Bolivia: Increase in border epidemiological surveillance

Event

The Ministry of Health will implement stronger epidemiological surveillance at its borders to prevent the spread of diseases like dengue fever, chikungunya, the Zika virus, and influenza. Government personnel stationed at 47 border checkpoints will be trained for such surveillance in accordance with International Health Regulations. These measures may cause traffic disruptions.

Context

These checks are required for member states of the World Health Organization (WHO), with the goal of preventing the spread of disease without disrupting transportation and trade.

Last year, Bolivia had at least 160 cases of zika, specifically in the Santa Cruz, Beni, and Pando departments. There were also at least 47 confirmed deaths due to swine flu the Santa Cruz, La Paz, and Cochabamba departments. According to the WHO, there were 31,756 suspected cases of dengue and 20,785 suspected chikugunya cases in 2016.

Dengue fever, chikugunya, and the Zika virus are mosquito-borne diseases; influenza is transmitted through direct human contact.

Advice

Individuals are advised to account for potential travel disruptions. It is advised to take preventive measures for mosquito bites, e.g. by wearing covering clothing and using insect repellent, and to wash your hands frequently.