Health alerts, terrorists warnings and other things travelers need to know

I booked a trip back to the US via my company’s website. As a result I am signed up automatically for trip warnings. Here is what they have to say about India.
Not very comforting – fortunately on Thursday I’m off to the US. (I’m sure that’s a big surprise to my regular readers)

Health: UPDATE 3: Indian officials July 31 report twice as many polio cases in 2006 as recorded in all of 2005. Get immunized before travel.
This alert affects India.
This alert began 31 Jul 2006 21:55 GMT and is scheduled to expire 30 Aug 2006 23:59 GMT.
UPDATE 3 to Jan. 9 alert:Indian officials launched a polio immunization campaign July 31 as doctors reported twice as many polio cases so far in 2006 as they recorded in all of 2005. Officials are reporting a spread of cases from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to states that had been previously polio free: Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.During late 2005, polio spread from India to Nepal after a hiatus of four years, and to Bangladesh after a gap of more than five years. Areas in India reporting polio cases since late 2005 include Haryana, Uttar Pradeshk, Bihar, Gujarat State, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh states. Be sure your polio immunization is up-to-date before travel to the Indian subcontinent.Confirmed numbers of cases always significantly underestimate the extent of an outbreak because there are at least 200 mildly symptomatic cases that go undiagnosed for every infection that causes paralysis.Polio is highly infectious and can spread rapidly. The poliovirus is carried in fecal material. One in 200 cases leads to irreversible paralysis. Among those victims, five to 10 percent die when their respiratory muscles become involved. The risk of paralysis increases with age. There is no specific treatment for polio (Helen: I'm immunized, thank God Polio sounds horrible)

Health: Hundreds sickened by Leptospirosis outbreak in Mumbai, India, since early July. Observe food and water precautions.
This alert affects India.
This alert began 27 Jul 2006 15:30 GMT and is scheduled to expire 26 Aug 2006 23:59 GMT.
Health officials in India announced on July 26 that an outbreak of leptospirosis had sickened nearly 200 people in Mumbai since July 7. The outbreak coincides with the Indian monsoon season when flooding is common throughout the city. Waterborne disease outbreaks, including leptospirosis, occur frequently.Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that affects wild and domestic animals worldwide, but is most common in tropical climates. Human infection occurs through exposure to water, food or soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals. Infection causes flu-like symptoms including fever, malaise, headache, nausea and diarrhea that begin two days to four weeks following exposure. Prompt treatment with antibiotics is important to prevent complications. Leptospirosis can be fatal if not treated early with antibiotics and supportive therapy. People traveling through flooded waters are at highest risk. Travelers who engage in recreational activities in fresh water or who work in wet areas are also at risk. There is no immunization for the disease, but prophylactic antibiotics can prevent infection if begun one to two days before exposure and continued through the period of exposure. Antibiotic prophylaxis is advisable for travelers with short term high risk exposure. Consult with your healthcare provider.
Humans are usually exposed to leptospirosis through contact with, or ingestion of, contaminated water. Infection can occur when Leptospira come into contact with mucous membranes or abrasions in the skin. Observe food and water precautions.


Health: India officials report epidemic of Japanese encephalitis in four northeastern districts of Assam state. Vaccine recommended.
This alert affects India.
This alert began 21 Jul 2006 20:25 GMT and is scheduled to expire 27 Aug 2006 23:59 GMT.
On July 21, Indian health officials reported an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis in four northeastern districts of Assam state. Doctors say that hundreds are ill and at least 15 have died in July alone. Last year, over 1,400 people died of Japanese encephalitis in India's most populated state, Uttar Pradesh. That outbreak spread to several northern states. Risk for this disease exists through December in northern India. The greatest risk of disease is in people staying for prolonged periods in rural or agricultural areas, especially areas of rice culture and pig farming. However, during an outbreak travelers to urban areas may also be at risk.Japanese encephalitis is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito and causes flu-like symptoms, including headache, fever, and respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms, and may progress to confusion, convulsions and death. The disease kills approximately 20 percent of afflicted children, and more than 50 percent of adults. (helen: yikes 50% of adults!!!) It may also result in permanent neurologic or psychiatric problems.There is no specific treatment for the disease, but immunization is effective in preventing the disease and mosquito precautions are important for all travelers. A full complement of immunization requires at least two weeks (three doses) for maximum protection. Avoid exposure to mosquitoes by staying in screened or air conditioned areas whenever possible. Use mosquito repellents that contain DEET, and wear long sleeved shirts and long pants for protection.

Helen: I can’t help thinking that a very unlucky person may get depressed by the antimalarial medicine, hope it will pass and then find he has permanent psychiatric problems due to some other biting insects. My father is a doctor, so on my last trip home I asked him why most of the nasty diseases are in tropical places. We concluded that insects in hot humid climates seem to be perfect hosts for all types of nasty diseases and there’s no harsh winter to kill them off. Subzero temperatures sound better every day!


Security: Communist party rallies scheduled in different localities in Haryana State, India, on Aug. 12, 20, and 27. Avoid protests. (Helen: like most tourists/visitors go looking for protests!! Dah!!)
This alert affects India.
This alert began 01 Aug 2006 03:23 GMT and is scheduled to expire 28 Aug 2006 23:59 GMT.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is planning to stage mass rallies to mobilize grassroots support in Haryana State in August. The first "August Campaign" rally will occur in Panipat on Aug. 12. The second will take place in Hisar on Aug. 20. The party has scheduled a third rally in Rohtak on Aug. 27. All three locations are industrial towns north and west of Delhi.CPI-M protests over price hikes for fuel and other essential commodities could lead to unrest, although widespread violence is unlikely. Trade unions could call strikes to support the CPI-M agenda, which includes opposition to privatization and a number of issues related to improving labor conditions. Avoid demonstrations and expect transport disruptions in the aforementioned cities on rally dates. Consider avoiding the area around the Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Panipat on Aug. 12. (Helen: Consider avoiding the area - that's a bit mild)

Helen: I’m off to Rohtak tomorrow to visit a distribution center – hopefully being 11 days before the first rally I won’t have anything to worry about (except my driver driving more than 100km on Indian roads – he’s not the safest driver in the world seeing one-way streets as a guideline rather than a rule!)

Security: U.S. Embassy reportedly targeted in terror plot in New Delhi, India; expect tight security in Chanakyapuri through Aug. 15.
This alert affects Delhi.
This alert began 25 Jul 2006 21:10 GMT and is scheduled to expire 16 Aug 2006 12:00 GMT.
The Indian Intelligence Bureau has reportedly warned police and paramilitary agencies that terrorists are plotting a suicide attack at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi sometime before July 30. Consider avoiding the mission, which is at Shantipath, and nearby areas in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave. The bureau claims that about 20 seasoned Iranian, Afghan, and Kashmiri terrorists plan to storm the embassy. The men have reportedly been in Delhi since June. Authorities have identified the group's leader as Jawad Shah Shanas. Unconfirmed intelligence claims that the Iranian cell members might be members of the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MeK), which the U.S. government branded a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. MeK involvement is doubtful for a number of reasons, however. Other dubious details and the timing of the announcement raise speculation that leaked information about the plot might be an attempt to manipulate U.S. foreign policy, although terrorists have targeted the embassy in the past, so an outright dismissal of the threat is imprudent. Authorities have been dealing with repeated bomb hoaxes in the Indian capital. On July 24, police responded to at least five terror threats targeting the India Gate, Red Fort and Income Tax Office building in Central Delhi. Since the July 11 Mumbai train bombings, similar hoaxes have targeted the Akshardham Temple, PVR Plaza, Satyam multiplex, Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.More threats against commercial, diplomatic, government, religious, and historical sites are likely ahead of Independence Day, Aug. 15

Helen: well I’ll be in Chicago August 15th, so Mum no need to worry.