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Health Advice for Travellers
Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine

 

Health Advice for Travellers
Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine

 

Health Advice for Travellers
Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine

Our Porpose

Our Purpose

Healthy and safe travel – our main aim is that you can enjoy your trip in good health and that it becomes an unforgettable experience! We are at your assistance, whether with information for optimal travel preparation, vaccination recommendations, maps, tips in case of illness and much more! All information can be compiled and saved individually. The site is under construction and will be continuously expanded with additional content and updates.

Before Travel

Have you taken all the necessary vaccinations? Is your first-aid kit complete? Do you have suitable travel health insurance including repatriation insurance? Here you will find all the important information you need for optimal travel preparation!



During Travel

To make your trip unforgettable and outstandingly memorable: here you will find useful tips, be it on how to avoid travellers’ diarrhoea, how to cope with animals, sun and heat, or what to do in case of fever and much more!



After Travel

Pay attention to your body’s signals even after returning home and check here when a medical assessment is necessary.



Latest News

Get informed about the latest travel medicine news in your destination

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Thailand: Fatal cases due to methanol poising in Bangkok

At least 6 people have died and more have been hospitalized in intensive care unit due to methanol intoxication after consumption of punched alcohol. According to the police in Bangkok, samples of homemade liquor from the 18 stalls contained hazardous levels of methanol.

30 August 2024

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India: Suspected Nipah cases in Kerala state

Two suspected Nipah cases have been reported from the state of Kerala. The case are hospitalized and isolated. Investigations are ongoing.The Nipah virus (NiV) is a viral disease that can cause a severe clinical picture. It was first detected in 1999 during an outbreak in Malaysia and Singapore. Since then, several outbreaks have been reported in South and Southeast Asia.NiV is most commonly transmitted via fruit bats through direct or indirect contact with their faeces. Tree fruit or sap made from it that is contaminated with bat faeces is often considered a source of infection. Human-to-human transmission has been reported when caring for infected patients. In addition, pigs can also be infected. The disease spectrum ranges from (mostly) asymptomatic courses to flu-like symptoms with high fever, headache and muscle pain to encephalitis with severe neurological or other complications. Mortality is high (40-70%).

30 August 2024

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India: Sharp increase of Japanese encephalitis cases in Assam

In June and July 2024, 424 Japanese encephalitis patients were reported in Assam stat. the majority of cases was reported in July (376 cases) which marks a sharp increase in cases.

30 August 2024

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Cuba: Ongoing oropouche virus outbreak with cases in travellers

The oropouche virus outbreak in Cuba is still ongoing and the detection of cases in returning travelers continuous.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on 27 Aug 2024 the detection of 21 cases of oropouche fever in people who returned from Cuba, 3 of whom required hospitalization. These cases were recorded up to 16 Aug 2024, and most of those affected presented symptoms between May and July 2024. Canary islands: In August three cases of oropouche virus infection have been confirmed on Canary islands among travelers returning from Cuba. According to WHO, as of 20 July 2024, a total of 8’078 confirmed oropouche cases, including two deaths, have been reported in the Region of the Americas, across five countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, and Peru.   Oropouche fever is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquito bites. The virus is found in several regions of the Americas, particularly in Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, French Guiana, Panama, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.The clinical picture includes dengue-like symptoms with sudden onset of high fever, headache, myalgia, skin rash, joint pain and vomiting. The disease usually lasts 3-6 days. A short-term recurrence of symptoms can occur in up to 60% of cases. Rare complications include inflammation of the brain. In 2024, a small number of cases of transmission from mother to unborn child (vertical transmission) were reported for the first time.

30 August 2024

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D.R.Congo: Hemorrhagic fever cases, Ebola?

Seven suspected Ebola cases have been reported in Bas-Uèle province that is located in the north-central of D.R. Congo. Of the seven cases, five have died. Samples from three of the suspect cases tested negative for the Ebola Zaire strain by RT-PCR. However, the samples taken were all of minimal quality.

16 August 2024

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Philippines: Leptospirosis outbreak after flooding

Following the massive flooding at the end of July, the number of leptospirosis cases is rising at an alarming rates. The Philippine Department of Health on Saturday ordered all hospitals in the capital to ‘activate’ their leptospirosis capacity plan.

16 August 2024

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France: Locally acquired dengue cases - update

On 8 August 2024, three additional autochthonous cases of dengue have been reported in the Pyrénées, Orientales, Lozère and Gard departments.On 2 August 2024, an autochthonous case of dengue in a person living in La Colle-sur-Loup, Alpes-Maritimes department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. This is the first locally acquired dengue case in the region in 2024. Recently, a second case was reported from the same region. Overall, France has reported six locally acquired dengue cases in 2024.

