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Worldwide: 12-month dengue virus disease case notification rate per 100’000 population, November 2023 to October 2024
Global: over 14 million cases, 10,000 deaths
Americas: over 12 million cases, 7’000 deaths (largest outbreak in history!)
- Most in Brazil (9.8 million), followed by Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and Paraguay
- High incidences also on Caribbean islands (e.g. Guadeloupe, epidemic declared on 14 Nov 2024)
Africa: over 100,000 dengue cases
- Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, CAR, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sudan...
- CAVE: underreporting!
Asia:
- Currently outbreaks are reported especially in Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia (all countries)
Africa: Multi - country Mpox outbreak due to monkeypox virus clade I – update 24 November 2024
Within three weeks, mpox cases have increased by +4’758 to cumulative 14’078 confirmed cases (all clades), including 55 deaths. The following countries have reported new cases of clade I between 03 to 24 Nov 2024:
- Democratic Republic of the Congo: +3’503 cases | cumulative 10’846 cases = clade Ia and I b
- Burundi: +357 cases | cumulative 2’083 cases of clade Ib
- Uganda: +290 cases | cumulative 649 cases of clade Ib
- Central African Republic: +15 cases | cumulative 79 cases of clade Ia
- Rwanda: +11 cases | cumulative 37 cases of clade Ib
- Kenya: +5 cases | cumulative 19 cases of clade Ib
No new clade I cases have been reported within 3 weeks from Congo (22 clade Ia cases), Zimbabwe (2 clade Ib cases), and Zambia (1 clade Ib case).
A significant number of suspected mpox cases, that are clinically compatible with mpox remain untested due to limited diagnostic capacity in some African countries and thus never get confirmed.
For updates, details, suspected cases, epidemic curves, see WHO LINK).
India: HIV – transmission by tattoos
According to reports, about 68 women in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, have tested positive for HIV. These women found out about their HIV status during prenatal examinations and consultations at a local women's hospital. Of the 68 women affected, 20 suspect that they contracted the virus after getting a tattoo. They said they got tattoos from tattoo artists on the street. After the tattoos, their health deteriorated and HIV symptoms appeared. The women claimed that the tattoo artist had used the same contaminated needle several times.
Laos: Deaths among tourists due to contaminated alcohol
Since mid of November 2024, six foreign tourists died and at least four other people got ill after drinking tainted alcohol in Vang Vieng, Vientiane Province. News reports and testimonies suggest the tourists may have consumed alcohol laced with methanol.
Methanol poisoning and deaths due to adulterated alcoholic beverages are frequently reported in many countries all over the world.
Worldwide: Surge of measles cases
Worldwide, there were an estimated 10.3 million cases of measles in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Inadequate immunization coverage globally is driving the surge in cases.
As a result of global gaps in vaccination coverage, 57 countries experienced large or disruptive measles outbreaks in 2023, affecting all regions except the Americas, and representing a nearly 60% increase from 36 countries in the previous year. The WHO African, Eastern Mediterranean, European, Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions experienced a substantial upsurge in cases. Nearly half of all large or disruptive outbreaks occurred in the African region.
Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Senegal, Sudan: Dengue outbreaks
In 2024 and as of 15 November 2024, Dengue cases were reported in the following countries:
Burkina Faso: a total of 89’728 dengue cases (91 deaths) have been reported in all 13 regions. Most cases (51%) have been reported from the Center region. DENV-1 and DENV-3 viruses have been identified.
Cabo Verde: a total of 35’230 dengue cases (14’137 confirmed; 21’093 suspected cases ) have been reported from all nine islands. Santiago Island accounted for 82% of all confirmed cases. Serotypes DENV-1 and DENV-3 were detected.
Senegal: a total of 181 confirmed dengue cases have been identified in nine regions in Senegal, with Pikine district in Dakar region having the most cases (16), 20% of all cases. Other regions reporting a high number of cases include Thies 16 (20.0%), Louga 7 (9.0%), Fatick 6 (7.0%), Kaffrine 6 (7.0%), and Saint-Louis 4 (5.0%).
Sudan: Dengue is currently emerging as a public health problem in most states of Sudan with more than 6’000 cases reported.
Zimbabwe: Austrian traveler contracted sleeping sickness (African Trypanosomiasis)
After a trip to Zimbabwe, African trypanosomiasis was diagnosed in a traveler in Vienna. The patient is hospitalized and under treatment.
African trypanosomiasis, also called sleeping sickness, is endemic in many Subsaharan countries (see map).
It is transmitted by Tsetse flies. These flies are mainly attracted by bright, dark (especially blue) colours. They inhabit rural areas, including forests and savannah areas, and areas of thick vegetation along rivers and waterholes, depending on the fly species. Tsetse flies bite during the day, <1% are infected. Risk for infection in travelers increases with the number of fly bites, which does not always correlate with duration of travel. People most likely to be exposed to African trypanosomiasis infection are hunters and villagers with infected cattle herds. Tourists and other people working in or visiting game parks are at risk for contracting African trypanosomiasis if they spend long periods in rural areas where the disease is present. Travelers to urban areas are at minimal risk, although transmission has been observed in some urban settings in the past.
For details, see WHO Factsheet.
Uganda: Mpox situation
As of 13 November 2024, a total of 494 confirmed cases of mpox and one death have been reported in Uganda. Confirmed cases have been reported in 38 districts, with the most affected districts including Kampala (61% of cases), Wakiso and Nakasongola. For details, see LINK.
Argentina: Trichinellosis outbreak in Córdoba
In the province of Córdoba, an outbreak of trichinellosis has caused a health alarm after the Ministry of Health confirmed 41 cases in 5 localities.
Trichinella infections are frequently reported in Argentina. Homemade sausage foods do not usually go through sanitary and may be sold on the routes and roads of the country.
Trichinellosis is caused by the larvae of an intestinal worm when eating insufficiently cooked meat (mainly pork, but also game and other animals such as bear). Symptoms vary widely: muscle pain, inflammation of the eyelids and eye pain, diarrhea, and fever. Cardiac and neurological complications are possible, and the disease is sometimes fatal.
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Updates of recommendations
Find out about the latest content updates on the websiteEntry requirements for yellow fever - update
The entry requirements for yellow fever have been updated for Bolivia, Malawi, Chad, Singapore and Thailand.
Mpox – updated informationen and recommendations
Following content has been updated by the Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine: Mpox Factsheet, Infosheet, Map. See Health Risks - mpox.
Malaria – documents for health professionals
The country list (malaria recommendations in an alphabetical order) and the flyers for consultations have been updated.
Malaria – updates 2024
Content updates of prevention recommendation updates on world, regional and country maps with malaria prevention recommendations by country.
Polio – updated WHO temporary recommendations
The country pages have been updated to reflect the updated WHO temporary polio recommendations.
Dengue – ECTM statement on Qdenga
An updates version of ECTM statement on the dengue vaccine Qdenga is available, see LINK.
Marburg Virus Disease
A new factsheet on Marburg Virus Disease is available.
Yellow Fever Country List
The 'Yellow fever country list (vaccination recommendations and countries’ entry requirements) has been updated and is available on PRO Version -> yellow fever -> documents for professionals
Entry requirements for polio - update
The entry requirements for polio have been updated for Iraq and Jordan.