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Slovenia US Consular Information Sheet
Slovenia operates under a parliamentary democracy.
In May 2004, Slovenia became a member of the European Union.
Tourist facilities are widely available th Read More Show Less
oughout the country.
Read the Department of State's Background Notes on Slovenia for additional information.
Slovenia is a party to the Schengen agreement.
As such, U.S. citizens may enter Slovenia for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa.
The passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay.
For further details about travel into and within Schengen countries, please see our Schegen fact sheet.
Slovene authorities may confiscate passports with signs of damage, such as missing pages, as suspicious documents, potentially causing travel delays.
American citizens entering and exiting Slovenia by personal vehicle are required to have a valid U.S. and International Driver's License (See our Road Safety page for further information) or they may be refused entry into the country and/or fined.
All non-EU citizens staying longer than 3 days in Slovenia must register with the local police within 3 days of arrival and inform the office about any change in their address. Registration of foreign visitors staying in hotels or accommodations rented through an accommodation company is done automatically by the hotelier or accommodation company, but visitors staying with family members must register themselves.
Registration is available 24 hours a day at police stations and is free of charge. Failure to register can result in a significant fine of up to 400 euros.
For further information on entry requirements for Slovenia, travelers may contact the Embassy of Slovenia at 2410 California Street, NW, Washington, DC
20008, tel. (202) 386-6610; the Consulate General of Slovenia in New York City, tel. (2l2) 370-3006; or the Consulate General in Cleveland, Ohio, tel. (216) 589-9220.
Visit the Embassy of Slovenia's web site for the most current visa information.
Slovenia remains largely free of terrorist incidents.
This assessment takes into account historical data relevant to terrorist activities and recent reporting indicating whether acts could be conducted without prior advance warnings.
However, like other countries in the Schengen area, Slovenia shares open borders with its Western European neighbors, allowing the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity.
There are occasional political demonstrations in city centers in Slovenia.
They occur most often in central Ljubljana in areas around Kongresni Trg (Congress Square), in front of the Parliament building, around other government facilities, and, at times, near the American Embassy.
These demonstrations are usually peaceful and generally are not anti-American in nature.
However, there have been demonstrations that voiced anti-American sentiments.
American citizens should keep in mind that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence.
For additional information, Americans are encouraged to check the Embassy's website or call the Embassy at 386-1-200-5595 or 200-5599 (200-5556 after hours and on weekends/holidays).
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs' web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's A Safe Trip Abroad.
Slovenia's overall crime rate is low and violent crimes are relatively uncommon.
Most crimes tend to be non-violent and directed towards obtaining personal property, such as purse-snatching, pick-pocketing, and residential and vehicle break-ins.
Visitors should take normal security precautions and are requested to report any incidents to the local police.
Vehicle break-in/theft is a continuous problem in Slovenia.
Individuals should always lock vehicles, use vehicle anti-theft devices, park in well-lighted areas, and secure vehicles in residential or hotel garages.
Residential burglaries occur where there are security vulnerabilities and/or where residents are not implementing residential security practices.
American citizens should ensure their residence is properly secured at all times, as recent burglary reports indicate access was gained when doors were not secured with an appropriate lock.
The local equivalent to the "911" emergency line in Slovenia is: 113.
Persons violating Slovenian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Slovenia are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Adequate medical care is readily available.
Travelers to Slovenia may obtain a list of English-speaking physicians at the U.S. Embassy.
Antibiotics, as well as other American-equivalent prescription medications are available at local pharmacies.
In Slovenia all medications, including drugs considered over-the-counter and first aid supplies, are dispensed through pharmacies ("lekarna").
For those persons who engage in outdoor activities, a vaccine to prevent tick-borne encephalitis is recommended.
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Slovenia.
For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) web site.
The information below concerning Slovenia is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Slovenia has a well-developed road network that is safe for travel.
Highways connect to neighboring cities and countries and are clearly sign-posted; road signs and traffic rules are consistent with those used throughout Europe.
As the number of cars in Slovenia continues to rise, roads are becoming more heavily congested during the weekends on major routes and during rush hours.
Parking is difficult and can be expensive in the center of Ljubljana.
Traffic moves on the right.
Third-party liability insurance is required for all vehicles; coverage is purchased locally.
Travelers should be alert to aggressive drivers both in cities and on highways.
Many of the serious accidents in Slovenia occur as a result of high-speed driving.
Emergency roadside help and information may be found by dialing 1-987 for vehicle assistance and towing services, 112 for an ambulance or fire brigade, and 113 for police.
By Slovene law, the maximum legal blood-alcohol content limit for drivers is 0.05%.
