Health Alerts for Argentina

INFLUENZA Worldwide
Apr. '18 – According to the CDC, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for all people 6-months of age and older. Globally, influenza activity is low in most regions. In North America, influenza activity continues to decrease. In Europe, influenza activity continues to decrease in most countries. In northern Africa and the Middle East, influenza activity continues to decrease or remained low in most countries; however activity remained high in Jordan and Turkey. In the temperate countries of Asia, influenza activity continued to decrease, but continues to remain high in the Republic of Korea. In tropical countries of the Americas, influenza activity remains low in most countries. In tropical Asia, influenza activity began to decline in India but continued to decrease in southern China and Hong Kong SAR. In tropical Africa, influenza activity increased in western Africa, however Madagascar reported declining influenza activity. Lastly, in the southern hemisphere influenza activity remains at inter-seasonal levels.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.

YELLOW FEVER in Argentina
Apr. '18 - Case numbers for yellow fever are thought to be greatly under-reported; the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are approximately 200,000 cases of yellow fever worldwide per year, with 30,000 deaths; 90% of these cases occur in Africa. According to WHO, yellow fever is endemic in tropical areas of Africa and Latin America. WHO also notes, the number of yellow fever cases has increased over the past two decades due to declining population immunity to infection, deforestation, urbanization, population movements and climate change.
In early 2017, the Brazilian Ministry of Health reported outbreaks of yellow fever in several eastern states, including areas where yellow fever was not traditionally considered to be a risk. Although virus spread decreased by mid-2017, yellow fever cases have reappeared in several states since the end of 2017, especially in São Paulo State, including areas close to the city of São Paulo. In early 2018, the GeoSentinel Surveillance System reported a case of yellow fever in an unvaccinated Dutch traveler who had stayed near the São Paulo metropolitan region.
In Nigeria, the local Centre for Disease Control has reported an ongoing outbreak of yellow fever that began in September 2017. Laboratory-confirmed yellow fever cases have been reported in at least seven states, and a number of people have died.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.

DENGUE FEVER in Argentina
Apr. '18 - Dengue Fever cases have been on the rise worldwide. According to WHO, incidence of dengue has increased 30 fold in the past 50 years. WHO estimates over 2.5 billion people are now at risk of dengue and there are about 50-100 million dengue infections worldwide every year. According to the CDC, dengue fever is the most common cause of fever in travelers who return from South Central Asia, Central America and the Caribbean.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.

MEASLES Worldwide
Apr. '18 - Health officials in Italy, the Ukraine, New Zealand, Romania, Indonesia, England, Greece and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have reported an outbreak of measles. You can get measles primarily by breathing in airborne particles that contain the virus. Symptoms of measles are rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.
The best protection against measles is through vaccination.
SOURCES: CDC

ZIKA VIRUS in Argentina
Apr. '18 - Zika fever was originally detected in Africa, however an increasing number of cases have been detected in the Americas. Brazil, Colombia, and the Caribbean have been the hardest hit so far, but the disease is spreading rapidly. On Dec. 31 2015, Puerto Rico reported its first case of the disease in a resident who had not traveled outside of the island.
Multiple cases have been detected in the United States in travelers from other regions. A few instances of local transmission are under investigation in Florida. Multiple cases of infant microcephaly have been reported in the U.S.
Specific areas where Zika virus transmission is ongoing are often difficult to determine and are likely to continue to change over time.
Zika fever is a viral illness similar to dengue fever, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis. It is spread though mosquito bites and mosquitoes carrying the virus can bite during the day and at night. Symptoms of zika fever include high temperature, headache, red eyes, skin rash, muscle aches, and joint pains.
Those traveling to the South or Central America or the Caribbean should take extra precautions in order to avoid the mosquito-borne disease including using mosquito repellents, mosquito netting and protective clothing.
Sources Include: International Society for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization.