Travel Alert: YELLOW FEVER!

For those traveling to African and South American countries, you are required to update yourself with latest announcement on traveling precautions vis-a-vis health and immunization requirements. Our country adhere to a very strict health procedures allowing travelers from countries with health risks from entering Malaysia - be it Malaysian or Non-Malaysian. 

The best way is to get yourself updated. The last thing you want is to contract a disease/s that the country you visited and worse, spread it nationwide. And, you also do not want to be quarantined at the airport for a very significant period. I'm talking about 14 days of stay in isolated room at the airport!

Below information is taken from my reading and I credited to the author of various sites. 

Sharing is caring. Fire away!

YOU MUST KNOW THIS: Yellow Fever Vaccination

WHAT IS YELLOW FEVER (one might ask)

Yellow fever is an acute infectious disease. Recognised in two different forms i.e. urban and jungle. Urban Yellow Fever occurs in cities and is spread from mosquito to human.

In the jungle form, Yellow Fever is spread from mosquitoes to monkeys and also to humans (zoonosis). Although reported cases of human disease is the principal indicator of disease risk, they may be absent (because of a high level of immunity in population) or not detected as a result of poor surveillance.

Major public health threat in countries with risk of Yellow Fever transmission.

Travellers to countries with risk of Yellow Fever transmission of Africa, Central and

South America are at risk. The presence of the suitable vector, Aedes mosquito in Asia

may contribute to its potential occurrence. Malaysia is vulnerable and receptive to

Yellow Fever transmission.

Causative agent: Arbovirus of the Genus Flavivirus and family Flaviviridae.

Mode of Transmission: through the bite of infective Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

Incubation Period: 3 - 6 days (or longer) after the bite of an infected mosquito.

COUNTRIES WITH RISK OF YELLOW FEVER TRANSMISSION (you might need to get updated list from the Ministry of Health. There might be omission or new addition to this)

SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA (13 COUNTRIES)

Argentina, French, Suriname, Brazil, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Bolivia, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Paraguay, Equador, Peru

AFRICA (29 COUNTRIES)

Angola, Guinea, Equat, Benin, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Burundi, Liberia, Cameroon, Mali, Central Africa, Republic Mauritania, Chad, Niger, Congo, Nigeria, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Senegal, Gabon, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Sudan, Ghana, Togo, Guinea, Uganda, Guinea Bissau

Note: The list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission will be updated by

Ministry of Health Malaysia regularly based on WHO list.

PREVENTION & PRECAUTIONS

Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirement

·  A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is required from all     visitors or delegates (Malaysians and Foreigners) coming from or going to/through countries with risk of Yellow Fever transmission (As stated in International Health Regulations 2005 and Prevention and Control of Infectious Disease Act 1988).

·  Yellow fever vaccination is also required for travelers having transited more than 12 hours through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission;

·  Travelers or delegates without a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate shall be quarantined upon arrival in Malaysia for a period not exceeding 6 days.

·  The period of validity of an international certificate of vaccination against Yellow Fever is 10 years, beginning 10 days after the date of vaccination.

·  If a person is re-vaccinated before the end of this period, the validity is extended for a further 10 years from the date of vaccination.

·  If the re-vaccination is recorded on a new certificate, travelers or delegates are advised to retain the old certificate for 10 days until the new certificate becomes

valid.

Reminder to Malaysian Who Wants to Go to the Countries with Risk of Yellow Fever Transmission

·   Malaysians are advised to take the vaccination at least 10 days before the date of departure to countries with risk of Yellow Fever transmission for protection against infection.

·  To carry the international certificate of vaccination during travel for health check.

·  To get the vaccination against Yellow Fever disease at the Approved Yellow Fever vaccinating Centres in Malaysia.

·  To report to Entry Point Health Office on arrival in Malaysia for health check.

YELLOW FEVER VACCINE

Type of vaccine: Live attenuated vaccine

Number of doses: one priming dose of 0.5ml

Booster: 10 yearly

Contraindications:

Egg allergy, immunodeficiency from medication, disease or symptomatic HIV infection,

hypersensitivity to a previous dose and pregnancy.

Adverse reactions: Rarely encephalitis or hepatic failure.

Before departure: International certificate of vaccination becomes valid 10 days after

the date of vaccination.

Recommended for: All travelers to countries with risk of Yellow Fever transmission and

wherever mandatory

Special precautions: Not for infants under 12 months of age.

