Touring Africa may have just become a little easier thanks to a regulation change in South Africa. As of January 31, 2015, people traveling to South Africa from a ‘low-risk yellow fever country’ will no longer require proof of having received a vaccination for the mosquito-borne disease to enter the country.

The decision, based on World Health Organization recommendations, went into effect as soon as it was announced and will affect thousands of travelers every year.

Previous to this decision, if you were traveling to South Africa and had been within a country that has endemic yellow fever for as few as 12 hours, you would have been required to provide a valid yellow fever certificate upon arrival, and this certificate is only obtainable after receiving the yellow fever vaccine.

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Measles is, without a doubt, a fairly scary virus. In 2014, there were just under 200,000 measles cases confirmed by the World Health Organization across the world. That number is about 92 percent less than where it was in 1980, when 2.6 million cases were reported. This decline is attributed to one thing: measles vaccination.

The WHO, Centers for Disease Control, and medical organizations all around the world plead with parents asking them to get their children vaccinated to avoid measles and other deadly diseases. However, despite numerous studies showing that vaccines are safe, some individuals claim that vaccination is unsafe and can cause serious side effects. These voices are generally loud, and involve many Hollywood stars who receive significant international attention despite espousing often ill-informed beliefs.

But, there are some famous and well known individuals who have touching and important stories about the safety and importance of vaccines, beliefs backed by literally hundreds of studies proving that vaccines not only work, but have few to no harmful side effects and will save lives.

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Measles is a potentially deadly disease that is slowly moving across the United States. Over the last month and a half, nearly 150 people have been infected in 17 states. The Centers for Disease Control and other organizations have stated that the best way to avoid the disease is through vaccination with the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine. Below, courtesy of CDC data, is an infographic containing the vaccination rates for all 50 states. See where your state stands in comparison to the CDC goal of 90 percent of the total population being vaccinated!

Click here to access the interactive version!

For more information on measles and how to prevent it, please see the Passport Health MMR web pages.

Were you surprised by your state’s vaccination rate? Why? Tell us below or on the Passport Health Facebook page.

This week marks the beginning of a fun, festive period of celebration in many Asian countries as they commemorate the Lunar New Year. Vibrant decorations adorn many houses or shops, and the streets are brimming with visitors and well-wishers. Firecrackers, festivals and special events are just some of the ways the beginning of the New Year is celebrated in China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam, and Tibet. Commonly referred to as the Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year occurs on the second new moon after the winter solstice, falling on February 19th this year.

This important annual event is celebrated for several days, and there are many customs that involve food, gifts, greetings and events. On the eve of the New Year, people prepare by shopping for food, clothes, and decorations. They also spend time thoroughly cleaning their houses. This represents bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new one. Homes are decorated with red lanterns, paintings, and paper cutouts. These are meant to carry best wishes and create a prosperous atmosphere by depicting subjects such as gods, flowers, legends, and popular creatures.

Like many festivals, the New Year has its origins in myths and stories. A popular legend recounts a mythical beast, Nian, who was notorious for eating livestock and crops on the eve of a new year. However, a wise man found out the beast was scared of loud noises and red colors; this started traditions like using fireworks and red symbols.

Asian countries experience a surge in travel during this time of year, as family members who live overseas travel back home to celebrate and share a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve.

In China, a traditional dinner dish is jiaozi, or dumplings. Another common course is whole fish, whose name, yu, is synonymous with “abundance” or “surplus”. On New Year’s Day and the days following, visits to relatives and family friends are common. When guests are over, it is important to serve food that symbolizes luck, fertility, and prosperity. It is common to make pilgrimages to holy sites, visit pageants and performances, and spend time with family members. Businesses and shops are traditionally closed as families enjoy the many rituals and celebrations the Lunar New Year brings.

The lantern festival marks the end of the New Year, and it takes place on the fifteenth day of festivities. Emphasis is placed on the craftsmanship of lanterns, and inscriptions or wishes are written on them before they are lit and drift away. This video below shows parts of the Hong Kong ceremony in 2014, surely a sight to behold and a great reason to travel to China!

Are you taking part in the festivities surrounding the Lunar New Year? If so, plan ahead for a healthy trip as you take part in one of the most cheerful and colorful celebrations in the Asian world. If you have visited these countries in the past for the Lunar New Year, please tell us about your experience in the comment section below or on the Passport Health Facebook page!

If someone told you that by the year 2050, the number of deaths caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria would surpass cancer deaths, would you believe them? Hard to believe as it may be, that statistic is exactly what experts are citing when referring to the progressive rise of deadly superbugs that become immune to the effects of antibiotics. Greater drug resistance is becoming a problem that will continue to evolve if novel therapies do not come into play to help mitigate this global issue.

Superbugs

Since the 1940s, antibiotics have had mainstream use in helping to reduce illness and death from common infections. They were hailed as miracles and came to be used widely and frequently. However, the microorganisms that the drugs targeted were able to evolve, making the antibiotics less effective over time in the treatment of disease. Moreover, overuse of antibiotics drives resistance. An estimated 700,000 deaths occur across the globe on an annual basis due to drug-resistant bacteria, and, if left unchecked, this problem could cause serious problems not only in the medical realm but also in the economic sphere. Experts say that superbugs could cost the global economy up to $100 trillion between now and 2050.

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