U.S. visitors or U.S. residents in Slovenia must be in possession of both a valid U.S. driver's license and an International Driver's License in order to drive in Slovenia.
International Driver's Licenses are valid for a maximum of one year, after which residents of Slovenia are required to obtain a Slovene driver's license.
Current information about traffic and road conditions is available in English by calling (01) 530-5300 and online from the Automobile Association of Slovenia and the Traffic Information Center for Public Roads.
The speed limit is 50kph/30 mph in urban areas, 130 kph/80 mph on expressways (the avtocesta).
Motorists are required to have their headlights on during the daytime; drivers and passengers alike must wear seat belts; motorcyclists and their passengers must wear approved helmets.
The use of handheld cellular telephones while driving is prohibited in Slovenia.
Highway vignettes are obligatory for all vehicles with the permissible maximum weight of 3,500 kg on motorways and expressways in Slovenia.
A one-year vignette costs EUR 55; a half-year vignette costs EUR 35; for motorcycles, the one-year vignette is EUR 27,50 and the half-year vignette is EUR 17,50.
A one-year vignette for the current year is valid from December 1st of the previous year to January 31st of the next year (a total of 14 months). The half-year vignette is valid for six months following the day of its purchase.
Using motorways and expressways without a valid and properly-displayed vignette in a vehicle is considered a violation of the law; violators may be fined between EUR 300 and 800. In addition to this fine, a new sticker must be purchased and displayed on the vehicle.
Vignettes can be purchased in Slovenia at petrol stations, newsstands, automobile clubs, post offices (Posta Slovenije), and some toll stations, and also at petrol stations in neighboring countries.
Current information is also available at the website of Slovenia's national tourist office, which is the national authority responsible for road safety.
As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Slovenia, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Slovenia's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.
For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's website.
Americans living or traveling in Slovenia are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy or through the State Department's travel registration website so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security within Slovenia.
The U.S. Embassy is located at Presernova 31, Ljubljana 1000, Tel: (386)(1) 200-5500 or Fax: (386)(1) 200-5535.
This replaces the Country Specific Information for Slovenia dated July 29, 2008, to update the
Entry/Exit Requirements and Traffic Safety and Road Conditions sections.
Slovenians strive to live in peace with bears
Animal Attacks Slovenia - 12 months ago
Date: Mon, 6 Aug 2018 12:06:36 +0200
By Bojan KAVCIC
Markovec, Slovenia, Aug 6, 2018 (AFP) - When he used to go hunting, Miha Mlakar would dream of killing a bear. But today the 33-year-old from Slovenia makes his living watching the animals, peacefully, in their natural forest environment. The turnaround to shooting bears with a camera, not a rifle, puts Mlakar, who runs bear observation tours, in step with wider efforts in the small Alpine nation to promote the coexistence of humans and bears.
Once on the verge of extinction, Slovenia's brown bear population is booming, with the number roaming the sprawling forests having doubled in the last decade to around 1,000. As a result, encounters with bears have increased -- not that it seems to unduly worry everyone. "If you run into a bear, you have to step back... (But) there is no danger. The bear also prefers to move away," Ljubo Popovic, a 67-year-old pensioner who lives in the village of Banja Loka in the southern Kocevje region, told AFP. Lying an hour to the west, near Markovec village, Mlakar has built 20 hides in a remote patch of forest reachable only by off-road vehicle and takes visitors, including foreign tourists, to observe the bears. "I cannot imagine this forest without bears. Bears make the forest wild and pristine, natural, like it was a few hundred or thousand years ago... I feel a connection with bears," he tells AFP.
- Managing bears -
Slovenian bears are even sought after abroad. Between 1996 and 2006, eight Slovenian bears were released in the French Pyrenees, and France currently has a population of about 40 bears, whose presence divides opinion in regions where they live. In Slovenia, more than 60 percent of respondents in a 2016 survey carried out in areas where bears live said they were in favour of the bears' presence, even if many also said they would like to see the numbers regulated. "We have an average of one to three cases of physical contact between bears and humans per year," Rok Cerne, of the Slovenia Forest Service in charge of wildlife, told AFP.
"Fortunately, we haven't registered any serious incident over the last years," he added, stressing they were "very active in preventive measures". Removing food sources that could attract bears has been one such step. In villages close to bear habitats, local authorities have replaced regular plastic waste and compost bins, which can be easily opened or flipped by the animals, with containers protected by heavy metal cages.
Meanwhile, damage to cattle from bear forays has remained stable, at up to 200,000 euros ($231,500) a year, despite the bear population increasing, Cerne said. Farmers are entitled to an 80-percent subsidy for using electric fences to protect flocks and the loss of cattle due to bears is compensated. If a bear becomes a habitual visitor to a village, special intervention groups step in to kill or relocate the animal with the help of local hunters. Regular culling also keeps the population under control to ensure long-term cohabitation, Cerne said. This year, authorities have proposed culling 200 bears, twice as many as last year.
