Friday 14 December 2012

Yellow fever in the Republic of Congo


 The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Congo is launching an emergency mass-vaccination campaign against yellow fever in Ewo District in Cuvette-Ouest region, beginning next week.
The emergency vaccination campaign aims to cover approximately 35,000 people in three health districts of Mbama, Ewo and Okoyo, all of which belong to the administrative district of Ewo.
The emergency vaccination campaign is being carried out after recent confirmation of a case with yellow fever virus infection that occurred in October 2012. The case was identified through the national surveillance programme for yellow fever.Laboratory confirmation was done at Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale Kinshasa (INRB), and reconfirmed by a WHO regional reference laboratory for yellow fever, Institut Pasteur, Dakar, Senegal.

Monday 10 December 2012

JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VACCINE

We are happy to announce the availability of JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS VACCINE ( JEEV ).
PLEASE CALL 09873691351 FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

Thursday 22 November 2012

Yellow fever in Sudan - update


 The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in Sudan began a 10-day mass vaccination campaign against yellow fever in Darfur on 20 November 2012, in response to the outbreak.
As of 17 November 2012, the outbreak is reported to have affected 26 localities, with a total of 459 suspected cases including 116 deaths. Two cases were confirmed by IgM ELISA test and RT-PCR by the WHO regional reference laboratory for yellow fever, the Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal. An outbreak investigation team led by the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO are in the field to assess the extent of the outbreak and prioritize areas for the mass vaccination campaign.
With support from the International Coordinating Group on Yellow Fever Vaccine Provision (YF-ICG), the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), the vaccination campaign will be carried out in the most affected 12 localities in Darfur region, targeting approximately 2.2 million people.
The YF-ICG is a partnership which manages stockpile of yellow fever vaccines for emergency response. It is represented by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and WHO, which also serves as the Secretariat.
Seven INGOs, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, MSF-Belgium, MSF-Spain, MSF-Swiss, Merlin, Save the Children-Swiss, and International Medical Corps are currently working in the 12 localities prioritized for the vaccination campaign. They will actively support the FMOH in this emergency response.
WHO is supporting the State Ministries of Health in conducting field investigations to better assess the epidemiological situation and the risk of disease spread, as well as on-the-job trainings for health staff to strengthen their disease surveillance systems and to improve collection of samples and laboratory diagnosis.

Saturday 20 October 2012

WHAT IS THE RISK OF INTERNATIONAL SPREAD OF YELLOW FEVER ?


The risk of international spread is greater than before. In the past devastating outbreaks occurred mainly in sea ports. Today, most cities are connected to most of the world by more rapid means of transport, train or plane. So far, the virus circulation has remained within the borders of historically endemic countries, but the virus could spread quickly and cause epidemics in areas with a high density of vectors and a non immune population.




Wednesday 10 October 2012

Yellow fever resurgence : impact of mass vaccination campaigns


Historically yellow fever (YF) has caused devastating epidemics in Europe, Africa, South, Central and North America, but, for unknown reasons, yellow fever has not spread to Asia yet. The development of the live attenuated 17D vaccines in the 1930s was a turning point in the history of the disease. One dose of YF vaccine provides protection for at least 10 years and possibly lifelong. The vaccine is considered to be very safe.
Successful attempts to control yellow fever through compulsory immunization took place in the beginning of the 20th century : in some French speaking African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d'Ivoire, Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Senegal, Togo) mass vaccination campaigns were carried out between 1933 and 1961 and resulted in the gradual disappearance of the disease.
Until the early 1990s, almost 30 years after the end of the mass preventive immunization campaigns, yellow fever remained only very sporadically active in the countries that benefited from those campaigns. However, during the same period, countries such as Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, which did not benefit from mass vaccination campaigns, experienced large epidemics.
The interruption of regular mass vaccination campaigns in Africa has played a major role in the current resurgence of yellow fever. The resurgence began in equatorial Africa, with the 1990 epidemic in Cameroon (173 cases) in which 79% of the victims were children aged under 10 years. The disease then struck in West Africa and since 1995 this has been the region most affected by yellow fever.

