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Ceasefire in Burundi; Toxic Chemical Spill in Cote d’ Ivoire Sickens Thousands

12 September 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.

Burundi - September 11 - Ceasefire CommencesA ceasefire between Burundi’s government and the National Liberation Forces (FNL) rebel group begins today. The former rebels are to be progressively integrated into the national army, under an accord signed last week. This process is scheduled to conclude within a month. There are hopes this move will end a decade of conflict in the country and pave the way for a more stable security environment in the near future.

The South African government mediated talks between the Burundian government and the FNL in Tanzania, which were the first direct talks between the two parties since the new government was elected. Despite committing to a ceasefire in May last year with a number of other rebel groups, the FNL continued its offensive operations almost immediately. Given the FNL’s track record, the possibility that the ceasefire agreement could collapse should not be discounted.

International SOS members are advised that ceasefire agreements are frequently ignored and intense fighting can occur without warning. Targets are frequently indiscriminate. Members are urged to use caution when traveling throughout Burundi, especially in border areas. It is recommended that members monitor local media and other news sources to ensure they maintain high levels of situational awareness.

International SOS members seeking additional information on this situation should contact the 24-hour Regional Security Centers in London at +44 (0) 208 762 8008, or Paris at +33 (0) 1 5563 3155.

Cote d'Ivoire - September 10 - Toxic spill in Abidjan, Pollution-related Illness
Toxic waste in several residential areas of Abidjan has affected at least 9,000 people, six of whom died. Most affected people are complaining of relatively mild symptoms like nausea, eye and throat irritation, and headache.

The waste was unloaded from a ship called Probo Koala. The ship was chartered by Dutch-based Trafigura Beheer BV and carried gasoline into a port in Abidjan on August 19. It released 'slops' - which is cargo and tank-washing residue - that contained a mixture of gasoline, water and caustic washings.

Hundreds of people have sought medical advice. Hospitals are running low on supplies and are ill equipped to handle such an influx, and some reported queues of over 200 patients waiting for care.  According to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs, the Ivorian Anti-Pollution Center (CIAPOL) says the waste contains hydrogen sulphide and mercaptan, two chemicals with a strong smell. Residents have set up barricades in protest, some of which are blocking the path of medical and emergency vehicles and personnel. The provisional government has resigned en masse over the scandal.

International SOS advises that members consider delaying any non-essential travel to Cote d'Ivoire until more is known about the specific chemicals released and sites impacted.  Travelers in country are strongly advised to avoid travel to eastern residential areas in Abidjan, where the toxic spills are believed to have occurred.  For more information, please contact any International SOS Alarm Center. 

Indonesia - September 7, 2004 - Three Human Cases of Avian Flu in Indonesia Confirmed
The World Health Organization has recognized another three human cases of avian influenza in Indonesia. One is a 14-year-old girl who died in June 2006. Test results have only just confirmed her infection. Her blood was collected as part of routine surveillance performed among people with mild flu symptoms. She lived in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, and had been exposed to infected birds. Another was an 8-year-old girl who became ill more than a year ago, in June 2005, and died on July 14, 2005. Her father died two days earlier. He was Indonesia's first confirmed case of avian influenza H5N1. The daughter's case was listed as a "probable" case at the time because insufficient sampling was performed to confirm her infection. Since then, WHO has re-defined what it accepts as a confirmed case, and so now her case is confirmed. Although the girl's one- year-old sister died on July 1, 2005 from a similarly severe respiratory illness, the baby's case remains unconfirmed. The final confirmed case is a 45-year-old man from Central Java who was ill in November 2005 and recovered. He had direct contact with poultry. In total, Indonesia has had 63 cases of human avian flu, of which 48 have been fatal.

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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