- Romania's 'Van Damme' bear -
Slovenia's approach could inspire neighbouring Romania, home to about 6,000 bears or 60 percent of Europe's estimated bear population, where tourists to villages in the Carpathian Mountains often post pictures online of bears waiting to be hand-fed. Bears rummaging through waste containers on the outskirts of cities, such as Brasov in central Romania, have become a common sight. And on a central motorway construction site, workmen have christened a regularly spotted sturdy male bear Van Damme after the Hollywood star.
Beyond tourists' anecdotes however, Romania has seen a "growing number of attacks" by bears, highlighted in a conservation plan published last month that recommends hunting to keep numbers at optimum levels. Use of reinforced bins, as well as a proposal for building work to be limited in regions where bears live, are also included in the government plan. Since the beginning of last year, 31 people, mostly shepherds, have been attacked, one of them fatally.
Meanwhile, some 940 forays by bears into populated areas were registered last year, including attacks on sheep flocks and entry into gardens; so far this year, the figure is 120. But environmental campaigners fear that "hunting will be the main instrument to keep bear populations under control", when other measures could work, said Livia Cimpoeru, of the WWF Romania. The government has proposed 4,000 bears as the ideal number in the country of 20 million people. Learning simple rules, such as how to avoid startling bears and not feeding them, as well as efficient management like accurate counting to ascertain trends, is crucial for reducing conflicts with humans, said Mareike Brix, of German-based EuroNatur foundation. "There is a risk, and there can be problems... But it's also great (to have bears). Wild nature has become so rare in Europe," she tells AFP.
Measles cases reported in Slovenia
Disease Measles Slovenia - 1 year ago
Date: Thu 13 Jun 2018
Source: STA [not open access; edited]
<https://english.sta.si/2524873/three-more-measles-cases-in-maribor>
The UKC Maribor hospital has registered 3 new cases of measles infection, including a doctor and a nurse who treated 1 of the 3 patients who got measles earlier.
The rest of this story is by subscription....
[A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Slovenia can be found at
Child with Tetanus reported in Slovenia
Disease Tetanus Slovenia - 3 years ago
<http://outbreaknewstoday.com/slovenia-reports-first-tetanus-case-in-two-decades-69285/>
The vaccine-preventable disease, tetanus, has been considered eradicated among children in the Central European country of Slovenia for the past 20 years; health officials report a case in an unvaccinated child as reported in local media Fri, 14 Oct 2016.
The National Public Health Institute (NIJZ) says while the disease has been considered eradicated among children for the past 2 decades, a few cases are reported every year among the elderly, who grew up before systemic vaccination against the disease was introduced. Tetanus vaccination has been available in Slovenia since 1951.
Tetanus is caused by a very potent toxin produced by the anaerobic bacterium, _Clostridium tetani_. The spores of this organism are very resistant to environmental factors and are found widely distributed in soil and in the intestines and feces of horses, sheep, cattle, dogs, cats, rats, guinea pigs, and chickens. Manure-treated soil may contain large numbers of spores. In agricultural areas, a significant number of human adults may harbor the organism.
These spores are usually introduced into the body through a puncture wound contaminated with soil, street dust, animal bites or animal or human feces, through lacerations, burns or trivial unnoticed wounds or by injecting contaminated drugs. So many times you hear about concern over stepping on a rusty nail; however the rust has nothing to do with tetanus. At this point the spores germinate into bacteria which multiply and produce toxin. Depending on the extent of the wound, the incubation of tetanus is around 10-14 days.
Some of the common symptoms of tetanus are lockjaw, followed by stiffness of the neck, difficulty swallowing, and rigidity of abdominal muscles. Other symptoms include fever, sweating, elevated blood pressure, and episodic rapid heart rate. Spasms may occur frequently and last for several minutes. Spasms continue for 3-4 weeks. The typical features of a tetanus spasm are the position of opisthotonos and the facial expressions known as "risus sardonicus". The death rate for this disease ranges from 10 to 80 percent depending on age and quality of care.
There are really no laboratory findings that are characteristic of tetanus. The diagnosis is entirely clinical and does not depend upon bacteriologic confirmation. This disease in not transmitted from person to person. Even if you had tetanus and recovered, this potent toxin produces no immunity. [Byline: Robert Herriman]
[Tetanus is a potentially fatal disease characterized by skeletal muscle rigidity and painful convulsive spasms, which are caused by a potent neurotoxin, tetanospasmin, produced by the vegetative form of _Clostridium tetani_, an anaerobic spore-forming Gram-positive bacillus. _C. tetani_ is a member of the normal intestinal flora of animals, including humans. Tetanus usually occurs following contamination of wounds by soil or animal feces in which the spores of _C. tetani_ can be found.
A newly published article demonstrates that the extracellular matrix proteins called nidogens (or entactins) appear to be the receptor for the tetanus neurotoxin to enter the neuromuscular junction (Bercsenyi K, Schmieg N, Bryson JB, et al: Tetanus toxin entry. Nidogens are therapeutic targets for the prevention of tetanus. Science. 2014;346(6213):1118-23. doi: 10.1126/science.1258138, abstract available at: <http://science.sciencemag.org/content/346/6213/1118.long>).
"Tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) is among the most poisonous substances on Earth and a major cause of neonatal death in nonvaccinated areas. TeNT targets the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) with high affinity, yet the nature of the TeNT receptor complex remains unknown. Here, we show that the presence of nidogens (also known as entactins) at the NMJ is the main determinant for TeNT binding. Inhibition of the TeNT-n idogeninteraction by using small nidogen-derived peptides or genetic ablation of nidogens prevented the binding of TeNT to neurons and protected mice from TeNT-induced spastic paralysis. Our findings demonstrate the direct involvement of an extracellular matrix protein as a receptor for TeNT at the NMJ, paving the way for the development of therapeutics for the prevention of tetanus by targeting this protein-protein interaction."
Tetanus may follow surgical procedures, burns, deep puncture wounds, crush wounds, otitis media, dental infection, animal bites, abortion, and pregnancy. The presence of necrotic tissue and/or foreign bodies increases risk for tetanus because they favor growth of _C. tetani_. Tetanus can also follow injection of contaminated illicit drugs. Neonatal tetanus occurs usually in developing countries in infants with infection of the umbilical stump who are born to a non-immune mother. Infants of actively immunized mothers acquire passive immunity that protects them from neonatal tetanus. Tetanus is not directly transmitted from person to person.
Tetanus occurs in people who are inadequately immunized, i.e., people who have not completed the primary series and received appropriate boosters. Recovery from tetanus is not necessarily associated with immunity, and primary immunization is indicated after recovery from tetanus. - ProMED Mod.LL]
Authorities in Slovenia remove sections of razor-wire border fence due to floods
Climate Changes Slovenia - 4 years ago
Ljubljana, Jan 12, 2016 (AFP) - The Slovenian army on Tuesday began removing sections of a razor-wire border fence, erected to control the inflow of migrants from Croatia, due to flooding by the Kolpa river, local media reported. Slovenian soldiers removed 200-300 metres of the fence in the Griblje and Dragatus areas, villages some 110 kilometres (70 miles) south of Ljubljana, after the Kolpa burst its banks and floodwaters threatened to tear down the fence, the STA news agency reported.
Since mid-November Slovenia has built over 150 kilometres of razor-wire fence along its border with Croatia, hoping to prevent an uncontrolled inflow of migrants across the "green border". Over 400,000 migrants have crossed into Slovenia since mid-October, most hoping to carry on to Austria or Germany.
The Slovenian government's information office said Monday that the border fence would be removed in areas where the stream of the Kolpa river was strongest and replaced, in the near future, by a more resistant fence. Situated in one of Slovenia's most attractive natural parks, the Kolpa river marks over 100 kilometres of the 670 kilometre-long Slovenia-Croatia border. The fence has been criticised by environmentalists and civil groups in Slovenia and Croatia which claim the razor wire is a threat to wildlife.
Further details following reported disease outbreak in Solvenia
Disease Gastroenteritis Slovenia - 4 years ago
From: Maja Socan, M.D. Maja.Socan@nijz.si
In response to the request for information in the ProMED mail post "Undiagnosed gastroenteritis - Slovenia (GO): international athletes, RFI http://promedmail.org/post/20151228.3896510, the following information was received 4 Jan 2016 [edited]:
As a response to the ProMED request for information on 28 Dec 2015 quoting izvestia.ru from 19 Dec [2015] that 3 teams were affected by a viral epidemic during Biathlon World Cup in Pokljuka, Slovenia, an investigation has been carried out. Regional epidemiologists contacted the organizers, the hotel where athletes were staying, local outpatient clinics/emergency teams and both hospitals nearby.
The organizers of the Biathlon World Cup in Slovenia were not aware of any communicable diseases affecting biathlon teams during the cup. One of the athletes was admitted to the hospital but the reason for the admission was non-infectious. Another athlete lost consciousness during the competition.
Neither emergency medical teams nor nearby hospitals were contacted for any health intervention except for the above-mentioned situations.
