hinoshita told reporters that the risk of the disease spreading from the patient was considered low, with careful checks done on those who had been in close contact with him.   "At this point, we feel it is unlikely this will lead to a dramatic outbreak," he said, adding that the patient was no longer suffering a fever and was recuperating at home.

Officials declined to give further information on the man, including his nationality, citing privacy concerns.   Local media said the patient was a Chinese national in his 30s living in Kanagawa, just southwest of Tokyo.   Public broadcaster NHK said he had already recovered and was resting at home, as quarantine officials at Tokyo's Narita airport boosted health checks on all travellers.

The health ministry urged people who develop a cough or fever after visiting Wuhan to wear a surgical mask and "swiftly visit a medical institution".   Hinoshita said Japan would need to be on guard ahead of the Lunar New Year, a popular travel period in China.   "It is expected that Japan will see many visitors from China," he said.   It is not yet clear whether the mystery virus can be transmitted between humans, but on Wednesday authorities said it was possible it had spread inside a family.

The woman diagnosed in Thailand, who is in a stable condition, also said she had not visited the Wuhan seafood market.   And WHO doctor Maria Van Kerkhove on Tuesday said she "wouldn't be surprised if there was some limited human-to-human transmission, especially among families who have close contact with one another".   Hong Kong authorities on Tuesday said several dozen people had been hospitalised with fever or respiratory symptoms after travelling to Wuhan, but no cases of the new virus have so far been confirmed.
Date: 20 Jan 2020
Source: News Joins [In Korean, machine trans. edited]
----------------------------
An unexplained pneumonia in China caused the Korean quarantine authorities to strengthen the quarantine, and a fever-sensing camera is installed to monitor the body temperature of Chinese tourists who entered Korea at Incheon Port 1 International Passenger Terminal. 

Pneumonia confirmed by the new coronavirus, which is prevalent in Wuhan, China, was confirmed for the first time on [20 Jan 2020]. According to health officials, a Chinese woman, A, who arrived at Incheon International Airport on a plane from Wuhan last weekend, was confirmed with pneumonia. The patient showed signs of pneumonia, including high fever and cough. The health authorities entered the airport at the same time, confirmed the symptoms of high fever, suspected pneumonia, and went into quarantine and testing. The Centers for Disease Control immediately quarantined A and entered treatment with a nationally designated quarantine bed. The Centers for Disease Control will hold an emergency press conference at 1:30 pm on [20 Jan 2020] and release the reporter A.
 
Meanwhile, Beijing's Daxing District Health and Welfare Committee said 2 fever patients who had been to Wuhan were confirmed as a new pneumonia patient on [19 Jan 2020]. They are currently being treated at a designated hospital and said they are stable. Daxing District is where Beijing New Airport opened last year [2019]. The Guangdong Provincial Health and Welfare Committee said on [19 Jan 2020] that a 66-year-old man who had visited a relative's home in Wuhan showed fever and lethargy and was diagnosed with Wuhan pneumonia. Confirmation patients have also emerged in Shenzhen, a neighbouring Hong Kong province in southern China, raising concerns that the new pneumonia has already spread throughout China.
 
The Chinese government has said that "there is no basis for human-to-human propagation," but domestic experts pointed out that "the nature of coronavirus is less likely to prevent human-to-human propagation."   [Byline: Esther Toile]
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[This is now the 4th international identification of the 2019-nCoV (novel coronavirus) associated illness reported outside of China.  To date, all 4 cases have reported being in Wuhan China in the 14 days preceding onset of illness.  Illness in each involved a history of fever and dry cough.  Cases were reported by Thailand (2 cases) and Japan, and now South Korea.  An update following a Ministry of Health Korea press conference mentioned that there were 5 individuals accompanying this woman, none of whom were currently showing symptoms. (<http://news1.kr/articles/?3821049>).

As mentioned in an earlier post (see Novel coronavirus (10): China (HU, GD, BJ) http://promedmail.org/post/20200119.6898567), there have also been cases confirmed in China outside of Wuhan City, with cases reported in Beijing, Guangdong and possibly Shanghai. It is becoming more difficult to conclude that there has been limited person-to-person transmission as the case numbers are climbing both inside of Wuhan City, elsewhere in China, and in individuals travelling from Wuhan China to other countries (Japan, Thailand and South Korea).

A map of South Korea can be found at:
Date: 15 Jan 2020
Source: Fox News [edited]

CDC is facing criticism over its response to a polio-like illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 10 additional cases of acute flaccid myelitis.  An Ohio teen is determined to walk again despite doctors' warnings that she may not after she contracted a rare polio-like illness that's left her paralyzed from the waist down.  IK, a catcher on her middle school's softball team, said it started with what felt like a cramp in her leg on Christmas. "I just thought, 'Oh gosh, it's just growing pains or a Charley horse,'" NK, the 13-year-old's mother, told News 5 Cleveland.  But the next day, IK couldn't stand on her own, and her worried parents rushed her to Akron Children's Hospital, where she was diagnosed with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). It's a rare but serious condition that affects the nervous system, specifically the grey matter of the spinal cord, which weakens the body's muscles and reflexes.

