HEALTH ALERT – U.S. EMBASSY MANILA (03 MAY 2023)

[Lee]

 

 

Quote

 

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Manila (03 May 2023

Location:  Countrywide 

Event:  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice on May 1, 2023, for Diphtheria in the Philippines .  Several regions in the Philippines are reporting an increased number of diphtheria cases.   

Actions to Take: 

Vaccination is essential to protect against diphtheria and anyone traveling to affected areas should be up to date with their diphtheria vaccines . 
Avoid contact with persons with symptoms of diphtheria (fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, change in voice, shortness of breath, weakness, or fatigue) and touching wounds of others.
If you feel sick during or after travel, seek medical care immediately .  Tell the clinician about your diphtheria vaccination status and travel exposures.  If you are sick and unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated against diphtheria you are at increased risk of becoming very sick when exposed to diphtheria.  It is important to start treatment  with antitoxin and antibiotics as soon as possible.
For additional details, please visit the CDC alert notice . 
______________________________________________________ 

For further information and assistance:

U.S. Embassy Manila: +63 (2) 5301-2000; ACSInfoManila@state.gov
State Department – Consular Affairs: 888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
Philippines Country Specific Information 
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts

 

 

Health Alert – U.S. Embassy Manila (03 May 2023)  - U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)

 

What are the symptoms of diphtheria?

Common diphtheria symptoms include:

Throat pain.
Weakness or fatigue.
Fever.
Swollen neck glands.
Problems breathing due to tissues obstructing your nose and throat.
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
Nerve, kidney or heart problems (if the bacteria enters your bloodstream).
An infected person typically shows signs of diphtheria around two to five days after exposure. The length of time for symptoms to show can be anywhere from one to 10 days after exposure.

Is diphtheria contagious?
Yes. Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease that’s spread through airborne droplets or contaminated personal items.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17870-diphtheria

Edited May 3, 2023 by Jollygoodfellow
Paste as plain text or risk the post being deleted. FIXED

[BrettGC]

For the Aussies, if you ever had the routine tetanus shot as a kid, you've been vaccinated against this.  It's a 3 in 1 along with whooping cough.  It's part of the routine child vaccination programme along with a raft of others. 

https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/when-to-get-vaccinated/immunisation-for-infants-and-children#routine-vaccines-for-children

If you're ex-military you would have had many of them done again along with a heap more.  Shirts off, thumbs in belt loops, a line of medics either side of you sticking you with needles each time you took a step forward.    

Edited May 3, 2023 by BrettGC

[Lee]

16 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

If you're ex-military you would have had many of them done again along with a heap more.  Shirts off, thumbs in belt loops, a line of medics either side of you sticking you with needles each time you took a step forward.    

When I went through this in the US back in the 70's; it was  doctor on each side of a single file line using an "air gun" to blow vaccines into your arms. Several people passed out after looking at the trickle of blood running down both arms.

[Mike J]

1 minute ago, Lee said:

When I went through this in the US back in the 70's; it was  doctor on each side of a single file line using an "air gun" to blow vaccines into your arms. Several people passed out after looking at the trickle of blood running down both arms.

Same, 1971 at Fort Polk, Louisiana.  

[BrettGC]

9 minutes ago, Lee said:

When I went through this in the US back in the 70's; it was  doctor on each side of a single file line using an "air gun" to blow vaccines into your arms. Several people passed out after looking at the trickle of blood running down both arms.

Hahaha, we had a few of those as well.  Not the air guns though, I think by the time I went through in '87 they'd been deemed unsafe for whatever reason.  The TB shot was the worst for me, it festered into a small sore and was painful for days and like many others the the scar is still there but mine's under a tattoo.  I was lucky though, one of the guys ended up with a lump the size of a golf ball that had to be lanced every day for a week.  He was one bunk over from me and it let off an interesting odour. Other than that, he was fine though. 

Edited May 3, 2023 by BrettGC

[Possum]

In 2012 before being sent to Africa they decided to update all my vaccines. Four in one arm and three in the other. Then they sent me to water survival school the next day,  I have never completely forgiven the person that set up that schedule.

[BrettGC]

24 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Same, 1971 at Fort Polk, Louisiana.  

Given the subject matter I read "Fort Poke".. 

[Guy F.]

1 hour ago, Lee said:

When I went through this in the US back in the 70's; it was  doctor on each side of a single file line using an "air gun" to blow vaccines into your arms. Several people passed out after looking at the trickle of blood running down both arms.

I have a permanent divot in my arm (1/4 inch wide and 1/8 inch deep) from a medic being deliberately sadistic with a vax airgun. The company commander noticed it and I believe there were consequences.

[baronapart]

Great Lakes 1983. Lines of recruits with blood running down arms. We were training fodder for the students at Medical Corpsman "A" school.

[Tommy T.]

And bad news, boys.... tetanus and some others need to be re-newed about every 10 years or so. I had my tetanus re-newed in Manila several years ago. It was difficult to find a doc who would do that since it is mostly done for infants. Yeah.... I am a bit infantile, but not physically...!