Follow media and official reports.
Travellers are usually at low risk of contracting Ebola if you follow these precautions:
Vaccination against Ebola is not available to travelers. For humanitarian missions, it is recommended to consult a travel medicine specialist to discuss the possibilities of vaccination (available at HUG Geneva).
In case of symptoms of illness (fever >38° C, headache, diarrhea, bleeding symptoms, etc.) during travel until 21 days after being in the affected area:
Prevention: The best way to protect yourself from Oropouche is to prevent insect bites 24/7 (also against other mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, Malaria), see factsheet.
Pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant should be provided with comprehensive information during pre-travel consultation on the Oropouche virus outbreaks and the potential of miscarriage, fetal malformation or death.
In the event of increased OROV transmission (= declared as an OROV outbreak according CDC Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Oropouche), the Swiss Expert Commission for Travel Medicine recommends:
Between 1 January and 31 December 2024, a cumulative total of 151 Zika virus disease (ZVD) cases were reported from three states in India (Gujarat, Karnataka, and Maharashtra states). Maharashtra State reported a cumulative total of 140 ZVD cases through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP). Additionally, Karnataka and Gujarat states reported ten and one cases, respectively, in 2024. Underreporting is likely, given the mild to asymptomatic course of infection in most cases.
As of 31 December 2024, no cases of microcephaly and/or Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) associated with this outbreak have been reported.
Zika is endemic in India. According CDC, the transmission risk is increased in Maharashtra state. Please note that the Zika virus can also be transmitted sexually!
Prevention: Optimal mosquito protection 24/7: during the day against Zika, dengueand other arboviruses, at dusk and at night against malaria.
When travelling to areas with increased Zika transmission, as is now the case in the state of Maharashtra, India, the Swiss Expert Committee for Travel Medicine recommends using a condom/femidom during the trip and for at least 2 months after returning home to prevent possible sexual transmission of the virus.
Due to the risk of malformations in the unborn child, pregnant women are currently advised not to travel to the state of Maharashtra in India. If travelling is absolutely necessary, it is recommended that you speak to a specialist in travel medicine before departure.
Women planning to become pregnant should wait at least 2 months after their return (or that of their partner) from India before starting family planning. In the case of medically assisted reproduction, this period should be extended to at least 3 months. Please also read the Zika information sheet, especially if you are pregnant or if you or your partner are planning a pregnancy.
The Maharashtra health department has reported two suspected deathd linked to the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak, which has primarily affected Pune. More than 120 cases have been reported so far. Among those infected, 16 patients are on ventilator support, with children under 9 and elderly individuals between 50 and 80 particularly affected. Investigation are ongoing.
The first suspected case in Pune dates back to 9 January 2025 when hospital tests detected the bacterium Campylobacter jejuni in patient samples, which is known to be responsible for almost a third of GBS cases worldwide.
As of 1 February 2025, Saudi Arabia is introducing a compulsory vaccination for all travellers, including pilgrims making the Umrah or Hajj. The presentation of a vaccination certificate against meningitis (not older than 5 years for conjugate meningitis vaccines) will be required for everyone aged two and over.
Vaccination with a conjugate vaccine (Menveo®, Menquadfi®, Nimenrix®) is valid for 5 years, vaccination with a polysaccharide vaccine (Mencevax®, no longer in use in CH) is valid for 3 years .
The Ischilín department reported 14 new cases of trichinellosis in 2025.
Trichinella infections are frequently reported in Argentina. Homemade sausage foods do not usually go through regulatory sanitary controls and may be sold privately on the roads of the country.
Trichinellosis is caused by the larvae of an intestinal worm when eating insufficiently cooked meat (mainly pork, but also game and other animals such as bear). Symptoms vary widely: muscle pain, inflammation of the eyelids and eye pain, diarrhea, and fever. Cardiac and neurological complications are possible, and the disease is sometimes fatal.
The first cases of rabies in capybaras (a mammal in the guinea pig family) on the coast of São Paulo raise concerns about virus monitoring. The variant detected in Ilha Anchieta was the same one carried by common vampire bats, which probably fed on the rodents' blood at a time of habitat alteration.
Three capybaras were found dead on Ilha Anchieta, in the municipality of Ubatuba (São Paulo state), between December 2019 and January 2020. The cases occurred shortly after the works carried out on the ruins on that island in 2019, when the roof of a building was renovated and the bats temporarily lost their shelters.
Capybaras:
Petting any mammals while travelling is not a good idea, even if they are cute! Do not feed them! Refrain from touching wild or unfamiliar or dead animals, see factsheet rabies.
Vaccination against rabies (preexposure vaccination) is highly recommended for:
The shortened vaccination schedule can be proposed to most travellers: 2 doses given at least 7 days apart before departure. A single lifetime booster dose (3rd dose) is recommended after one year or later when further travelling to rabies endemic countries is undertaken. If you have an immune deficiency, please consult your doctor, as different vaccination intervals apply to you.
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