16 August 2024

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WHO Director-General declares mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros has determined that the upsurge of mpox (formerly monkeypox) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR). The PHEIC will help to take further coordinated international action to support countries in combating disease outbreaks.This PHEIC determination is the second in two years relating to mpox. Mpox was first detected in humans in 1970, in the DRC. The viral disease is caused by the Monkeypox virus (MPXV), which is present in the wildlife (in certain small mammals) and the disease is considered endemic in countries in central and west Africa. In July 2022, the multi-country outbreak of mpox was declared a PHEIC after an outbreak occurred in Europe and spread rapidly via sexual contact across a range of countries where the virus had not been seen before. That PHEIC was declared over in May 2023 after there had been a sustained decline in global cases.Since November 2023, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has seen a significant increase in mpox cases and the emergence of a new mpox clade I. The country has reported over 16’000 new cases and more than 500 deaths in 2024.  Mpox outbreaks are caused by different clades, clades 1 and 2. Historically, clade 1 has been associated with a higher percentage of people with mpox developing severe illness or dying, compared to clade 2. The clades are now subdivided into clade 1a, 1b and clade 2a, 2b. Clade 1a is the clade endemic in DRC and other central and East African countries (e.g. the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo) for decades, it affects mostly children and is spreading through multiple mode of transmission (including animal-to human transmission, close nonsexual contact, sexual contact). Clade 1b, identified since September 2023, is currently causing the outbreak in eastern DRC and neighboring countries (Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda; and more recently in a returning traveler from Burundi to Sweden), it affects mostly adults of both sex and is spreading predominantly through intimal contact (sexual networks). Nonsexual transmission is also happening to a lesser extent. At present, there is no evidence that it is more transmissible or more severe than the clade 1a. Clade 2a is endemic in various countries of West Africa for decades with low incidence and is spreading through multiple modes of transmission like clade 1a. Clade 2b is the clade at the origin of the 2022/2023 global outbreak (116 countries), it affects mostly men (>96%) and is spreading primarily through sexual contact (particularly men having sex with men). It is still ongoing and could affect people with risk factors in all countries around the world, including African countries. Details to Mpox, see LINKs of Swiss FOPH, Robert Koch-Institute Germany, ECDC, CDC.  Countries where mpox virus clade I and/or clade II have been detected:

16 August 2024

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Switzerland: Swissmedic authorized the dengue vaccine Qdenga®

At the end of July 2024, Swissmedic authorised the Qdenga vaccine from manufacturer Takeda Pharma AG. The vaccine is licensed for people aged four and over.The Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine (ECTM) assessed the published and unpublished data for the Qdenga® vaccine. In line with the recommendation of WHO and other European countries, the Swiss ECTM issues the following recommendation:Vaccination with Qdenga® can be recommended for travellers from 6 years old and older who have evidence of previous dengue infection and who will be exposed in a region with significant dengue transmission. Vaccination against dengue fever virus with Qdenga® in persons with no evidence of previous dengue fever infection is not recommended. Previous dengue infection is defined as i) a laboratory confirmed dengue infection (PCR, antigen or seroconversion) or ii) a compatible history of dengue infection with a positive IgG serological test.This is a precautionary decision, since the current data also include the possibility that people who are vaccinated with Qdenga® before a first dengue infection may experience a more severe course of the disease when infected after vaccination. A consultation with a specialist in tropical and travel medicine is recommended.Travel medicine advisors should provide concise communication in accessible language on the complexity and risk/benefit evaluation for the use of dengue vaccines in travellers.

09 August 2024

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Tunisia: Alarming rise in rabies cases

Within the first half of the year 2024 six people have died due to rabies and more than 200 animals had tested positive for rabies.

09 August 2024

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Brazil, Cuba: Increasing numbers of Oropouche virus infections among returning European travellers

In June and July 2024, 19 imported cases of Oropouche virus (OROV) disease were reported for the first time in EU countries: Spain (12), Italy (5), and Germany (2), eighteen of the cases had a travel history to Cuba and one to Brazil.  The principal vector of OROV (Culicoides paraensis midge) is widely distributed across the Americas, but absent in Europe. To date, there has been a lack of evidence as to whether European midges or mosquitoes could transmit the virus. To date, no secondary transmission has ever been reported. Therefore, the risk of locally acquired OROV disease in the EU/EEA is low.

09 August 2024

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Thailand: Cases of leptospirosis in returning travellers

Within one week, two cases of leptospirosis were diagnosed in Switzerland among travelers who did river boat trips in Southern parts of Thailand.

09 August 2024

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France: Autochthonous case of chikungunya in Île-deFrance and autochthonous dengue case in Alpes Maritimes

On 31 July 2024, France reported a confirmed, autochthonous case of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) disease in Île-de-France with suspected exposure in Paris (Paris Department) and Gennevilliers (Hauts-de-Seine Department). The case had the onset of symptoms on 18 July 2024. Since 1 May and as of 30 July 2024, nine imported chikungunya cases have been reported in France.On 2 August 2024, the Alpes-Maritimes department reported its first locally acquired case of dengue in France for the 2024 season.

09 August 2024

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Updates

Find out about the latest content updates on the website

Nicaragua and Paraguay – Adjustment of the yellow fever entry requirement

The yellow fever entry requirement has been updated on the country page of Nicaragua and Paraguay.

5 April 2022

Egypt – Adjustment of the polio entry requirement

The polio entry requirement has been updated on the country page of Egypt.

5 April 2022

Poliomyelitis – Adjustment of countries with temporary WHO vaccination recommendations

The WHO recommendation to prevent the international spread of poliomyelitis has been updated on the country pages.

22 March 2022

Dominican Republic – Adjustment of the yellow fever entry requirement

The yellow fever entry requirement has been updated on the country page of the Dominican Republic.

2 February 2022

Malaria –  Update 2021

The Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine adapted the malaria risk areas. You will find the updated recommendations for malaria prevention on the country pages.

1 July 2021