On 22 September 2020, the healthcare associated infections annual report for 2019 was published by Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland. The report reflects the work undertaken on healthcare associated infection (HCAI) prevention and reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) during 2019.

Data are provided for common HCAIs, which are an important cause of severe illness, death, and higher treatment costs. This report details the progress made by ARHAI Scotland to support the reduction of HCAIs in NHSScotland as well as providing data to inform local and national HCAI reduction activities.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to evolve, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises British nationals against all but essential travel, exempting some countries that no longer pose an unacceptably high risk for British travellers. This advice is being kept under constant review and may change at short notice.

The fitfortravel (for the general public) and TRAVAX (for health professionals) country pages have been updated to include a COVID-19 country specific risk-rating, with every country being identified as high, moderate or low risk and each rating accompanied by appropriate travel advice. This information will be listed in the ‘Alerts’ section on each country page of fitfortravel and the 'Emerging Health Risks' section of every TRAVAX country page. The risk-rating is based on a robust public health assessment of the COVID-19 risks for travellers to each country, and will be regularly reviewed. However, as the global spread of COVID-19 can change at any time, travellers are advised to consider the advice below before planning international travel.

It should be noted that the risk ratings for British Virgin Islands, Greece, Guam, Hungary, Finland, French Polynesia, La Reunion, Portugal, Norway, Guadeloupe, Curacao, Bonaire, Slovenia, St Eustatius and Saba have recently been upgraded, reflecting an increase of cases in these countries. The risk rating for Sweden has been downgraded.

Advice for travellers

Before planning and/or booking international travel, please check: 

• the UK Border Control website, in order to check current rules regarding self-isolation (quarantine) before your planned return to the UK 
• the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) website, for country specific Travel Advisory Notices regarding travel and entry restrictions, and review the local medical care available at your destination 
• the COVID-19 risk-rating at your destination, which will be listed in the ‘Alerts’ section of all fitfortravel country pages and the ‘Emerging Health Risks’ section of all TRAVAX country pages 
• the TRAVAX travel insurance page, as such insurance should be considered essential 
• the fitfortravel COVID-19 health considerations for travel page 
• physical distancing and hygiene measures in the country you are visiting

Information relating to travel and COVID-19 is available on the TRAVAX (for healthcare practitioners) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

Information on COVID-19 for the general public is available on the NHS Inform (Scotland) and the NHS.UK (rest of the UK) websites.

Information and resources on COVID-19 for health professionals is available on the Health Protection Scotland (HPS) (Scotland) and Public Health England (PHE) (rest of the UK) websites.

Source: TRAVAX, 28 August 2020

A report in the journal Eurosurveillance states that five locally acquired cases of dengue virus type 1 were detected in a family cluster in Vicenza Province, north-east Italy. The primary case was an importation from West Sumatra, Indonesia. This is the first outbreak of autochthonous dengue reported in Italy.

Additionally, according to media reports quoting public health authorities, a possible outbreak of dengue fever was reported in Nice, south-east France. The health agency l’Agence Régionale de Santé (ARS), for the Nice and Alpes-Maritimes region, informed of a possible outbreak after one case of dengue fever was confirmed on 4 September, and another on 7 September 2020.

Dengue is a commonly identified cause of febrile illness in returning travellers and the number of cases continues to increase. All travellers to endemic regions are potentially at risk of dengue fever and should be aware of this infection. Prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites at all times.

Information and advice for travellers on dengue is available from the TRAVAX (for health professionals) and fitfortravel (for the general public) websites.

Sources: TRAVAX, 15 September 2020 and TRAVAX, 15 September 2020

World Rabies Day is held each year on 28 September, the anniversary of Louis Pasteur’s death. Created and co-ordinated annually by Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), World Rabies Day aims to increase awareness of the disease and its prevention.

This year’s theme focuses on vaccination and collaboration, reminding health care practitioners and members of the public that the key current issues in rabies elimination are:

• the goal of ‘Zero by 30’, the global strategic plan to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030 
• the importance of dog vaccination and post-exposure prophylaxis 
• the need for a united effort towards achieving elimination of this transboundary disease

The TRAVAX rabies and rabies FAQ pages give information to health professionals on the disease and pre-exposure vaccination, while the post-exposure rabies guidance page provides information on where to seek advice when rabies post-exposure management is required. Information for the general public is available on the fitfortravel website.

On 14 September 2020, ministers of health and public health leaders from 53 member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region endorsed a new five-year plan. The European Programme of Work (EPW), also known as ‘United action for better health in Europe’, sets out how the WHO and its member states will work together to meet citizens’ expectations for health.

Under the EPW, European member states aim to implement three core priorities: 

• guaranteeing the right of universal access to quality care without fear of financial hardship 
• protecting against health emergencies 
• building healthy communities, where public health actions and appropriate public policies secure a better life in an economy of well-being

These core priorities are anchored in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and are aligned with the global vision set out in the WHO’s General Programme of Work 2019 to 2023.

Source: WHO, 14 September 2020

Every year since 2011, World Environmental Health Day has been celebrated on 26 September.

The theme this year is ‘Environmental health, a key public health intervention in disease pandemic prevention’. Key to the implementation of disease preventive measures is reported to be the Environmental Health Practitioner (EHP). EHPs are playing a vital role since the initial response to the outbreak of disease pandemics all over the world, in disaster preparedness and response, investigating outbreaks of infectious diseases and preventing such outbreaks from spreading further.

More information about World Environmental Health Day is available on the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) website.