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Suicide Bomber Kills Nine in Tel Aviv; 4th Death from Avian Flu in Egypt

17 April 2006

Philadelphia

International SOS, the world's leading provider of medical and security assistance services, international healthcare, and outsourced customer care, offers travel alerts to members traveling overseas to warn them of security risks or medical problems they may encounter at their destinations or en route. The following is a sample of locations that may represent current security and medical risks for global travelers.

Israel - April 17, 2006 - Suicide Bomb Attack in Tel Aviv
A suicide bomber detonated his explosives on a busy street near an old bus station in the Neve Shaanan area of Tel Aviv today, killing at least nine people and wounding approximately 30 others. The Tel Aviv bus station has been a previous target of attacks by Palestinian militants, the last one occurring on January 19, 2006.

Two Palestinian militant groups, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and Islamic Jihad, have reportedly both claimed responsibility, although Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has condemned the attack.

The attack occurred during the festival of Passover, an Israeli holiday, and while acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was in the process of forming a coalition government. In the three weeks since the Islamic militant group Hamas took control of the Palestinian government, diplomatic relations between the two sides have officially ended and there has been an increase in operations by Palestinian militants and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).

International SOS advises its members to minimize exposure at transport hubs and in public venues likely to be the subject of suicide bomb attacks such as cafes, shopping malls and open public spaces. International SOS advises against all non-essential travel to the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

India - April 17, 2006 - Dengue Fever and Chikungunya Outbreak
An outbreak of chikungunya with interspersed cases of dengue fever has been reported in several Indian states. Affected areas include Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, which are on the southeast coast, and Malegaon town in the central state of Maharashtra. At least 29 villages of Nasik district, also in Maharashtra, have been reported as well. The districts of Anantapur, Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor, Nalgonda, Prakasam and Guntur have confirmed cases, as does Hyderabad City.

In all, over 31,000 cases have been reported from 209 villages since December 2005. The symptoms of dengue and chikungunya can be similar. Both are spread by mosquitoes.

Chikungunya is a viral disease with an incubation time of four to seven days. The first symptom is usually a sudden fever that lasts two to five days. Severe joint, headache, and rash are common symptoms. There is no cure for the disease; patients are usually instructed to rest. The disease is not fatal, though recovery takes several weeks during which the patient is intensely tired and has difficulty concentrating.

Dengue or "break-bone" fever is also a viral disease. Symptoms of the disease include high fever, severe headache, cough, and joint and muscle pain. A rash often follows these symptoms. The acute illness can last up to ten days, and complete recovery can take two to four weeks. Occasionally, a potentially fatal form of the disease called dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) occurs.

As there is no vaccine for either disease, preventing mosquito bites is the only way to prevent dengue fever and chikungunya. Please contact International SOS to learn more about prevention.

Egypt - April 13, 2006 - Fourth Death reported from Avian Flu
The state news agency MENA reported that an 18-year-old woman recently reported sick in the Ashmoun area of Monoufiya governorate has died. She had been on an artificial respirator since she was hospitalized on Monday. All four of Egypt's fatal cases have occurred in young women, who are often tasked with poultry-related chores in Egyptian households.

Avian influenza A/H5N1 has caused outbreaks in poultry in an increasing number of countries. At least 22 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa have reported their first cases among birds since the beginning of 2006. For further information, see the International SOS Pandemic Preparedness Website. There, you can access the latest news, detailed information on flu-affected countries and pandemic preparedness planning information.

Medical and Security Alerts
International SOS alerts are compiled through numerous resources including physicians and security experts on the ground in 48 countries, and individuals coordinating information from a broad range of resources, including the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and the US State Department.

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