Overseas Travel Advice

• Assessing Your Risk
• Practicing Prevention
• Planning for Emergencies
• Safe and Healthy Travelling
• Destination Status

Assessing your risk

‘What is my risk of getting avian influenza?’ ‘What is my risk of getting pandemic influenza?’

These are important questions for individual travellers. At least for the second question about pandemic disease, we can say that the risk is currently zero, as no new novel influenza virus has emerged to produce the next, overdue, pandemic-at least, not yet.

We must hope that our global preparedness catches up with the threat and if it should occur, that countries around the world are in the best position to combat it.

As to the first question, the risk of acquiring avian influenza is still extremely remote. The risk has changed very little over the last two years or so, which is how long the current waves of avian H5N1 virus have been sweeping around the globe.

Avian influenza is transmitted through wading and migratory birds which don’t get sick, and then pass the infection to domesticated birds which are much more vulnerable. Countries where wild birds and domesticated birds can mix freely are therefore most at risk of having avian influenza. This ‘free’ mixing of wild and domesticated birds occurs in many of the less developed countries, so we have seen large numbers of bird cases in developing countries.

It is also in these developing countries that humans and domesticated birds have close contact and where avian influenza has been passed from birds to humans. So far human cases and fatalities have only occurred in four countries, all of which have domesticated birds in very close contact with people. In virtually all cases, it was clear that the person who acquired the disease had close contact with sick domesticated birds.

There has been no evidence to date of easy infection from bird to human, nor is there convincing evidence of human-to-human spread. So, the current risk of acquiring avian influenza is extremely remote: so low that it is not currently recommended to avoid areas where avian influenza is reported.

However, by the very nature of the influenza virus, things can change. It is vitally important that travellers stay up-to-date with current influenza reports, outbreaks and advice. If the risk changes for travellers, we will ensure that information is apparent. Check this website regularly.

It is important also that travellers have a good understanding of the strategies for prevention, and general preparedness. The following pages in this section discuss some relevant topics to help you have safe and healthy travels.

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