The hotel where the teams were staying was not informed about any gastrointestinal problems among its guests during the competition.
The findings of our investigation do not preclude that some of the athletes had health problems during the competition but apparently not severe enough to contact local health services. We assume that if high numbers of athletes had become ill with gastrointestinal problems the organizer would have been informed. According to the national algorithm for mass gatherings (with emphasis on the international ones), the National Institute of Public Health is obligated to provide in advance the information to the organizers about possible health issues during mass gatherings and measures which must be taken to stop the spread of communicable diseases or at least to mitigate the outbreak.
To conclude, we were not able to identify an outbreak of acute gastrointestinal or respiratory infection among competing athletes during the Biathlon World Cup in Pokljuka, Slovenia.
Maja Socan, M.D.
Communicable Diseases Centre
National Institute of Public Health
Maja.Socan@nijz.si
[ProMED thanks Dr. Socan for the thorough investigation into this report and for sharing the information with the ProMED community.
A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/115>. - ProMed Mod.LK]
Uganda - US Consular Information Sheet
Uganda is a landlocked, developing country in central eastern Africa. Infrastructure is adequate in Kampala, the capital, but is limited in other areas.
Read t Read More Show Less
e Department of State Background Notes on Uganda for additional information.
A passport valid for three months beyond the date of entry, visa and evidence of yellow fever vaccination are required.
Visas are available at Entebbe Airport upon arrival or may be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda.
The current fee for a three month tourist visa obtained upon arrival at Entebbe Airport is $50.00.
Travelers should be aware that a visa does not determine how long a person may remain in Uganda.
The Ugandan immigration officer at the port of entry will determine the length of authorized stay, which is generally from one to three months as a tourist.
Extensions of duration of stay may be requested at Ugandan immigration headquarters on Jinja Road in Kampala.
Airline companies may also require travelers to have a visa before boarding.
Travelers should obtain the latest information and details from the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda at 5911 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC
20011; telephone (202) 726-7100.
The Ugandan Embassy may also be contacted by email.
Travelers may also contact the Ugandan Permanent Mission to the United Nations, telephone (212) 949-0110. Overseas, inquiries may be made at the nearest Ugandan embassy or consulate.
U.S. citizens residing in or planning to visit Uganda should be aware of threats to their safety posed by insurgent groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and southern Sudan, and the potential of cross border attacks carried out by these armed groups.
In addition, U.S. citizens traveling to the area commonly known as Karamoja in northeastern Uganda should also be aware of ongoing conflict and armed banditry in this region.
Northern Uganda:
After years of conflict, relative stability has returned to northern Uganda with the departure of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) insurgent group in 2006.
Recent LRA activity has been restricted to the remote region of Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where LRA insurgents have continued to attack and terrorize civilian populations.
LRA attacks have also occurred in the neighboring Central African Republic and southern Sudan.
The Governments of Uganda, the DRC, and southern Sudan initiated joint military operations against LRA bases in Garamba National Park on December 14, 2008, after LRA leader Joseph Kony refused to sign a peace agreement following two years of negotiations.
These military operations continue and in order to deter an LRA return to Uganda, the Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) maintains a significant presence in the northern districts.
Given the continued threat to regional security posed by the LRA, American citizens should exercise caution when traveling in those districts of northwestern Uganda that border the DRC and southern Sudan and which could potentially be subject to LRA incursions.
The Ugandan Government also continues to expand and improve the capacity of the civilian police force in northern Uganda by deploying additional personnel and concentrating resources to further recovery and re-development activities throughout the north.
American citizens traveling to northern Uganda are advised to ensure that they have made appropriate travel, lodging, and communication arrangements with their sponsoring organization before visiting the region.
Local officials in northern Uganda have expressed concern for the safety and security of foreigners visiting the area to assist with relief efforts, but without any specific arrangements with a sponsoring organization.
Foreign citizens who travel to the region without a sponsoring organization may not find secure lodging or safe transport, and may become more susceptible to crime.
They may also find that local officials are unable to provide assistance in the event of an emergency.
There is a general lack of infrastructure throughout northern Uganda, and services such as emergency medical care are nonexistent.
Given crime and other security concerns in northern Uganda, American citizens are advised to restrict travel to primary roads and during daylight hours only.
Cattle rustling, armed banditry, and attacks on vehicles are very common in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda, and the UPDF continues to implement a program to disarm Karamojong warriors.
Past incidents have included ambushes of UPDF troops, and attacks on vehicles, residences, and towns that resulted in multiple deaths.
Most of the violence occurred in the districts of Kaabong, Kotido, and Abim, although some violent incidents also occurred in Moroto and Nakapiripirit Districts.
