US Issues Advisory for Cuba Over Cholera Cases

[Pathfinder]

US Issues Advisory for Cuba Over Cholera Cases

HAVANA August 21, 2013 (AP)
By PETER ORSI Associated Press

The United States has issued an advisory for travelers to Cuba after several foreign visitors were sickened by cholera in recent weeks.
In a security message dated Tuesday, the U.S. Interests Section in Havana recommended visitors and U.S. citizens living on the island avoid untreated water, street food and under- or uncooked dishes such as ceviche.
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According to the Pan American Health Organization there have been five confirmed cholera cases "associated with a history of travel to Cuba" in July and August: an Italian, two Venezuelans and two Chileans. At least three of them visited Havana.
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Authorities last summer acknowledged a rare cholera outbreak originating in eastern Cuba after many years when it was unheard of on the island. They said at the time that the disease had run its course after afflicting 417 people and killing three.

In January the government announced 51 more nonfatal cases in the capital, but there has been no official word of new cases since then. Authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
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In the past, diplomats on the island have expressed dismay at what they called Cuba's lack of transparency on cholera statistics.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/us-issues-advisory-cuba-cholera-cases-20024461

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<!-- RSS --><!-- Module name: :: Latest Epidemiological Alerts and Updates - ID: 3954 -->PAHO

Latest Epidemiological Alerts and Updates

14 August 2013 Cholera Situation Update


Excerpt:

In [FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic][FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic]Cuba, [/FONT][/FONT]authorities maintain active and strict clinical-epidemiological surveillance of acute diarrheal diseases, studying every suspected case.

In early 2013, the National IHR Focal Point of Cuba reported that by January 14, there were 51 confirmed cases of cholera in an outbreak in Havana, related to food handling. Previously, a total of 47 cholera cases had been reported, following Hurricane Sandy, in the provinces of Camaguey, Guantanamo and Santiago de Cuba. All cases were characterized as [FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic][FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic]Vibrio cholerae [/FONT][/FONT]toxigenic serogroup O1, serotype Ogawa, biotype El Tor.

Between late July and early August 2013, five cases of cholera associated with a history of travel to Cuba were confirmed, as follow:

On 24 July 2013, the National IHR Focal Point for Italy reported to WHO a confirmed case of cholera ([FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic][FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic]V.cholerae [/FONT][/FONT]serogroup O1 Ogawa) in a 47 year old male patient, with travel history to Havana from 23 June to 13 July of 2013.

Relevant details of the case, including detailed travel history while in Cuba and further laboratory investigations were shared with competent local authorities in Cuba and WHO.

On 9 August 2013, the National IHR Focal Point for Venezuela confirmed two cases of cholera ([FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic][FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic]V. cholerae [/FONT][/FONT]serogroup O1 Ogawa) in persons, a 51 year old male and 55 year old female, with history of travel to Havana, Cuba.

On the same date, 9 August 2013, the National IHR Focal Point for Chile reported two cases of cholera, one laboratory confirmed ([FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic][FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic]V. cholerae [/FONT][/FONT]serogroup O1 Ogawa) and the other by epidemiological link, in persons returning from travel to Cuba.

[FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic][FONT=Century Gothic,Century Gothic]Recommendations [/FONT][/FONT]

The PAHO/WHO reiterates that recommendations made in the Epidemiological Alert of November 2, 2012 continue to be applicable.
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U.S. Interests Section Havana, Cuba Security Message ? Cholera Outbreak
August 20, 2013



This message is to inform U.S. citizens residing in or visiting Cuba that media reports have indicated that cases of cholera have been identified in the city of Havana, possibly linked to a reported outbreak of cholera in eastern Cuba. The Panamerican Health Organization (PAHO) issued an epidemiological alert noting the presence of cholera in Cuba and confirming that foreign travelers have contracted cholera during recent trips to Cuba.

Eating or drinking fecally contaminated food or water is the main risk factor. Unsterilized water, food from street vendors, raw fish dishes (e.g. ceviche) and inadequately cooked (e.g. steamed) shellfish are common sources of infection.

[FONT=Verdana,Verdana][FONT=Verdana,Verdana]We urge you to follow public health recommendations and guidelines, such as safe food and water precautions and frequent hand washing to help prevent cholera infection[/FONT][/FONT]. The Cuban Ministry of Public Health is urging people to comply with sanitary measures associated with personal hygiene, water and food. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization both provide information about cholera to the travelling public.

U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the U.S. Department of State's, Bureau of Consular Affairs website, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information can be found. The U.S. Interests Section also encourages U.S. citizens to review "A Safe Trip Abroad," which includes valuable security information for those both living and traveling abroad.

Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. You can also download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada, or outside the United States and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
U.S. Interests Section Address: Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana Telephone: (53)(7)-839-4100 For after hours emergencies, please call the main switchboard at (+53)(7) 839-4100 and dial 1 to speak with the emergency operator.


http://photos.state.gov/libraries/havana/662225/pdf-english/Cholera-Outbreak-08-20-13.pdf


http://havana.usint.gov/

 

[Shiloh]

Re: US Issues Advisory for Cuba Over Cholera Cases

Source: http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=98263

Cuba Gov. Silent on Cholera Outbreak
August 23, 2013 | Print Print | 0 18 0

HAVANA TIMES ? Despite being the top news item internationally all week regarding Cuba, the widely reported renewed presence of cholera on the island remains off-bounds for local journalists to report...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: US Issues Advisory for Cuba Over Cholera Cases

Source: http://www.cubaheadlines.com/2013/0...holera_a_year_after_first_cases_reported.html


Cuba still battling cholera a year after first cases reported
08 / 24 / 2013

A year after the first cholera cases in decades were reported in Cuba, the country is still struggling with outbreaks in various provinces, health workers and residents told Reuters on Thursday.

On Tuesday the United States issued a health advisory urging U.S. citizens living in or traveling to Cuba to take appropriate precautions such as the frequent washing of hands and avoiding untreated water, street food, undercooked shellfish and uncooked foods.

Last week the Pan American Health Organization reported five confirmed cholera cases among travelers to the Caribbean island this summer, an Italian, two Venezuelans and two Chileans.

They were the first tourists known to have contracted the illness since cholera's appearance on the island in July 2012.

The Cuban government has yet to publicly respond to the reports and officials were not immediately available for comment...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: US Issues Advisory for Cuba Over Cholera Cases

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/163-new-cholera-cases-cuba-8C11010439

163 new cholera cases in Cuba
The Associated Press
21 minutes ago

Cuba has reported a cholera outbreak to international health monitors, with 163 new cases this year associated with three provinces.

According to a bulletin by the Pan American Health Organization, island authorities reported on Aug. 23 that the cases were linked to Havana, Santiago and Camaguey provinces.

Patients who contracted the waterborne disease included 12 travelers from European and Latin American nations. There were no reported fatalities.

In Havana, the outbreak was traced to two food distribution centers, where corrective measures were taken to combat the disease...

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: US Issues Advisory for Cuba Over Cholera Cases

PAHO
Epidemiological Update
Cholera
23 August 2013
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In Cuba, on August 23, 2013, the National IHR Focal Point of Cuba reported that following the outbreak recorded in 2012 and during the current year suspected cholera cases have been analyze regularly. As a result of the surveillance, 163 cholera cases were confirmed in the provinces of Havana, Santiago de Cuba, and Camag?ey, as well as in other municipalities where cases were associated with these three provinces.

According to the information provided, the cases recorded in Havana have been linked to two food service centers where the presence of asymptomatic persons infected with cholera among food handlers was found. The food outlets have since adopted appropriate sanitary measures.

Included in the confirmed cholera cases are 12 persons who had travelled to Cuba from other countries (two from Chile1, two from Germany, three from Italy2, one from the Netherlands, two from Spain, and two from Venezuela3). The cases include 8 men and 4 women, with an age range of 30-74 years (median age of 53). The Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kouri" confirmed the detection of V. cholerae Ogawa serogroup O1 in all of the cases. They have all since recovered and no deaths have been recorded.

1 Both cases were reported previously in the 14 August 2013 Epidemiological Update on Cholera.
2 One of the three cases was reported previously in the 14 August 2013 Epidemiological Update on Cholera.
3 Both cases were reported previously in the 14 August 2013 Epidemiological Update on Cholera.

Following the 2012 outbreak in Manzanillo with 417 confirmed cholera cases including three deaths, two other outbreaks have been recorded by the Ministry of Health of Cuba. One of the outbreaks occurred in October 2012 and included 47 confirmed cholera cases following Hurricane Sandy. The other outbreak was registered at the beginning of 2013 in the Province of Havana with 51 confirmed cases. The Cuba National IHR Focal Point reported that prompt and appropriate control actions were implemented in response to these outbreaks.

Per the information received, Cuba continues to develop and implement cholera prevention and control plans, to strengthen awareness of preventive measures by the public, to control food preparations sites, and carry out epidemiological surveillance of acute diarrheal diseases. Public health awareness campaigns were intensified during the summer season; particularly those related to hand washing, chlorinated water intake, safe food preparation, washing of fruits and vegetables, and choose processed foods.
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[Ronan Kelly]

Re: US Issues Advisory for Cuba Over Cholera Cases

Epidemiological Update
Cholera
21 November 2013
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefwe...iological Update Cholera 21 November 2013.pdf

In Cuba, health authorities continue to investigate suspected cholera cases detected in several provinces. Since 24 August 2013, the International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point of Cuba has not reported additional confirmed cholera cases. Between epidemiological week (EW) 27 of 2012 and EW 34 of 2013, there have been 678 confirmed cholera cases, including three deaths.
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