Monday 24 September 2012

OUTBREAK NEWS


Novel Coronavirus infection in the United Kingdom

 On 22 September 2012, the United Kingdom (UK) informed WHO of a case of acute respiratory syndrome with renal failure with travel history to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Qatar.
The case is a previously healthy, 49 year old male Qatari national that presented with symptoms on 3 September 2012 with travel history to the KSA prior to onset of illness. On 7 September he was admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) in Doha, Qatar. On 11 September, he was transferred to the UK by air ambulance from Qatar. The Health Protection Agency of the UK (HPA) conducted laboratory testing and has confirmed the presence of a novel coronavirus .
The HPA has compared the sequencing of the virus isolate from the 49 year old Qatari national with that of a virus sequenced previously by the Erasmus University Medical Centre, Netherlands. This latter isolate was obtained from lung tissue of a fatal case earlier this year in a 60 year-old Saudi national. This comparison indicated 99.5% identity, with one nucleotide mismatch over the regions compared.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which includes viruses that cause the common cold and SARS. Given that this is a novel coronavirus, WHO is currently in the process of obtaining further information to determine the public health implications of these two confirmed cases.
With respect to these findings, WHO does not recommend any travel restrictions. Information regarding requirements and recommendations for the Hajj season in 2012 can be found at http://www.who.int/ith/updates/20120730/en/index.html

Friday 24 August 2012

CHOLERA OUTBREAK


Cholera in Sierra Leone

 Since the beginning of the year, Sierra Leone has recorded 11 653 cases of cholera, with 216 deaths (Case Fatality Rate of 1.9%). The rate of new cases has accelerated rapidly since the beginning of August: since then, 5 706 cases have been recorded, and two new districts, Bonthe and Kono, have been affected by the epidemic. Ten of the country’s 13 districts are now registering cases and this spread emphasizes the need to rapidly scale up the response.
The two most heavily affected districts are Western Area and Tonkolili.
The President of Sierra Leone has declared the escalating cholera epidemic a “humanitarian crisis”. Consequently, a multi-sectoral approach to the response has been adopted involving the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), as well as other line ministries such as finance, information and communication, and local government, together with partners and stakeholders. A National Emergency Task force has been established with sub-committees dealing with surveillance, case management, water and sanitation, logistics and social mobilization. The WHO Country Office (WCO) in Sierra Leone is chairing a weekly meeting of partners and stakeholders to better coordinate harmonize and strategize support.
The MOHS, in partnership with Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), UNICEF, WHO, and other partners, is implementing the following prevention and control activities: epidemiological investigation, surveillance, case management at established cholera treatment centres, water and sanitation control measures, social mobilization and community education.
WHO is supporting Sierra Leone in the areas of epidemiology, social mobilization and surveillance. WHO has deployed two epidemiologists, and three cholera experts from Zimbabwe to support coordination, public information, social mobilization, case management and infection control.
WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Sierra Leone.

Thursday 23 August 2012

OUTBREAK NEWS


Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo - update

 As of 20 August 2012, a total of 15 (13 probable and 2 confirmed) cases with 10 deaths have been reported in Province Orientale in Eastern DRC. The reported cases and deaths have occurred in 3 health zones as follows: 12 cases and 8 deaths in Isiro, including three (3) health care workers who have died; 2 cases and 1 death in Pawa; and 1 fatal case in Dungu.
The Congolese Ministry of Health has convened a National Task Force and is working with several partners including WHO, UNICEF, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF) Suisse, MSF Belgique and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Similar Task Forces have been established at provincial and district levels to oversee and guide the response.
A joint MoH, WHO and MSF emergency response team is in the field to conduct a detailed epidemiological investigation and support case management. Control activities that are being carried out include active case finding and contact tracing, enhanced surveillance, case management, public information and social mobilization, and reinforcing infection control practices.
WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health in the areas of coordination, surveillance, field epidemiology, laboratory, case management, outbreak logistics, public information and social mobilization. An additional team of epidemiologists, a logistician, an anthropologist and social mobilization officers is being mobilized from the DRC, Republic of Congo, the WHO AFRO regional rapid response team, WHO Inter-Country Support team (IST) based in Gabon, and WHO HQ, for possible deployment in the field.
WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied to Democratic Republic of Congo.

