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Threat of Renewed Anti-Shinawatra Protests in Thailand; Possible Slight Mutation in H5N1 Virus

29 June 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.

Thailand - June 27, 2006 - Alliance Warns of Renewed Anti-Shinawatra Protests
A loose alliance of civil society groups has warned of further protest actions against Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, if his government interferes with the Constitution Court's deliberations on disbanding the Thai Rak Thai (TRT).

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which led a series of large protest actions in Bangkok from January to March of this year, indicated that it would allow the Constitution Court to proceed with scheduled deliberations on the TRT in July. However, PAD will revive mass protests in Bangkok if there are indications of external interference. The protests launched by PAD were large, involving tens of thousands of protestors. They were the largest protests in Bangkok since the early 1990’s. They were severely disruptive although they were generally peaceful.

The Constitution Court is scheduled to deliberate on whether or not the TRT should be disbanded for paying off smaller parties to contest the April 2 elections and therefore, ensuring its victory.

International SOS advises its members that travel to Thailand can proceed. Foreigners are advised to avoid travel to the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala. Only essential business travel is advised to Songkhla. For more information on the situation in Thailand, please contact the International SOS security center in Singapore.

United States - June 27, 2006 - Measles cases in Boston, Massachusetts
Fifteen cases of measles have been reported in Boston since May 5. All patients are between 25 and 45 years old. Most were unvaccinated, and all are recovering from the illness.

Of the 15 cases, three live in Boston and the other 12 work in the city but live elsewhere. Several patients are employed at one of three well-known office towers in Boston: One Federal Street, a 38-floor high-rise in the financial district; One Lincoln Street, another high-rise in the financial district; and the John Hancock Tower, a 60-story building located at 200 Clarendon Street. Cases have also occurred elsewhere, indicating that the outbreak has spread beyond these three locations.

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) is working with the healthcare and business community to investigate suspected cases. Health departments are also working to track persons who may have had contact with the measles patients. The BPHC has asked all medical providers to report any suspected cases, and to ensure that their staff and patients are up-to-date with their vaccinations.

Boston had not reported any measles cases since 1999, when two people contracted the disease. The last outbreak in Boston occurred in 1989, when 21 infections were reported. International SOS advises that individuals who suspect they may have measles call their healthcare provider for advice. Workers in buildings where measles have been found should have their measles immunity checked. Those who cannot prove they are immune should not to return to the workplace until they can prove immunity, or the quarantine period has expired.

Indonesia - June 23, 2006- Slight Mutation in H5N1 Virus may have occurred in Sumatran cluster
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that avian flu did pass from person to person in the family cluster that occurred in north Sumatra last month. All of those infected had close contact with each other, and none of their neighbors or other relatives has since become ill. WHO also said that there is evidence that the virus mutated in Indonesia, though they quickly point out the mild mutation is not enough to make the disease pass easily among humans. Flu viruses change constantly.

This is not the first instance of human-to-human spread of H5N1. WHO estimates that about six cases of person-to-person infection with avian flu have occurred worldwide, mostly when a relative or caregiver became ill after helping someone who got infected by a bird. However, in the recent Sumatra cluster, a boy got sick from his aunt and then infected his father. This is the first time the disease has spread from a bird to human 1 (aunt) to human 2 (son) to human 3 (father). Experts believe past human infection chains stopped earlier than that, only spreading from bird to human 1 to human 2.

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.

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