Travel Health News

Monthly travel health news about disease outbreaks around the world, from our Lead Nurse JO THOMPSON.

Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) Equatorial Guinea:

• There have been no new cases of the Marburg Virus reported in Equatorial Guinea since the 20th April 2023.
• Since the beginning of the outbreak, the total number of cases are 40 with 35 deaths. If there are no further cases, the outbreak will be declared over on the 1st June 2023, 42 days after the last confirmed case left hospital (Fit for Travel).
• The host of the Marburg Virus, the fruit bat, is widely distributed across the African continent. MVD is a severe, often fatal haemorrhagic fever, which is clinically almost indistinguishable from Ebola Virus Disease.
• The risk to travellers becoming infected or developing Marburg Virus Disease is extremely low.
• If you plan to travel to Equatorial Guinea, follow enhanced general hygiene precautions to reduce your risk of infection: regularly wash hands, avoid visiting mines or bat caves, avoid contact with symptomatic patients, or corpses or any bodily fluids from them, avoid handling, cooking, or eating wild bush meat.
• Travellers returning from a Marburg outbreak area should seek rapid medical attention by contacting NHS 111 (if in the UK) for advice prior to attending a medical facility if they develop a fever within 21 days of returning from an outbreak area or had contact with an individual infected with Viral Haemorrhagic Fever. More information here. (Travax)

Measles in Europe:

• The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports on the continuing transmission of Measles in European countries. There have been a reported 1030 Measles cases so far this year. (Fit for Travel)
• Measles is a highly infectious disease spread through sneezing, coughing or direct contact with respiratory fluids. It causes a rash, high temperature (fever) and muscle aches and can have serious complications. 
• Travelling abroad may increase your risk of Measles. Your risk of exposure may be higher when visiting friends and relatives and/or mixing with the local population during your trip.
• Two doses of Measles vaccine (given as part of the Mumps, Measles & Rubella (MMR) in the UK) are needed in your lifetime to fully protect you. If you have previously been infected with Measles, this also provides you with lifelong immunity against the disease. 
• Please check that you have had 2 doses of the MMR vaccination before travel.
• More information on Measles. (Fit for Travel)

Information from Travel Health Pro, World Health Organisation, Travax, Fit for Travel and ReliefWeb