Wednesday 15 August 2012

AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE


Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update

 The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has notified WHO of a new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.
The case is a 37 year old male from Yogyakarta province. He developed fever on 24 July 2012, was hospitalized on 27 July and died on 30 July.
Epidemiological investigation on the case found that the case had four pet caged birds in his home, which is about 50 metres from a poultry slaughter house and near a farm.
Infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus was confirmed by the National Institute of Health Research and Development (NIHRD), Ministry of Health and reported to WHO by the National IHR Focal Point.
To date, the total number of human influenza A(H5N1) cases in Indonesia is 191 with 159 fatalities, 8 (all fatal) of which occurred in 2012.

Tuesday 14 August 2012

EBOLA IN UGANDA- UPDATE


Ebola in Uganda – update

 The Ministry of Health of Uganda (MoH) continues to work with partners including WHO, CDC, Red Cross, MSF, World Vision, PREDICT, among others to control the outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in Kibaale district. The national and district task forces continue to meet daily to coordinate the response to the outbreak.
To date, 24 probable and confirmed cases including 16 deaths have been reported. 10 cases have been laboratory confirmed by the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) in Entebbe. The most recent confirmed case was admitted in Kagadi isolation facility on 4 August 2012.
Suspected cases which tested negative during the laboratory investigations have been discarded as Ebola patients, treated symptomatically for their ailments and discharged following recovery. A total of 43 people have been discharged from the isolation facility including one confirmed case. With the support of the psychosocial team, these 43 people have been counselled prior to discharge and reintegrated into the community. Even for the people who were negative for Ebola, psychosocial counselling of the communities to which they are returning, has been very important. It has allayed fears and reduced stigma, enabling them to be accepted back in the community.
All contacts of probable and confirmed cases are followed up daily for 21 days and are monitored for any possible signs or symptoms of illness. All alerts of suspected cases in the other districts have been investigated and are negative for Ebola.
In Kibaale district, the MoH is working in close coordination with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in clinical management of suspected and confirmed cases.
Social mobilization teams comprising Red Cross volunteers and village health teams have reached most of the villages and households in the most affected sub-counties in Kibaale district. These activities are reinforced by the distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials, and by the broadcast of health awareness messages on radio and by film vans.

Neighbouring countries

Countries sharing borders with Uganda are taking steps to enhance surveillance for Ebola; at the time of this update, none of them have reported any confirmed cases.
WHO does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions are applied to Uganda.

Thursday 26 July 2012

contradictions for yellow fever vaccination.


You must not be given Stamaril if you or your child:
• are allergic (hypersensitive) to eggs, chicken proteins or any of the ingredients of Stamaril
• have experienced a serious reaction after a previous dose of any yellow fever vaccine
• have a poor or weakened immune system for any reason such as illness or medical treatments (for example corticoids or chemotherapy)
• have a weakened immune system due to HIV infection. Your doctor will advise you if you can still have Stamaril based on the results of your blood tests.
• are infected with HIV and have active symptoms due to the infection
• have a history of problems with your thymus gland or have had your thymus gland removed for any reason.
• have an illness with a high temperature or acute infection. The vaccination will be postponed until you have recovered
• are less than 6 months old.

