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Chadian Governments Disputes Reports on Rebel Advance toward N’Djamena; Avian Flu reported in South Korea

28 November 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.

November 27, 2006 - Chad- Government Denies Reports on Rebel Advance toward N’Djamena

Today, Chadian Communications Minister, Hourmadji Moussa Doumgor, denied initial reports by the French embassy in Chad of a column of rebels heading for the capital N’Djamena. Doumgor added that the capital and its surrounding areas as well as its population "face no threats".

The French embassy had suggested earlier that "the presence of a large rebel column has been confirmed in the Bata region of the country, heading west," and that fighting around the capital over the next 24 hours "cannot be ruled out." But the embassy softened its warning in a separate statement later in the day, saying that the column "was no longer progressing." "The situation is normal in N’Djamena," the embassy said.

Rebels from the Union of Forces for Democracy and Development (UFDD) had last week occupied parts of Abeche, taking many prisoners in heavy fighting that killed 140 government troops and 22 rebels.  

Local sources indicate that a considerable number of Chadian troops, equipped with vehicles and heavy weapons, have been deployed in and around N’djamena today. Simultaneously, reports from Abeche indicate that the French military based in the city resumed patrols, while reconnaissance flights continued. The proliferation of rebel groups in the region has increased security concerns for humanitarian aid agencies and foreign companies. As the reported rebel advance towards the capital appears unlikely to be successful, the climate of insecurity is expected to persist in Chad in the foreseeable future. 
             
To date, rebel attacks specifically targeted government forces, and aid workers and other international personnel have been left unharmed. International SOS advises members to defer non-essential travel to Chad and against all travel to the east. For more information on the security situation in Chad, please contact the nearest International SOS alarm center.

November 26, 2006 - Sri Lanka - Chikungunya Outbreak

An epidemic of chikungunya is believed to have infected about 5,000 people in Sri Lanka. Most cases have been reported in the far north, in the Jaffna peninsula, though people have also become ill in the northwest, southern and eastern parts of the island. Cases have been diagnosed in Kalmunai, Mannar, Batticaloa, Puttalam and some parts of Colombo city. However, health officials point out that not all cases are actually chikungunya, as dengue fever is also present among the population. 

Chikungunya is a viral disease characterized by a sudden fever that lasts two to five days and is followed by severe joint pain. Headache and rash are also common symptoms.

The disease is not fatal, though recovery takes several weeks during which the patient is intensely tired and has difficulty concentrating. The associated joint pain can last for several months, and patients may be more susceptible to other diseases

Both dengue and chikungunya are spread by mosquitoes, which are breeding in the standing pools of water left by Sri Lanka's monsoon rains. Jaffna has been isolated from the rest of Sri Lanka due to civil war between the state and Tamil Tiger fighters, leading to shortages of both food and medicine in the area. 

For more information on this disease and travel in Sri Lanka, please contact your nearest International SOS alarm center.

November 27, 2006 - South Korea – Outbreak of Avian Flu reported in North Cholla Province

The outbreak of avian flu reported earlier this week in Iksan, in North Cholla province, was caused by H5N1. The disease occurred in a commercial poultry flock, which has been culled. Shipments into and out of nearby farms has been restricted, and quarantine measures are being established. More than 200 poultry farms are within 10 km of the affected one, as Iksan is a hub of South Korea's poultry industry. No cases of H5N1 have been detected in South Korea since mid-2004. No human cases are currently suspected.

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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