Europe: Travelers in parts of the Netherlands and United Kingdom might want to minimize dining on poultry over the coming weeks as cases of H5N8 bird flu have been detected in East Yorkshire and the Dutch city of Hekendorp. There was also an earlier outbreak in Germany. Though no cases of human infection have been reported, health officials said this strain is highly contagious and potentially deadly. Thousands of chickens, ducks and eggs have been destroyed at the farms where the outbreaks occurred, but tourists should follow local news and warnings before consuming poultry or eggs from these areas, though properly cooked poultry would not transmit disease.
Portugal: Starting in 2015, travelers arriving in Lisbon by air or sea will be required to pay a small entry tax of 1 euro (about $1.25). The tax will remain in effect until 2019. In 2016 the tax will include 1 euro a night for the first week spent at hotels in the city. Though the tax is minimal on an individual basis, the government hopes it will raise nearly 19 billion euros over the five years.
Germany: A rise in anti-Semitic violence has been reported across the country as tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate and many people begin speaking out against Israel. Officials said Jews have been threatened or attacked at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with some protesters carrying signs calling for violence during marches. As always, tourists should use caution while near any demonstration.
Arabian Peninsula: Cases of MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) have been reported throughout the Middle East, including countries popular with tourists like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend avoiding travel to the region, it does suggest avoiding direct contact with those infected with the virus. MERS symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
Vietnam: According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 5,000 confirmed cases of measles and 11,000 suspected cases had been reported in the country as of late October. At least two people have died from the disease. Symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes. Some people also get an ear infection, diarrhea or serious lung infection like pneumonia. The disease can be fatal. It is highly recommended that travelers are up to date with MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) immunizations, because the vaccine is nearly 100 percent effective.
Compiled from news services and travel sources. For updates, check with the State Department at 888-407-4747, travel.state.gov.