FAKE YELLOW FEVER CARDS


On March 2 this year, 125 Nigerians on Arik Airlines plane to Johannesburg were denied entry and deported by the South African port health authority. The authority had concerns about the validity of the yellow fever vaccination cards, which the passengers had as proof of having been vaccinated against yellow fever. Nigeria reciprocated by deporting more than 60 South Africans; thus a diplomatic feud ensued until South Africa apologised.
Yellow fever, which is a viral haemorrhagic fever,  is endemic in West Africa since 50 per cent of the population is not vaccinated. And Nigeria, according to a WHO report, is at risk of yellow fever outbreak while South Africa is not. 
Tony, who works at one of the airlines’ stalls at the international airport said: “Yes, the fake cards were being sold freely before the disagreement between South Africa and Nigeria, but now things are a little different. I would even advise you to get vaccinated. It would help you and it is cheaper; it is just N500. People buy the fake cards because they want to get it for someone else or they don’t want to be injected.”
A visit by The Nation to the Port Health Services at MMIA ascertained the persistence of the fake cards. The Chief Nursing Officer, who did not acquiesce to the publication of her name in print, said, “The fake yellow fever cards, which had been seized by the port authority from passengers, still bear 1969 as the year of inception of issuance. Whereas it has been reviewed; now the new original ones bear 2005.
She described the incorrect vaccine batch numbers that were filled in the counterfeit cards. These, particularly, were the features the South African port health authority said they found unrecognisable and unacceptable. She said of intending passengers interested in fake cards, “These people claim they are healthy. They say, ‘I don’t have malaria; I don’t have fever.’ They don’t know yellow fever is a disease on its own and the vaccine prevents it. Yellow fever has the tendency to perforate any organ. It can kill a lot of people within 72 hours.”
Known symptoms of yellow fever are jaundice (yellowness of the skin and membranes), congestion of the face, widespread haemorrhage, nausea, and vomiting of blood. According to Wikipedia, every year, 30,000 deaths out of 200,000 cases of yellow fever occur in endemic areas. 
The Chief Nursing Officer, who is also a community health expert said: “The essence of vaccination is to prevent trans-boundary communication of the disease. We shouldn’t let citizens of this country infect citizens of another country, and vice-versa.” 
It should be noted that danger associated with the international transmission of yellow fever is the high mortality that accompanies the infection of population that has not been infected (non-endemic areas), while natives in endemic areas are relatively protected by acquired immunity. 
On the status of the relationship of the Port Health Services with South Africa, the Chief Nursing Officer said, “South Africa does not accept vaccination cards from any other health facility, be it University of Benin Teaching Hospital or University College Hospital. They only accept those of Port Health Services. Also, there is a secret way we fill the original cards, and this is only known by us and the port health officers in South Africa.” She, however, did not say if any secret arrangements had been made with other countries to ensure authenticity of the cards. 
She lamented the plight and ignorance of those who were deported in the past for possessing fake cards, 
“A woman and her daughter had purchased the fake cards at N2,500 per card, only to be sent back to Nigeria. Deportees had bought the fake cards because of sheer ignorance, and because Nigerians just like short-cut to everything. These people don’t know that the yellow-fever vaccine should be administered 10 days before travelling, because it is by this time the traveller would be immunised. Also, some travel agents had also helped prospective travellers acquire fake yellow fever vaccination cards.”
A prospective traveller on the queue at the departure section of MMIA, who refused to be named, showed his yellow fever vaccination card. It was worn out and did not have the real stamp of the Port Health Services; it only had the Nigerian Coat of Arms imprint. “I have been using this card for a while. My agent procured it for me. It cost N1000. I wasn’t given any injection; In Nigeria, we don’t do that jare.” 
When asked if she would attribute the sale of fake cards to laxity in the manner the Port Health Services officers discharge their duty, the Chief Nursing Officer said: “We had the vaccines, but travellers did not come. Even though it was just N500 and we administered the vaccine to them, they would rather buy the expensive fake ones without being vaccinated. However, after the South Africa problem, a lot of people have been coming here to get vaccinated. We also have a 24-hour operational clinic at the airport where people can be vaccinated.” 
This reporter saw would-be passengers being vaccinated at the MMIA clinic. When a nurse was asked if the yellow fever vaccination cards could be obtained without vaccination or for someone else, she said, “No.”
On the implementation of plans by the Federal Government to curb the peddling of the fake cards, the Chief Nursing Officer said: “Directives have been given to the Nigerian Air Force and State Secret Service to arrest those printing and selling the cards. The Federal Government has said it would commission the Central Bank of Nigeria to formulate and print new cards so that they will not be easily copied.” 
The yellow fever vaccination card, also known as International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, had been used to certify vaccinations against yellow fever, cholera and small pox for long. It could also be used to certify other vaccinations that individual countries may require before entry is permitted. 
After the certificate was revised in 2005, only yellow fever vaccination remained mandatory. In 1973, Cholera vaccine was stopped, while WHO declared on May 8, 1980 the eradication of small pox vaccination. Immunisation against yellow fever lasts for 10 years. 

