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The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published the 27th Emergency Situational Update regarding cholera outbreaks.
The WHO reported that from January 2025 to May 25 2025, a cumulative total of 211,678 cholera cases and 2,754 related fatalities were reported from 26 countries.
Three WHO regions, with the African Region recording the highest numbers, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and the South-East Asia Region.
In May 2025, the South-East Asia Region reported 257 new cholera cases from Myanmar.
Since cholera is a vaccine-preventable disease, the WHO recommends oral cholera vaccines (OCVs) for travelers visiting countries where outbreaks are occurring.
As of June 22, 2025, the WHO has prequalified Vaxchora®, Dukoral®, Shanchol™, Euvichol®, and Euvichol-S OCVs.
In January 2025, the WHO stated that OCV production had reached 6.2 million doses. However, as of May 2025, the OCV stockpile consisted of 5.7 million doses, which is below the minimum emergency threshold of five million.
The WHO says that, during the current cholera outbreak, only one OCV dose course has been implemented in reactive vaccination campaigns.
As of June 22, 2025, there are ample supplies of OCVs at travel clinics and pharmacies in the United States.
In the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA), several countries are currently experiencing outbreaks of hepatitis A virus (HAV), with two clusters involving closely related HAV subgenotype IB strains.
As of June 18, 2025, Hungary (66 cases), Austria (43 cases), Slovakia (23 cases) and Germany (three cases) have a high probability of sustained transmission and circulation of the HAV within specific groups, as assessed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
Additionally, cases have been reported among members of the Roma communities in Czechia.
In 2024, Czechia sequenced a total of 52 samples, of which 34 were identified as subgenotype IB. Between January and the end of April 2025, 30 additional samples were analysed, with 25 identified as subgenotype IB.
Since hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable disease, the ECDC recommends tailoring outreach to populations at higher risk of exposure to HAV, based on an understanding of their specific needs, attitudes, and knowledge.
The specific recommendations include the following actions:
Targeted single-dose pre-exposure hepatitis A vaccination programmes for populations who are not vaccinated and who are more likely to be exposed to the virus.
Provide post-exposure prophylaxis to close contacts of cases by administering the hepatitis A vaccine, or in particular circumstances, hepatitis A immunoglobulins.
And finally, consider targeted vaccination of population groups more likely to be exposed to HAV in low and very-low-endemicity settings to provide individual health benefits.
As of June 20, 2025, the U.S. CDC recommends that international travelers visiting areas with HAV outbreaks consult with a vaccine expert one month before departure to assess vaccination options.
For example, vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Hungary. And when visiting the Lisbon and Tagus Valley regions in Portugal.
According to a recent World Health Organization report, the Western Pacific Region is facing significant dengue outbreaks for the second consecutive year.
Since dengue is a vaccine-preventable disease, countries such as the Republic of Singapore are conducting clinical trials pursuing the use of a third-generation vaccine.
On June 18, 2025, MSD (Merck & Co.) announced the initiation of the MOBILIZE-1 Phase 3 clinical trial (V181-005) evaluating the safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of a single dose of V181, a quadrivalent vaccine candiate, for the prevention of dengue disease caused by any of the four dengue virus serotypes, regardless of prior dengue exposure.
Recruitment for this late-stage trial has begun, and the first participants are now enrolling in Singapore.
The study is planned to include more than 30 trial sites in dengue-endemic areas in the Asia-Pacific region, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Dr. Abdullahi Sheriff, Managing Director, MSD in Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei, commented in a press release, “We are grateful to the scientific community in Singapore for their commitment to scientific excellence and partnership throughout this journey."
"Singapore and the surrounding countries in Southeast Asia are areas with a risk for dengue, making it a serious public health threat."
Throughout 2024 and during the first half of 2025, dengue cases and related fatalities have been reported in most countries in the Region of the Americas, including the United States.
The global need for additional dengue vaccines is substantial. As of June 20, 2025, the second-generation QDENGA vaccine is in limited supply worldwide and is unavailable in the U.S.
The World Health Organization (WHO) today reported rabies cases in dogs continue to be reported from multiple municipalities in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste during 2025.
As of June 18, 2025, the WHO's 12th Edition reported six human rabies cases between April 2024 and June 15, 2025, in a Southeast Asian country.
