Disease

Dengue fever – Reunion

In a follow-up on the dengue epidemic on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, French health officials report an additional 298 biologically confirmed and probable cases in the past week, bringing the total to 2,119 cases for the year. Fifty-nine people have required hospitalization for their illness to date.

Kenyan Rains Raise Risk of Large-Scale Disease Outbreak

Heavy rains and flooding in Kenya compounded a cholera outbreak and a chikungunya epidemic and increased the risk of large-scale spread of the diseases, the United Nations said. A cholera outbreak in 15 of Kenya’s 47 counties has left at least 55 people dead, the agency said. The flooding also heightened the risk of disease including malaria, chikungunya and dengue fever.

Legionnaires’ Disease - Melbourne, Australia

Two men are in intensive care fighting Legionnaires’ disease while a third is also in hospital connected to a Gladstone Park outbreak.

The Department of Health issued a warning over the outbreak today after all three men became ill following visits to the Airport West and Gladstone Park Shopping Centres between April 20 and 26. Health officers are now investigating cooling towers in the northern suburb area to determine the cause of the outbreak.