internationalsos.com - Press releases
Gunfire exchange in Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Hepatitis A outbreak in Bulgaria29 September 2006Phiadephia
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.
Nigeria - September 27 - Firefight Near Expatriate Compound in Port Harcourt A 20-minute exchange of gunfire took place between Nigerian Mobile Police (MOPOL) and a group of armed men outside an expatriate residential and business compound in Port Harcourt. According to sources, the MOPOL managed to repel the attack, which was thought to be a failed armed robbery attempt. There have been no immediate reports of injuries or on the exact cause of the incident. Nigerian military personnel have been dispatched to the compound to increase security in case there is follow up action by the assailants, which are unknown at this point. The Niger Delta region, and Port Harcourt in particular, has seen an increase in armed incidents over the past 12 months involving militant groups and criminal gangs. It is assessed that this rising trend is more criminally than politically or ethnically motivated. The International SOS security risk rating for the Niger Delta will remain HIGH for the foreseeable future and the security environment will continue to be fluid. There is an outbreak of hepatitis A in Bulgaria's second-largest city, Plovdiv. Over the month of September, 300 new cases were reported, bringing the total number of patients up to nearly 1,000. The outbreak began among Roma communities in the Sheker Mahala and Stolipinovo areas of the city. It has since spread to the general population. A vaccination program is being planned. Hepatitis A can be spread person-to-person as well as through contaminated food and water. Symptoms include jaundice, fever, chills, fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Many infected people, especially children, suffer only a mild flu-like illness. Severe cases can occur among the very young or people over 50, and life-threatening liver failure can result. Hepatitis A does not cause ongoing illness. Most infected people recover fully. An effective vaccination against hepatitis A exists. Travelers heading to Bulgaria, especially the Plovdiv area, should:
For more information, please contact any International SOS Alarm Center. Thailand - September 26, 2004 - Thailand Reports another Human Case of Avian Flu A 59-year-old man who died on August 10 is Thailand's latest victim of avian flu. There is no information available as to why confirmation has been delayed. The man was from Nong Bua Lam Phu province in northeastern Thailand and had contact with sick birds. This is Thailand's third human case in 2006, and all three have been fatal. The virus killed a 17-year-old man from Phichit province in July and a 27-year-old man from the province of Uthai Thani in August. In total, Thailand has reported 25 human cases and 17 deaths from avian flu since 2003. The latest outbreak among poultry was confirmed in Nakhon Phanom province in July 2006. 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 Members |
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