Warden Message: Burkina Faso Meningitis Epidemic
Consular Affairs Bulletins
Sub-Saharan Africa - Burkina Faso
19 Apr 2007
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U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou issued the following Warden Message on April 19:
The U.S. Embassy is issuing this Warden Message to alert you to the meningitis and Avian Influenza situations in Burkina Faso. As you may already know, this year’s cyclical meningitis outbreak has been particularly severe. According to the Ministry of Health of the Government of Burkina Faso, as of April 4, there already have been 19,549 cases of meningitis, 1,337 of which have resulted in death. These totals significantly exceed those of the last major outbreak in 1996. The World Heath Organization estimates that an average of 4,000 new cases of meningitis and 200 related deaths will occur weekly until the end of the forecast epidemic in late May.
American Citizens should confirm that their meningitis A, C, Y, and W135 inoculations are up to date. Further information on meningitis can be found on the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the CDC’s hot line for international travelers at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-877-232-4636), fax 1-888-232-3299, or via CDC’s Internet website. For information on local providers of vaccines, please contact the U.S. Embassy, consular section, at 50-30-67-23.
Although no new cases of Avian Influenza have been discovered in Burkina Faso for several months, the U.S. Embassy continues to advise Americans to avoid poultry farms and markets, avoid contact with visibly sick or dead birds and any raw poultry. You can also minimize risk by practicing safe handling procedures for all poultry products, including thoroughly cooking food and decontaminating cutting boards and kitchen utensils. Well-cooked eggs and poultry products are safe to consume (temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius kill the virus). You should also be cautious about consuming salad dressings and sauces that contain raw egg products.
Current information about avian influenza A (H5N1) and pandemic influenza can be found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/qa.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/travel
http://www.who.int
http://www.pandemicflu.gov
Consular Affairs Bulletins
Sub-Saharan Africa - Burkina Faso
19 Apr 2007
Printer Friendly Email Article
U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou issued the following Warden Message on April 19:
The U.S. Embassy is issuing this Warden Message to alert you to the meningitis and Avian Influenza situations in Burkina Faso. As you may already know, this year’s cyclical meningitis outbreak has been particularly severe. According to the Ministry of Health of the Government of Burkina Faso, as of April 4, there already have been 19,549 cases of meningitis, 1,337 of which have resulted in death. These totals significantly exceed those of the last major outbreak in 1996. The World Heath Organization estimates that an average of 4,000 new cases of meningitis and 200 related deaths will occur weekly until the end of the forecast epidemic in late May.
American Citizens should confirm that their meningitis A, C, Y, and W135 inoculations are up to date. Further information on meningitis can be found on the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the CDC’s hot line for international travelers at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-877-232-4636), fax 1-888-232-3299, or via CDC’s Internet website. For information on local providers of vaccines, please contact the U.S. Embassy, consular section, at 50-30-67-23.
Although no new cases of Avian Influenza have been discovered in Burkina Faso for several months, the U.S. Embassy continues to advise Americans to avoid poultry farms and markets, avoid contact with visibly sick or dead birds and any raw poultry. You can also minimize risk by practicing safe handling procedures for all poultry products, including thoroughly cooking food and decontaminating cutting boards and kitchen utensils. Well-cooked eggs and poultry products are safe to consume (temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius kill the virus). You should also be cautious about consuming salad dressings and sauces that contain raw egg products.
Current information about avian influenza A (H5N1) and pandemic influenza can be found at:
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/qa.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/travel
http://www.who.int
http://www.pandemicflu.gov
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