internationalsos.com - Press releases

Suicide Bombing in Israel, Suspected Avian Flu in Indonesia

05 December 2005

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 - December 5 - Suicide Bomb Kills Five in Netanya
A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated his explosives near the Sharon shopping mall in Netanya this morning, killing five people and wounding approximately forty others. Both the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade and the Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, with the latter releasing the name of the bomber. Reports indicate that the bomber failed to gain entry to the shopping mall due to the actions of security guards and the police. There is likely to be an increase in security levels throughout Israel following this attack.

International SOS advises its members to defer non-essential travel to Israel and avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip and West Bank. For members wishing to travel to the region, we recommended contacting International SOS security for individualized risk assessment and planning before departure.

India - December 5 - Evacuations in Chennai due to Heavy Flooding
Heavy flooding in the southern Indian city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu state triggered the evacuation of more than 500,000 people. Floodwaters also affected the passenger lounge and parts of the runway of Chennai's domestic airport. A few flights from Calcutta and Madurai were diverted to Bangalore over the weekend due to floodwaters on the runway. Army troops have been deployed to Chennai for rescue operations.

Torrential rains brought about by a tropical storm caused reservoirs and waterways including the two main rivers, Cooum and Adyar, to overflow, causing heavy flooding in nearby areas such as K.K. Nagar, Chromepete, Valsaravakkam and Jasserkhanpet, Adyar, Guindy, and Saidepet. Some areas in the city outskirts were inundated with three to four feet of floodwaters.

International SOS members are advised to review travel plans to Chennai and coastal Tamil Nadu due to adverse local conditions. If travel must proceed, travel delays and disruptions should be expected.

Venezuela - December 5 - Pro-government Parties Believed to have Secured Landslide Victory in Elections
Parties loyal to President Hugo Chavez are believed to have swept yesterday's legislative elections after facing little opposition following a boycott by several contenders last week. If this is confirmed, Chavez supporters will likely secure the two-thirds majority necessary to exercise control over the legislative agenda. Official results are expected later today.
 
Chavez loyalists blamed opposition members for carrying out separate attacks ahead of the vote. A homemade bomb exploded outside a government office in Caracas on Friday injuring two people. Two grenades later exploded outside the Fuerte Tiuna military base injuring a police officer. On Saturday, an oil pipeline in the Zulia state was also sabotaged.
Opposition groups will likely continue to challenge the legitimacy of these elections. Further attacks on government, military and local oil interests cannot be discounted.
 
International SOS advises its members that travel to Venezuela may proceed. Foreign visitors face no specific risk at this time, but are urged to maintain a low profile and closely monitor the current situation. All protests and demonstrations should be avoided, even those that appear to be peaceful. If members are caught up in a protest, they should immediately move from the area to a safe location, such as a police station or international hotel.

Indonesia - December 5 - Baby becomes Another Suspected Bird Flu Case
Local reports indicate that an 8-month-old baby from Jakarta has tested positive for avian influenza, though the infection has not been confirmed by the World Health Organization. Doctors speculate that the child may have caught the disease from an infected pigeon. He is isolated in a Jakarta hospital where six other possible bird flu patients are being tested.

Avian influenza A/H5N1 has caused outbreaks in poultry in an increasing number of countries. Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Romania, Indonesia and China all reported outbreaks in November 2005. The information available to date indicates that the avian influenza virus has not yet acquired the ability to pass easily from person to person. 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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