American citizens are advised to avoid travel to the Karamoja region given the frequent insecurity.
Any travel to Karamoja (excluding charter flights to Kidepo National Park) by U.S. Embassy personnel must first be authorized by the Chief of Mission.
Southwestern Uganda:
American citizens traveling in southwestern Uganda should also exercise caution given the ongoing conflict in the districts of North and South Kivu in the DRC, and the close proximity of fighting to the Ugandan border.
During spikes in the conflict, refugee flows across the border number in the thousands and there is also a risk of incursions by armed combatants.
American citizens should review the Travel Warning for the Democratic Republic of the Congo for the most up-to-date information regarding the conflict in the DRC.
On August 8, 2007, a group of armed assailants entered Uganda from the DRC and raided Butogota, a town in Kanungu District, southwestern Uganda.
Three Ugandans were killed and many others assaulted during the raid.
Ugandan officials believe that the perpetrators of the attack were members of one of the various militia groups operating in the southeastern region of the DRC or possibly remnants of the "Interahamwe," a group that participated in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and was also responsible for the 1999 attack on Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
The 1999 Bwindi attack killed four Ugandans and eight foreign tourists.
The 2007 raid on Butogota is in an area transited by tourists traveling to Bwindi, a popular gorilla-trekking destination.
Within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, armed security personnel accompany tourists on the daily gorilla hikes and the UPDF maintains a military presence.
At Ishasha Camp, another popular tourist destination located in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, the UPDF also maintains a small military base near the park headquarters for security purposes.
Eastern Uganda:
In February 2008, an isolated incident occurred in Mount Elgon National Park in eastern Uganda that resulted in the death of a foreign tourist.
A Belgian tourist climbing Mt. Elgon in the company of park rangers was shot and killed.
The attack occurred while the group was camped for the night and assailants fired into the campsite.
The tourist was reportedly struck by gunfire when exiting her tent in the darkness.
Ugandan security and park officials suspected that the attack was perpetrated by smugglers engaged in cattle rustling or other illicit activities that are common in the border area.
Demonstrations:
Demonstrations take place in Kampala and other Ugandan cities from time to time in response to world events or local developments.
In most cases, these demonstrations occur with no warning and demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly violent.
American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of demonstrations if possible, and to exercise caution if they find themselves in the vicinity of any demonstration.
American citizens should stay current with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.
Because many demonstrations are spontaneous events, the U.S. Embassy may not always be able to alert American citizens that a demonstration is taking place and to avoid a specific area.
If employed with an institution or other large organization, American citizens may find it helpful to request that local employees notify expatriates when they learn of a demonstration from local radio reports or other sources.
Recent protests have occurred over land disputes involving Kampala market areas, university closures and strikes, opposition political party demonstrations, and protests by taxi drivers over the enforcement of traffic regulations.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State's, Bureau of Consular Affairs' web site, where the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution, can be found.
Crimes such as pick pocketing, purse snatching, and thefts from hotels and parked vehicles or vehicles stalled in traffic jams are common.
The Embassy receives frequent reports of theft of items from locked vehicles, even when the stolen items were secured out of sight and the vehicle was parked in an area patrolled by uniformed security personnel.
Pick pocketing and the theft of purses and bags is also very common on public transportation.
Armed robberies of pedestrians also occur, sometimes during daylight hours and in public places.
Although infrequent, the Embassy also receives reports of armed carjackings and highway robbery.
In May 2007, two American citizens reported an attempted robbery when they were traveling near the town of Bugiri in eastern Uganda.
The Americans reported that a second vehicle with at least one armed assailant tried to stop their vehicle by forcing it off the road.
This incident occurred during daylight hours.
On June 27, 2007, two American citizens were robbed and held at gunpoint when the vehicle transporting them to Entebbe Airport was stopped by a group of armed men.
This incident occurred during the early morning hours on Entebbe Road.
Although some of these attacks are violent, victims are generally injured only if they resist.
U.S. Embassy employees are advised against using roads at night, especially in areas outside the limits of cities and large towns. Home burglaries also do occur and sometimes turn violent.
In April 2008, the Ugandan police reported an increase in armed robberies in the Kampala neighborhoods of Bukoto, Kisaasi, Kiwatule, Naalya, Najera, and Ntinda.
Several of these robberies occurred as the victims were arriving at their residences after nightfall and the assailants struck as they were entering their residential compounds.
Women traveling alone are particularly susceptible to crime.
In early 2008, there was an increase in reports of sexual assaults against expatriate females.
In some instances, the victims were walking alone, or were single passengers on one of the common modes of public transport which include "boda boda" motorcycle taxis.
If the victim of a sexual assault, medical assistance should be sought immediately and counseling provided regarding prophylactic treatment to help prevent the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The U.S. Embassy provides a list of local medical providers for those with medical needs.
American citizens visiting Uganda are advised not to accept food or drink offered from a stranger, even a child, because such food may contain narcotics used to incapacitate a victim and facilitate a robbery or sexual assault.
In addition, patrons of bars, casinos, nightclubs, and other entertainment centers should never leave their drink or food unattended.
When visiting such establishments, it is advisable to remain with a group of friends as single individuals are more likely to be targeted.
Victims have included female patrons who reported they were drugged, and taken to another location and sexually assaulted.
Robberies have been facilitated on public transportation under similar circumstances.
In 2006, an American citizen traveling by bus from Kenya to Uganda was incapacitated and robbed on the bus when the passenger accepted a sealed beverage from a fellow traveler.
Expatriates traveling by bus to the popular tourist destination of Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest in southwest Uganda were also incapacitated and robbed when they accepted snacks from fellow bus passengers.
There has been a recent, marked increase in financial crime, including fraud involving wire transfers, credit cards, checks, and advance fee fraud perpetrated via email.
The U.S. Embassy recommends using money orders for all fund transfers and protecting all bank account and personally identifiable information such as social security numbers and other types of information.
An increasing number of U.S. exporters (primarily vendors of expensive consumer goods such as computers, stereo equipment, and electronics) have been targeted by a sophisticated check fraud scheme.
A fictitious company in Uganda locates a vendor on the Internet, makes e-mail contact to order goods, and pays with a third-party check.
The checks, written on U.S. accounts and made out to entities in Uganda for small amounts, are intercepted, chemically "washed" and presented for payment of the goods with the U.S. vendor as payee and an altered amount.
If the goods are shipped before the check clears, the U.S. shipper will have little recourse, as the goods are picked up at the airport and the company cannot be traced.
American companies receiving orders from Uganda are encouraged to check with the Political - Economic Section of the Embassy to verify the legitimacy of the company.
The Embassy strongly cautions U.S. vendors against accepting third-party checks as payment for any goods to be shipped to Uganda.
Additional information about the most common types of financial fraud can also be found in the State Department Financial Scams brochure.
The local equivalent to the "911" emergency line in Uganda is: 999.
Persons violating Ugandan laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Uganda are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
Please note that U.S. currency notes in $20 and $50 denominations are exchanged at a lower rate than $100 currency notes.
In addition, travelers often find that they cannot exchange or use U.S. currency printed earlier than the year 2000.
Travelers who find they cannot pay for accommodation or expenses often must request that friends or family wire money to them in Uganda.
There are offices that facilitate Western Union, MoneyGram, and other types of money transfers in Kampala and other cities throughout the country.
ATMs are available in Uganda, particularly in downtown Kampala, but usually only customers who have an account with a specific Ugandan bank may use them.
A few machines function with overseas accounts.
The U.S. Embassy frequently receives requests from American citizens to verify the bona fides of nongovernmental (NGO) and charity organizations operating in Uganda.
The Embassy is unable to provide information regarding the bona fides of these organizations and American citizens traveling to Uganda to work for an organization are encouraged to request that the charity provide references of past volunteers whom they may contact.
American citizens have also reported intimidation and harassment by directors of organizations, when the Americans questioned the organization's activities or use of donated funds.
While the vast majority of NGOs operating in Uganda are legitimate organizations aiding development efforts, there have been reports from concerned Americans regarding the suspected diversion of charity funds for personal gain, etc.
Ugandan Customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning the importation of pets.
A Ugandan import permit is required, along with an up-to-date rabies vaccination certificate and a veterinary certificate of health issued by a USDA-approved veterinarian no more than thirty days before arrival.
Travelers are advised to contact the Ugandan Embassy in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements.
Please see our Customs Information sheet.
Photography in tourist locations is permitted.
However, taking pictures of military/police installations or personnel is prohibited.
Military and police officers have detained tourists for taking photographs of Entebbe Airport and of the area around Owen Falls Dam, near Jinja, although the prohibition on taking photographs is not publicly displayed on signs.
The U.S. Embassy receives frequent inquiries from American citizens wishing to register a nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Uganda.
Information about registering an NGO can be obtained from the Ugandan NGO Board which has offices within the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The NGO Board can be reached on phone number: 256 414 341 556.
One of the requirements for registering an NGO is that a foreign national employee or volunteer must provide a Certificate of Good Conduct/Criminal Background Check.
The U.S. Embassy Kampala cannot provide a Certificate of Good Conduct or Criminal Background Check, so American citizens intending to travel to Uganda as an employee an NGO or who plan to register an NGO should obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct from their local police or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) before departing the United States.