Sunday 15 July 2012

LAST OUTBREAK OF YELLOW FEVER


Yellow fever in Cameroon

 In December 2011, the Ministry of Health of Cameroon notified WHO of a yellow fever outbreak in the North Region of the country.
A total of 23 cases, including 7 deaths, have been reported to have occurred since October 2011 in Guider, Bibemi, Gaschiga, Lagdo, Mayo Oulo and Golombe districts. These cases were identified as part of the surveillance system, with fever and jaundice within the 14 days of onset.
At least 13 cases from six health districts were laboratory confirmed at the Institute Pasteur of Cameroon by IgM ELISA test, which was followed by the seroneutralizing test (PRNT), the most specific test for yellow fever, and by differential diagnostic for dengue and West Nile Virus conducted in the WHO regional reference laboratory for yellow fever, the Institute Pasteur of Dakar, Senegal.
WHO country office has been working with the government/health authorities in the outbreak field investigation to confirm the cases and assess the extent of the outbreak.
GAVI Alliance, UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the International Coordinating Group on Yellow Fever Vaccine Provision (YF-ICG) are supporting a reactive mass vaccination campaign which aims to cover over 1.2 million people in 8 health districts considered at high risk, namely Guider, Bibemi, Gaschiga, Lagdo, Mayo Oulo, Garoua I Garoua II, and Golombe.
The vaccination campaign began on 23 January 2012, covering these 8 health districts which were not covered in the 2009 preventive mass vaccination campaign because they have no history of yellow fever outbreak or yellow fever virus circulation.

Saturday 14 July 2012

STOP OVER FLIGHT

I am flying to Morocco .It does not require Yellow fever certificate. But the flight will stop at an airport with yellow fever recommendation .Do I  still need to take yellow fever vaccination ?
Arriving at Morocco will not require YELLOW FEVER CERTIFICATE. But coming back to India ,it will be required at airport.

Tuesday 10 July 2012

What happens If I travel without a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate?

You may not be allowed to board the flight if the destination country requires a yellow fever certificate or you may be held back at airport in QUARANTINE. If you think you think you cannot take the vaccine due to some valid reason ( pregnancy/egg allergy/medication /HIV ) consult your physician for exemption certificate.

Sunday 8 July 2012

can i drink after after yellow fever vaccination ?

There is no correlation between alcohol intake and yellow fever vaccination. Take usual precautions and PLEASE DON'T MIX DRINKING AND DRIVING.

Saturday 7 July 2012

Avian influenza – situation in Indonesia – update


 The Ministry of Health of Indonesia has notified WHO of a new case of a human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus.
The case is an 8 year-old female from the province of West Java. She developed fever on 18 June 2012 and then travelled on vacation the following day to Singapore, where she saw a private physician who diagnosed pharyngitis on 20 June. The case returned to Jakarta on 24 June and was still feeling unwell with coughing, decreased appetite and vomiting. Her family took her for treatment to the local hospital. Her condition deteriorated and she was transferred to intensive care, but died on 3 July. Infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus was confirmed by the National Institute of Health Research and Development (NIHRD), Ministry of Health.
Epidemiological investigation has been conducted in the case’s neighborhood and nearby market, which revealed that the case had contact with poultry when she went to a market with her father to buy live chickens. She was present when the chicken was culled in the designated part of the market.
The Ministry of Health in Singapore has been informed about the case under the International Health Regulations.
To date, the total number of human influenza A(H5N1) cases in Indonesia is now 190 with 158 fatalities.