Health warning

St. Maarten: Water Shortage Should Be Resolved by Peak Tourist Season

Date: December 13th, 2007 |

This Dutch territory that shares its Caribbean island with the French territory of St. Martin has been experiencing water shortages that have left some residents without water for at least five days. People are collecting rain water for bathing and cooking while authorities say they will begin buying water from French St. Martin to slake [read more]

Dominican Republic: Contaminated Water in Santo Domingo

Date: December 6th, 2007 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo reported that following tropical storm Noel and recent heavy rains, the water supply of Santo Domingo became contaminated and should not be drunk or used for cooking or brushing teeth. Visitors should use bottled water that has not been exposed to floodwaters, should boil all tap water or disinfect [read more]

China: Beijing Air Pollution May Not Improve for Olympic Games

Date: October 31st, 2007 |

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A report by the UN Environment Program suggests that pollution in Beijing will not improve much before next year’s Olympic Games. Some pollution declined between 2000 and 2006, but the decline stopped and concentrations of four major pollutants began to rise again. Concentrations of particulate matter from construction sites, dust storms and the burning of [read more]

Sri Lanka: Wasps Sting Dozens of Tourists at Sigiriya

Date: September 5th, 2007 |

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The World Heritage Site of Sigiriya, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors a year to see the 660-foot-high rock fortress known for its frescoes, is home to swarms of usually peaceful wasps who recently went on a frenzy, stinging dozens of tourists and prompting Sri Lankan military officers to sweep in to take at [read more]

Italy: Garbage Still Piling Up in Naples

Date: July 11th, 2007 |

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Garbage collection in the province of Naples has been disrupted since May, creating possible health risks throughout the region. Debris has been piling up for weeks and some residents have been burning the accumulating mounds releasing potentially toxic fumes. Authorities have been removing garbage from the tourist areas such as the port of Naples and [read more]

Uganda: Wildlife Official Says Rwenzori Region Safe from Ebola

Date: December 13th, 2007 |

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Some 116 people have caught the deadly Ebola virus in western Uganda’s Bundibugyo district, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 30 have died. Wildlife officials in the popular Rwenzori region were quick to assure visitors that national parks and tourist areas are outside the danger zones, and tourist facilities in the parks are clean [read more]

India: Monkeys in Delhi Get Riled Up

Date: November 15th, 2007 |

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Delhi is facing a monkey crisis as the city grows into the surrounding countryside forcing forest monkeys into urban areas. Recent incidents have locals worried that things are getting out of hand: Delhi’s deputy mayor died when he fell after a fight with monkeys, and a lone monkey on a rampage bit and scratched 25 [read more]

China: Smoking Banned in Beijing Taxis

Date: October 3rd, 2007 |

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Smoking is now banned in Beijing’s taxis as officials try to clean up the city ahead of next year’s Olympics. The ban effects both drivers and passengers and is the latest in a series of moves meant to improve etiquette in the city. Officials already have other behavioral campaigns underway against spitting and littering and [read more]

China: Beijing Looks for Ways to Stem Air Pollution

Date: August 22nd, 2007 |

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Stung by criticism that Beijing’s air pollution could cause some of next year’s Olympics events to be rescheduled, Chinese officials ran a test to remove 1.3 million vehicles from the streets for four days to see if air quality would improve. According to officials it did, dropping from an index of 115 before the test [read more]

Singapore: Dengue Fever on the Rise

Date: July 4th, 2007 |

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Dengue fever is spiking in Singapore and surrounding countries, with the infection rate similar to that of the dengue epidemic of 2005. This year Thailand has seen more than 11,000 cases and Indonesia 68,000, but Malaysia has the highest infection rate in the region with more than 20,000. Singapore’s rate with nearly 3,000 cases is [read more]