Disease outbreaks and other matters of airline medical interest
From Airfinity’s curated analysis of various health and media sources:
- At least 29 countries, mostly in Europe, Far East and North America, have now reported detection of the BA.2.86 SARS-CoV-2 variant from human samples or wastewater. This variant is likely to be more widespread than that detected. The number of hospitalisations has fallen and risen in the last few weeks, with a recent uptick in countries like UK, Italy and Canada. From the previous status report: despite the large number of mutations of the variant, with high immune escape potential, at this point BA.2.86 appears less immune-invasive than feared, as well as less infective.
- Over 5,000 cholera infections have been reported in a current outbreak in Zimbabwe. Social restrictions are being put in place to contain the outbreak, e.g., banning of large gatherings at funerals, a recommendation against shaking hands, eating at gatherings and buying food from unlicensed vendors in Harare (my note: these measures have been called lockdown-style measures by some, which strictly speaking is a misnomer in this context). A previous cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe in 2008 affected more than 100,000 people and was fatal for around 4,000.
- A fourth US state (Arkansas) has reported a locally transmitted malaria infection for 2023. The cumulative total of cases of locally acquired malaria in the US this year is now ten (one P falciparum, 9 P vivax).
- The surge of dengue fever continues, with significant impact in Bangladesh. In the US, a cumulative total of 53 cases have been reported in Florida. In Europe, the total number of clusters of autochthonous dengue virus transmissions identified is up to six in mainland France and three in Italy (From the ECDC Communicable Disease Threats Report (week 39)).
- Good news: Egypt is on track to achieving the WHO's hepatitis C elimination goal by the year 2030. No further Nipah virus infections have been confirmed in Kerala since mid-September.