Health officials have noticed an increase of cases in children occurring every 2 years since 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And while it often is referred to as a "polio-like" illness, tests so far have tested negative for poliovirus.  Symptoms typically begin with sudden onset of arm or leg weakness and loss of muscle tone and reflexes, but can also include facial droop or weakness, difficulty moving eyes, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing,  slurred speech, and pain in the arms and legs.  Severe symptoms may include respiratory failure, or serious neurological complications, according to the CDC. Parents are encouraged to seek medical care right away if a child is suspected of developing any symptoms

Since her diagnosis, IK has been working in physical therapy and has received steroid treatments as well as multiple plasma exchange, according to the news outlet. Her mother said it's been like "a bad dream" for the family as they watch her struggle to gain strength.  "It's a lot, but I just try to go with the flow, just to push through," IK, who has received support from her teammates, classmates and members of the community, told News 5 Cleveland.  [Byline: Alexandria Hein]
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[Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a rare but serious condition. It affects the nervous system, specifically the area of the spinal cord called gray matter, which causes the muscles and reflexes in the body to become weak.

In 2019, there were 33 total confirmed cases in 16 US states
[<https://www.cdc.gov/acute-flaccid-myelitis/cases-in-us.html>].

The case definition for AFM is based on clinical and lab criteria

Clinical Criteria: An illness with onset of acute flaccid limb weakness.
Laboratory Criteria:
Confirmatory Laboratory Evidence: a magnetic resonance image (MRI) showing spinal cord lesion largely restricted to grey matter and spanning one or more vertebral segments. Supportive Laboratory Evidence: cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with pleocytosis (white blood cell count over 5 cells/mm3) Case Classification:
- Confirmed: Clinically compatible case AND Confirmatory laboratory evidence: MRI showing spinal cord lesion largely restricted to grey matter and spanning one or more spinal segments.
- Probable: Clinically compatible case AND Supportive laboratory evidence: CSF showing pleocytosis (white blood cell count over 5 cells/mm3)

With the high number of cases reported in 2018 and 2019, CDC enhanced AFM surveillance through collection of data at the national level by encouraging healthcare providers to recognize and report to their health departments all patients whom they suspect may have AFM; health departments are being asked to send this information to CDC to help us understand AFM activity nationwide. - ProMED Mod.UBA]

[HealthMap/ProMED map available at:
Date: Sat 18 Jan 2020
From: Guido Calleri <guidocalleri@aslcittaditorino.it> [edited]

90 persons presented to the Infectious Diseases Hospital Amedeo di Savoia, Torino, North-West Italy between 24 Dec 2019 and 10 Jan 2020 after consuming raw sausages from a wild boar hunted in the area of Susa Valley, 50 km [31.1 mi] away from Torino, in late November 2019.

All of them either were symptomatic (fever, muscle and/or abdominal pain, nausea) or had peripheral blood eosinophilia over 500/cmm, or both. IgG serology for trichinella was performed by immunoblot (Trichinella E/S IgG kit, EFFEGIEMME, Milan, Italy) and resulted positive in 48/90 (53.3%), allowing a diagnosis of confirmed trichinella infection.

Otherwise, a diagnosis of suspected trichinella infection was made with a negative serology, probably due to performing the test too early, before the development of antibodies or possibly a false negative result. In a few cases (under 10 cases) an alternative diagnosis was considered.

All patients were treated with oral albendazole 400 mg twice daily for 10 days and prednisone 50 mg/day.

Most likely, all patients were infected after eating meat from a single animal, given the low prevalence of the infection in this area: no human case has ever been detected in Torino province, and only one wild boar has been found positive for trichinella at microscopy in Susa valley in the last 10 years.
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Guido Calleri, Filippo Lipani, Giovanna Paltrinieri, Silvia Faraoni,
Valeria Ghisetti
ASL Citta di Torino, Infectious Diseases Unit and Microbiology Lab,
and ASL TO3,
Department of Prevention
Torino, Piedmonte, Italy
======================
[ProMED thanks Guido Calleri, Filippo Lipani, Giovanna Paltrinieri, Silvia Faraoni, and Valeria Ghisetti for sending us this information. The report underlines that _Trichinella_ are found in wild boars in Europe and should be assessed by a certified laboratory for _Trichinella_ before used for human consumption. Sausages made of smoked meat are especially dangerous, because the temperatures seldom reach what is needed to kill the trichinella larvae. - ProMED Mod.EP]

[HealthMap/ProMED map available at: