Building the Future of Biodefense

Recommendation: Informational update. Organizations in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, Bolivia. should reduce mosquito populations at their facilities by eliminating standing water. Employees can prevent mosquito bites by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and eliminating standing water near their homes. Organizations should inform employees with planned work travel to affected countries and support pregnant employees who opt not to travel. Employees should consult a doctor about vaccination against chikungunya before traveling to affected areas. Vaccine eligibility and availability may vary by country.

Situation: The United States CDC issued a Level 2: Practice Enhanced Precautions travel advisory for Bolivia after a chikungunya outbreak was reported in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba. The Level 2 advisory recommends that anyone traveling to the affected areas should protect themselves by avoiding mosquito bites, getting vaccinated when traveling to outbreak areas (with medical guidance during pregnancy), reconsidering travel late in pregnancy, and seeking medical care if symptoms like fever, joint pain, or rash occur during or after travel. See PHC alerts on 2/11 and 2/10 for earlier info. [Confidence: Very High]

Recommendation: Informational update. Rabies is endemic in the Philippines, which ranks among the top 10 countries globally most affected by the disease. Human rabies cases are 100% fatal if untreated. Travelers should consider getting vaccinated against rabies before travel if they might come in contact with dogs, cats, or wildlife, or plan to work with animals during travel. Travelers potentially exposed to rabies, including those bitten, scratched, or having a fresh wound, should immediately seek medical care.

Situation: According to media sources, the Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seized suspected counterfeit anti-rabies vaccines, branded “Equirab,” during an enforcement operation in Aurora following a rabies-related death of an 8-year-old child. Inspections of drugstores on 2/10 near Aurora Memorial Hospital, where anti-rabies vaccines were reportedly purchased, uncovered multiple violations involving the sale, handling, and storage of anti-rabies vaccines. The FDA secured and sealed all vaccine stocks, including confiscating “Equirab” doses flagged under FDA Advisory No. 2025-1415 as counterfeit. The identified distributor was also found to have committed multiple violations, including failing to provide vaccine source records and lacking proper storage equipment for high-risk biological products. The FDA warned that counterfeit or improperly stored vaccines pose serious health risks, including treatment failure and death. [Confidence: Very High]

Recommendation: Whooping cough (also known as pertussis) is highly contagious; a single case in the workplace can infect 15 others. The average worker absenteeism for whooping cough is 6 days. Organizations in Yukon, Canada, should provide flexible work schedules to support employees making vaccine appointments for themselves or family members.

Situation: Canada reported a rising number of whooping cough cases in the Yukon this week. The number of cases was not specified. Health officials urged the public to seek care if they develop respiratory symptoms. The advisory was issued ahead of the Arctic Winter Games, which will take place in Whitehorse from 3/8 - 3/14, bringing nearly 2,000 volunteers, 2,000 athletes, and other participants from the United States, Canada, Scandinavia, and Greenland together. Mass gatherings can increase disease spread. [Confidence: Very High]