Five of these cases have been fatal. Among those cases, three deaths were recorded in Oecusse, and one each in Ermera and Bobonaro municipalities.
Out of 1,445 dog bite cases reported between April 2024 and June 2025, 41% were classified as category III, considered high-risk and for which immediate vaccination and administration of rabies immunoglobulin are recommended.
However, only 18% of those category III cases have received immunoglobulin. But 66% of all bite victims received an initial rabies vaccination after exposure, but most have not completed the full recommended course.
The Ministry of Health of Timor-Leste, in collaboration with stakeholders and the public, has confirmed that it will launch a national rabies prevention campaign aimed at increasing vaccine availability, expanding vaccination of dog populations, and enhancing surveillance in both human and animal populations.
The U.S. CDC advises that you should consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive a pre-exposure vaccination before visiting Timor-Leste in 2025.
In addition to rabies, measles, typhoid, and chikungunya vaccinations should be considered before visiting Timor-Leste.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently confirmed that many air travelers fail to realize that defying the crew's instructions not only puts everyone's safety at risk but also poses a significant liability for airlines.
IATA figures indicate an increase in the rate of reported unruly passenger incidents.
Based on over 24,500 incident reports from more than 50 operators globally, there was one incident for every 480 flights in 2023, compared to one incident for every 568 flights in 2022.
To address one aspect of these concerns, the Türkiye Cumhuriyeti issued a warning on May 6, 2025, stating that potential disciplinary action may be taken against airline passengers who stand up before the plane has come to a complete stop and the seatbelt sign has been turned off.
The "Passenger Announcements Circular" No. UOD - 2025/01 empowers Turkish Airlines, the country's flag carrier, to impose fines on violators of around $70 per violation.
In the United States, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is responsible for ensuring the safety of air travel.
As of June 19, 2025, TSA regulations are designed to protect passengers and airline staff by minimizing potential threats at airports and on flights.
The TSA's Secure Flight is a risk-based passenger prescreening program that enhances security by identifying low- and high-risk passengers before they arrive at the airport, matching their names against trusted traveler lists and watchlists.
The TSA has reported that in June 2025, over 2.6 million people flew an airplane each day in the U.S.
While the Republic of Costa Rica's Ministry of Health is a leader in disclosing mosquito-transmitted disease cases, the information may be contributing to the decline of tourism in this Central American country.
As of June 19, 2025, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) data indicate that, since September 2024, eight of the last twelve months have seen fewer visitors.
For example, there was a 4.7% drop in air arrivals compared to May 2024.
The positive news from the ICT sector is that it projects a 2–4% growth for the remainder of 2025; however, challenges such as rising costs and safety concerns remain.
As do reports of chikungunya, dengue, malaria, and even Zika cases in the mountains and beaches in 2025.
Furthermore, since April 2024, the Ministry of Health has reported a whooping cough outbreak in the Tibas district of San José.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the UK's Fit for Travel, visitors to Costa Rica may be exposed to mosquito-transmitted infectious diseases. As of June 19, 2025, the CDC recommends checking the travel vaccine list and seeing a healthcare provider at least a month before visiting Costa Rica.
According to a recent statement by Edivilson Brum, the head of the Rio Grande do Sul state’s agriculture department, Brazil is poised to declare commercial flocks free of the avian influenza (bird flu) virus.
The 28-day countdown for reclaiming Brazil's disease-free status began on May 22, 2025.
According to a government article, the 28-day sanitary quarantine ended on June 18, 2025, a period technically referred to as a sanitary vacuum.
Over the period, more than 4,000 vehicles were stopped at sanitary checkpoints set up in the region to control the transportation of animals, animal products, and feed. Surveillance visits to rural properties were conducted within two established zones: one located three kilometers away and the other ten kilometers from the outbreak.
With the end of restrictions and the absence of new outbreaks, Brazil will be able to declare itself to the WHO as a country free of highly pathogenic avian influenza, a crucial step in maintaining international confidence and strengthening Brazilian exports of poultry products.
Although the quarantine has ended, health surveillance remains active in Rio Grande do Sul, which is home to one of the largest poultry farms in Brazil.
All measures adopted in Montenegro followed national protocols and guidelines from the World Organization for Animal Health.
