The recent disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 en route to Beijing has thrust air travel hazards into the spotlight. In truth, air travel is still very safe and the number of incidences anything catastrophic has happened in-flight is countable. The probability of dying in an air crash is less than dying in a road accident for instance. When travelling, be it vacationing or going on a company trip, people tend to consider the flights to be of greatest concern, but they often neglect other risks to look out for once they touch down, such as health issues.
If you plan on travelling this March holiday, the avian flu or bird flu / H5N1 and H7N9, not flight accidents, should be your main concern. In China alone, 226 people have been infected by H7N9 since this year, and 72 have died. Other countries with people who have been affected by this virus or variations of it include Vietnam, Cambodia and Australia.
A little background knowledge on this virus:
Avian influenza viruses normally circulate among birds. However, they also have the potential to infect humans through direct contact or close exposure to sick or dead poultry and their faeces. Examples of such forms of exposure include visiting live bird or poultry markets, and preparing or eating uncooked or undercooked bird products like meat, eggs and blood.
The H5N1 has since 2003 infected more than 560 people in 15 countries in
parts of Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. About 60% of them have died. There has been no reports on human infections by H7N9 viruses until reports from China in March 2013. For both viruses, there has been no evidence on human-to-human transmission. Though there are fears that they could mutate and be spread through human contact.
Vaccination against H5N1 is available in Singapore. The H7N9 vaccine is not available and currently in preparation.
If you're travelling, here are some measures you should take to protect yourself from this potentially fatal virus:
- Keep yourself updated on reports concerning the outbreak of the virus via World Health Organisation and OIE World Organisation of Animal Health.
- Visit a doctor familiar with travel medications 4 - 6 weeks before you leave and get recommended vaccines and medicines.
- Before you leave, equip yourself with knowledge about available health care resources at your destination (i.e. clinics, hospitals)
- Practise basic hygiene. i.e. wash hands often with soap and clean water. Carry hand sanitizer which you can use on the go when clean water is not available. Cover your nose and mouth with tissue when you cough or sneeze and bin the used tissue properly.
- Avoid all direct contact with birds.
- Avoid places with live birds or uncooked bird products such as wet markets and farms.
- Don't touch surfaces with bird droppings or bird fluids.
- Don't touch the water or wash your hands in rivers and ponds where ducks and other water birds may dwell.
- Eat only bird products that have been completely cooked. Flu viruses have been destroyed by heat.
- Seek medical help if you feel unwell. Symptoms for bird flu are very similar to human influenza with common symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat and breathing difficulties.
- Avoid travelling when you are sick, especially to countries with reported cases of bird flu, as your immune system will be weaker.
Other sources:
http://www.who.int/influenza/human_animal_interface/avian_influenza/en/
http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/avian-flu-information