THIRTY ONE (31) APPROVED YELLOW FEVER VACCINATING CENTRES IN

MALAYSIA APPROVED YELLOW FEVER VACCINATING CENTRES IN MALAYSIA

**(Based on Ministry of Health List until 1st December 2013)

1. Pejabat Kesihatan Pelabuhan Pulau Pinang

1st Floor, Tuanku Syed Putra Building

Jalan Downing, 10300 Pulau Pinang.

Tel: 04-2611264, 04-2644918

PULAU PINANG

2. BP Diagnostic Centre

275, Jalan Kampar

30250 Ipoh, Perak

Tel: 05-2559090 Ext 402

PERAK

3. Pejabat Kesihatan Kinta

Jalan Aman, 31000, Batu Gajah, Perak.

Tel: 05-3652077

PERAK

4. Klinik Berkat

No. 75-4A, Jalan Mamanda 1, Ampang Point

68000 Ampang, Selangor Darul Ehsan

Tel: 03-42515450

SELANGOR

5. KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital

Lot 1, Jalan Singa 20/1

Section 20, 40300 Shah Alam

Tel: 03-5543 1111, Fax: 03-5543 1722

SELANGOR

6. Poliklinik Sri Permai

No. 11, Jalan P9 B/1

Presint 9, 62259 Putrajaya

Tel: 03-88880268

PUTRAJAYA

7. Klinik Kesihatan Putrajaya

No. 1, Jalan P9E, Presinct 9

62250, Putrajaya.

Tel: 03-88883057

PUTRAJAYA

8. Virus Research Division

1st Floor, Institute of Medical Research

Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-26986033

WP KUALA LUMPUR

9. The KL Clinic

Mezzanine Floor, East Wing

Rohas Perkasa, No. 9, Jalan P. Ramlee

50250 Kuala Lumpur

03-21660395 Faks 03-2181 3362

WP KUALA LUMPUR

10 Twin Towers Medical Centre KLCC Sdn. Bhd.

KLCC, Lot LC 402-404, Level 4

Suria KLCC, KL City Centre

50088, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-23823500, 03-23823577

WP KUALA LUMPUR

11. Klinik Kita

Lot F-23, First Floor City Point

Kompleks Daya Bumi

Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, 50050, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-26989740, 03-26980740

WP KUALA LUMPUR

12. Hospital Angkatan Tentera Tuank Mizan

(Bhg. Kesihatan Primer–untuk anggota tentera sahaja)

No. 3, Jalan 4/27A, Section 2, Wangsa Maju,

53300 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-4145 4200

WP KUALA LUMPUR

13. Klinik Yong

Tingkat 2, Wisma Maran

No. 28, Medan Pasar

50050 Kuala Lumpur

Tel; 03-20720808, Fax 03-20310487

WP KUALA LUMPUR

14. Drs Young Newton dan Rakan-Rakan

Level 1-01, Cape Square, Signature Office

No. 11, Persiaran Cape Square

Blok A, Capital Square

50100, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03 26982967

WP KUALA LUMPUR

15 Prince Court Medical Centre Sdn. Bhd.

39, Jalan Kia Peng

50450, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03- 21600000 ext 2984/3860

WP KUALA LUMPUR

16. Klinik Integral Occupational Health Services Sdn. Bhd.

Lot 2-05, Level 2 Menara HLA

No. 3 Jalan Kia Peng

50450, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-21712882, Faks: 03-21712992

WP KUALA LUMPUR

17. Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre

Lot 286, Jalan Ampang

50450 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-41413135, Faks 03-42552980

WP KUALA LUMPUR

18. Kuala LumpurSports Centre Sdn. Bhd.

7th Floor, Wisma Perintis

Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights

50490 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-20961033 Fax: 03-20961500

WP KUALA LUMPUR

19. Pejabat Kesihatan Johor Baru

Jalan Abu Samad, 80100 Johor Bahru, Johor.

Tel: 07-2224711, 07-2224818

JOHOR

20. Poliklinik Komuniti Beserah

Jalan Beserah, 26100, Kuantan

Negeri Pahang Darul Makmur

Tel: 09-5445633

PAHANG

21 Health Office

Divisional Health Department

Kucing Division,

Jalan Tun Zaidi Adruce

93150, Kucing, Sarawak.

Tel: 082-432563

SARAWAK

22. Health Office

Divisional Health Department

Sibu Division, 5th Floor

Wisma Persekutuan, Block 3

Persiaran Brooke, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak.

