Indian Ocean region safe despite fever outbreak: WHO

By Nita Bhalla

PORT LOUIS (Reuters) – The World Health Organization (WHO)
sought to reassure tourists it was safe to travel to the Indian
Ocean region, despite a crippling mosquito-borne virus that has
infected some 150,000 people.

The “Chikungunya” fever, for which there is no cure or
vaccine, has been spreading through Reunion, Mauritius and
Seychelles since January.

Mauritius has so far had 1,298 confirmed cases and 4,706
suspected cases and authorities are awaiting test results after
the death of a 33-year-old man last week.

At the end of a three-day visit to Mauritius to assess
efforts to control the outbreak, a team of WHO experts told a
news conference there was no reason for visitors to be
concerned.

“There is no WHO restriction to travel to Mauritius and
there have been no restrictions to travel to Reunion even when
it was at peak of the epidemic,” Pierre Formenty from the WHO
told a news conference.

Mauritius relies heavily on tourism for foreign revenue,
with more than 700,000 tourists flocking to its white sand
beaches every year, generating around $800 million annually.

Facing major losses due to the erosion of trade preferences
to its sugar and textiles exports, the government is investing
in promoting its tourism industry to accelerate economic
growth.

While the neighboring French volcanic island of Reunion has
reported 157,000 cases and 77 deaths linked to the virus and
tour operators have seen cancellations in bookings, Mauritius
says tourism there has not been affected.

“We actually saw an increase of 18 percent in tourist
arrivals in January compared to last year so I don’t believe
tourism is at risk,” said a ministry of tourism official.

Seychelles, which reported at least 1,000 cases in
February, say numbers have declined with the end of heavy rains
and there has been no impact on tourism.

The disease, first recognized in Tanzania in 1952, is
marked by high fever and severe rashes and can be extremely
painful.

The WHO does not believe the tropical virus is fatal, but
health experts say it can weaken the immune system, allowing
other deadly diseases to set it.