UN: health risks of international travel

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued the latest 2012 edition of International Travel and Health report on Wednesday, saying that massive global travel exposes many people to a range of health risks, a UN spokesman told reporters here. The report "says more than 900 million international journeys are undertaken every year," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said at a daily news briefing here. "Global travel on this scale exposes many people to a range of health risks, which can be minimized by precautions taken before, during and after travel." "WHO stresses that depending on the characteristics of both the traveler and the travel, people may encounter sudden and significant changes in altitude, humidity, microbes, and temperature, which can result in ill-health," Nesirky said. "In addition, serious health risks may arise in areas where accommodation is of poor quality, hygiene and sanitation are inadequate, medical services are not well developed and clean water is unavailable," he said. "The 2012 edition of International Travel and Health provides updated information on vaccines and their requirements, malaria and yellow fever risks, and new information for last minute travelers," he said