Tel: 084-315494

SARAWAK

23 Columbia Asia Medical Centre

Lot 1035-1039

Jalan Bulan Sabit, CDT 155

98009, Miri, Sarawak.

Tel: 085-437755

SARAWAK

24. Klinik Cheu SB

Lot 512, Pelita Commercial Centre

98000, Miri Sarawak

Tel: 085-438068, Fax: 085-43807

SARAWAK

25. Colombia Asia 21st Century Healthcare

Lot 3582, Block 26, Jalan Sri Ikhwan

Kemena Land District

Tanjung Kidurong

97000 Bintulu, Sarawak

Tel: 086-251888 Faks 086-252888

SARAWAK

26. Bintulu Medical Centre

Lot 6009, Block 31, Kemena Land District

97000 Bintulu, Sarawak.

Tel: 086-330333 Faks 086-330777

SARAWAK

27. Normah Medical Specialist Centre

Section 30 KTLD

Jalan Tun Abdul Rahman, Petra Jaya

93050, Kuching, Sarawak

Tel: 082-440055 Fax: 082-442600

SARAWAK

28. Klinik Kesihatan Luyang

Off, Jalan Lintas, 88300 Luyang,

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Tel: 088-715000

SABAH

29. Klinik Kesihatan Sandakan

KM 3.2 Jalan Utara

90500 Sandakan, Sabah

Tel: 089-225800

SABAH

30. Klinik Kesihatan Apas Balung

Batu 24, Jalan Apas

91008 Tawau, Sabah

Tel: 089-951029

SABAH

31. Klinik Wilayah (L) Sdn. Bhd.

U0391, Jalan Bunga Rambai

87069 Labuan

Tel: 087-413140 Fax:087-413146

WP LABUAN

REFERENCES ORGANIZATION/ SUPPORT

International Travel & Health, WHO 2012

International Health Regulations, 2005, WHO

Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, 18th Edition by David L. Heymann, MD,

Editor, 2004

http://travelhealth.co.uk/

Out and About in SUDAN

waddaya know, got movie bout it too.

It was 2004 if I'm not mistaken. Yea, definitely 2004 cos it was World Cup and I watched it there – Sudan time 8.00++ pm.

Here I was, an eager chap trying to map himself in this world that any slight opportunities to travel would not be denied. When Sudan was mentioned, I jumped in ecstasy and said YES. A big yes, that is.

Khartoum skyline, 2015 - pix credited to Mr. Google

And that yes came with slight hesitation and huge question marks therein: where the heck is Sudan? What is Sudan? Do they have snow there? (but of course! Haha). I Googled and studied a bit about Sudan – its people, culture and geography. Yup, a bit disappointed that it’s actually part of African continent but with majority Muslim population. There were little uprising back then (the idea of South Sudan separation were still at fetus stage) and advisably safe. Malaysia even have its Embassy open there.

Northern Sudanese. Dominantly in Khartoum.

The next thing I know, we were heading to Sudanese Embassy for visa application. I can’t really remember how much did we pay for the visa but I reckoned its around RM90-100++. And yeah, you are required to get immunization for yellow fever prior to applying for visa (please check next entry on Yellow Fever and related info).

Fast forward, within two weeks I was on board Emirates heading for Sudan. Oh yea, forgot to mention that I’ve been to Sudan three times. But the first trip was the most memorable simply because it’s the first time I set my foot into the country where the two Niles meet before streaming all the way to Egypt.

TRIVIA:

If you are in Khartoum, please ask your host / driver / whoever to drive you to the bridge (forgot the name) where the two Niles met. Only in Sudan that the White Nile and Blue Nile converge into one huge river and flow as far as Egypt and becoming the pulse of African continent. The reason behind these White and Blue are due to the reflection it made in the evening when the sun strikes that it shimmer in Blue at one side and White at another. And yeah, please go in the evening, about 3-4-5 pm to see this. You’ll be amazed. I mean, it’s the freaking NILE RIVER in its true form.

The White and Blue Niles meet and flow upstream to Egypt. That huge white building is the Presidential Palace y'all

The journey to Khartoum was kinda long with transit in Dubai for about 6 hours. Back in 2004, Dubai was still relatively cheap with exchange rate 1 to 1. We splurged ourselves with t-shirts and other worldly stuffs since we weren’t allowed to leave DBX.

It took another 4 odd hours from Dubai to Khartoum. From flight, I could see the vastness of sand after sand after sand and I started to doubt myself, what the hell am I doing? But I guessed it was too late isn’t it. From above I could see Khartoum International Airport looking very dodgy. If I am to find similarity, it looked a lot like the old Yangon International Airport (refer to my previous post on Myanmar). I anticipated that our meeting with Khartoum airport officials wouldn’t be that pleasant either. Yup, I was right! The moment we landed until retrieving our luggage, there were this stare and lotsa questions in Arabic. *DIE.

Newly furbished Khartoum International Airport. Pix credit to Andrew McConnell

Oh, forgot to describe the first time coming out the plane and breathe in to Khartoum’s H2O; it was flaming hot! There were no sky bridge, so we had to walk out the flight’s stair to the terminal building.

Once done, we headed to Hilton Khartoum (the agent had arranged it earlier). Upon arrival we used to house phone to call Malaysia Embassy informing our arrival only to be instructed to stay elsewhere and that the embassy had arranged to us to stay at Grand Holiday Villa; near Petronas and other high stake commercial buildings. The reason was that there were some insurgent whereby westerns assets were attacked and Hilton was one of the hot spot.

Khartoum Hiltom. The interior very much like a scene in the movies like Hotel Rwanda and The Last King Of Scotland.

The interior and set decoration of this hotel got 80s vibe to it.

Well, since we have called upon the embassy and they helped us (we got good embassy rate, FYI. Heheh save budget), it’s only right that we pay courtesy visit to the Embassy of Malaysia in Khartoum. We met with a very friendly Haji (you see, it’s been more than 10 years now and I’m bad at people’s name), the Second Secretary there and  he treated us for sumptuous and posh lunch (being embassy officials and what not, of course la fine dine. Hehek). He advised and gave us some tips and local customs – well, the usual stuffs of do’s and don’ts which were very useful. Anyway, a local by the name of Mr. Ballah was always with us every time we venture out – to assist on language mainly. The Sudanese spoke Arabic language with heavy local accent.

The entrance is facing the White Nile. Very near to its riverbank.

My posh room. Sekali sekala kan. hehek

The location to Grand Holiday Villa

It was Mr. Ballah that introduced us to the gems of Sudan and took us to the place where locals lead their lives. We specifically requested that we do not want to go to tourist areas (like there’s any. Sudan was still recovering from recent uprising and plenty of buildings were badly attack. The sight was scary and nerve wrecking.) FYI, not all were affected in 2004 attack – the one badly bombarded was the business centres and its surrounding areas. The one where Hilton located. Meanwhile the government quarter / district (like Putrajaya) was heavily guarded and safe – that’s where Grand Holiday Villa is.

Mr. Ballah took us to local wedding – a relative of his. Deeply rooted with Arab tradition, the banquet and celebration were held in close door for female whilst male have it outdoor. We were entertained with Sudanese traditional dance and poetry readings by the elderly. Though we did not understand a single thing, the language of love prevail that all of us smile in admiration. The food was superbly delicious with oh-so-many sweet delicacies to try on. Super sweet. Even the traditional red tea was sweet – no wonder they serve it in tiny cup. It’s thick crimson red and sweet. Out of respect, we savoured what was given and went on sugar high after that. Hahahah highly energetic! Heck, we even joined in the dance.

Another highlight was when Mr. Ballah treated us with typical Sudanese lunch at its very much warung-like for locals. Well, it’s actually a huge tent presiding on a vast red sand tucked somewhere deep within the housing areas. Like a suburb if you must. He drove us in his white Toyota Corolla (yup, the old ones) through some fierce streets and alley and after about 45 minutes of turning left and right, we arrived to the makan place. A simple tent with no chairs and no fancy china. We sat on a rug and patiently waited for whatever Mr. Ballah ordered. Two ladies came out with a bucket full of grilled lamb, a bowl of green salad – jarjil (rocket salad) and lettuce and tomatoes, a loaf of palm size bun – shaped like baguette, only smaller, and an empty basin. We ate with our bare hand and I must say, this was and is the best grilled - Arab - style dishes I’ve ever tried. And, I’ve tasted many from five star Saudi cuisine to Oman to Syrian to Yemen to Egypt. Nothing beat this so far. The taste still linger and I’m not exaggerating. I’M NOT!

This is how our lunch was prepared. Kickass style. Delicious!

What else, oh yeah, we spent good five days here in Khartoum. There are also stories from Sinar City and Omdurman – my second and third trip to Sudan. But I think I’m gonna stop here. 

Tulis panjang-panjang, korang letih nak membaca. Ye dak?

Ok, I see you when I see you.

[apekTRAVELS]