The Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine (ECTM) - a body of the Swiss Society for Tropical and Travel Medicine (FMH) - has revamped the Safetravel® website and renamed it to HealthyTravel.ch. The website continues to offer basic travel medicine recommendations for laypersons free of charge. Professionals can also subscribe to additional travel medicine information and recommendations such as in-depth country-specific information, vaccination recommendations with expert opinions, detailed maps (including malaria recommendations), fact sheets (including e.g. dosage information for malaria prophylaxis) and other important travel medicine content. These can be used during travel medicine consultation of patients and clients and can be individually compiled for the traveller, printed out or sent electronically.
The recommendations and content on HealthyTravel.ch reflect the recommendations of the Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine. They are developed in cooperation with the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). The website is under construction and will be continuously expanded with additional content and updates. Please note that all content available on the website HealthyTravel.ch is protected by copyright and may not be passed on to third parties.
Further information can be found in the flyer (LINK). The Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine will be happy to answer any questions at info@healthytravel.ch !
Burkina Faso: More than 3,100 suspected dengue cases are reported weekly across the country, a significant increase from the average number of new cases. More than 11,500 cases have been reported since January 2023, mainly in the Centre and Hauts-Bassins regions.
Côte d'Ivoire: According to the WHO Regional Office, more than 2,400 cases of dengue fever (of which > 230 were laboratory-confirmed) were reported between mid-June and 19 August 2023; this is also a significant increase. Cases have been registered throughout the country, but mainly in the autonomous district of Abidjan.
In the Indian state of Assam (north-eastern part of the country), 432 cases of Japanese encephalitis (JE) were reported by the end of August, 24 of which were fatal. Cases have increased almost tenfold since the beginning of August 2023.
Ranchi district in Jharkhand state in northern India has also reported an increase in JE cases, although the numbers are still modest, with 12 cases in recent weeks.
The risk for travellers is low. Optimal protection against mosquito bites, especially at dusk and at night.
The indication for vaccination against Japanese encephalitis should be discussed individually and is recommended for:
Protect yourself against ticks during outdoor activities (see Factsheet Mosquito Protection). Vaccination is recommended when staying in endemic areas. Complete basic immunisation requires three vaccination doses. Protection for a limited period of time already exists after two vaccination doses. These first two vaccinations are usually given one month apart. The third vaccination is given 5-12 months after the second dose, depending on the vaccine. A booster vaccination is indicated after 10 years.
After recreational activities: Always check your body for ticks or tick bites. If redness occurs after a tick bite: Consult a doctor to rule out Lyme disease, which would require antibiotic treatment.
According to media reports, a case of canine rabies has been reported in the city of São Paulo in Brazil. The infection was confirmed by the Pasteur Institute. This is the first case of canine rabies since 1983.
The case is still under investigation and has already led to surveillance measures in the region and 367 animals have been vaccinated with rabies vaccine.
Information about rabies and what to do in case of exposure is important for all travelers!
Prevention: Avoid contact with animals! Do not feed animals either! Pre-exposure vaccination (2 injections and a booster after 1 year) is recommended especially for travelers with increased individual risk (traveling with two-wheelers, to remote areas, long-term stays, small children, cave explorers, contact with bats, etc.).
Post-exposure behavior: After an animal bite/scratch: Immediately wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes, then disinfect and in any case visit a quality medical center for post-exposure vaccination as soon as possible! For more information: see factsheet rabies.
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