More information on how to obtain a Criminal Background Check can be found on the FBI web page about Identification Record Requests.
Medical facilities in Uganda, including Kampala, are limited and not equipped to handle most emergencies, especially those requiring surgery. Outside Kampala, hospitals are scarce and offer only basic services.
Recently, American citizens involved in automobile accidents required immediate evacuation from Uganda as surgery could not be performed due to insufficient blood supplies at the hospital where they sought treatment.
Equipment and medicines are also often in short supply or unavailable.
Travelers should carry their own supplies of prescription drugs and preventive medicines.
A list of medical providers is available at the U.S. Embassy.
Tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in Uganda.
For further information, please consult the CDC's Travel Notice on TB.
Malaria is prevalent in Uganda.
Travelers who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area and up to one year after returning home should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and what antimalarials they have been taking.
For additional information on malaria, including protective measures, see the CDC's information on malaria.
In January, 2009, the CDC's Special Pathogens Branch retrospectively diagnosed a case of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in a U.S. traveler, who had returned from Uganda in January, 2008. The patient developed illness four days after returning to the United States.
The Amcit had visited the "python cave" in Queen Elizabeth Park, western Uganda, which is a popular destination among tourists to see the bat-infested cave.
For additional information on Marburg hemorrhagic fever, including protective measures, visit the CDC web site.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC's web site.
Further health information for travelers is available from the WHO. Uganda has experienced recent outbreaks of Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, Pneumonic Plague, Meningitis, and other types of infectious diseases.
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to or foreign residents of Uganda.
American citizens who are seriously injured in vehicle or other types of accidents in Uganda generally seek medical evacuation to Kenya or other destinations for more advanced emergency medical treatment.
These medical evacuations can be very expensive, and in the event the American citizen does not have sufficient insurance coverage, the evacuation is carried out at their personal expense.
The information below concerning Uganda is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Most inter-city transportation in Uganda is by small van or large bus.
Many drivers of these vehicles have little training and some are reckless.
Small vans and large buses are often poorly maintained, travel at high speeds, and are the principal vehicles involved in the many deadly single and multi-vehicle accidents along Ugandan roads.
Accident victims have included American citizens traveling in small vans and personal cars, passengers on motorcycle taxis locally known as "boda bodas," and pedestrians.
Large trucks on the highways are often over-loaded, with inadequately secured cargo and poor braking systems.
Alcohol frequently is a contributing factor in road accidents, particularly at night.
Drivers are advised to take extra care when driving.
Nighttime driving and road transportation should be avoided whenever possible.
Pedestrians often walk in the roads and may not be visible to motorists.
Large branches or rocks in the road sometimes indicate an upcoming obstruction or other hazard.
Highway travel at night is particularly dangerous, including the road between Entebbe Airport and Kampala.
The Embassy recommends caution on this road and use of a reliable taxi service to and from the airport.
Traffic accidents draw crowds.
Ugandan law requires that the drivers stop and exchange information and assist any injured persons.
In some cases where serious injury has occurred, there is the possibility of mob anger.
In these instances, Ugandans often do not get out of their cars, but drive to the nearest police station to report the accident.
For specific information concerning Ugandan driving permits, vehicle inspection, road tax and mandatory insurance, please contact Tourism Uganda, IPS building, 14, Parliament Avenue, Kampala, Uganda; telephone 256-414-342 196. You may also wish to consult the Tourism Uganda web site or, for information on government agencies, see the My Uganda web site.
As there is no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Uganda, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not assessed Uganda's Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards.
For more information, travelers may visit the FAA web site.
International airlines offer several weekly flights to Europe and the United Arab Emirates, and Kenya Airways has daily flights between Entebbe Airport and Nairobi.
Other regional airlines operate weekly flights to other destinations in Africa, such as Dar es Salaam, Addis Ababa, Cairo, and Johannesburg.
Americans living or traveling in Uganda are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Kampala through the State Department's travel registration web site to obtain updated information on travel and security within Uganda.
The U.S. Embassy is located at 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala; telephone 256-414-259-791 or 256 414 306 001; fax 256-414-258-451.
You may contact the Embassy via e-mail.
This replaces the Country Specific Information dated May 6, 2008, to update sections on Entry/Exit Requirements, Safety and Security, Crime, Information for Victims of Crime, Medical Facilities and Health Information, Medical Insurance, Traffic Safety and Road Conditions, Special Circumstances, Aviation Safety Oversight, Special Circumstances, and Registration/Embassy Location.
Report on Bilharzia control in Uganda as infections hit 12 million
Disease Schistosomiasis Mansoni Uganda - 6 days ago
Date: Thu 11 Jul 2019
Source: Daily Monitor [edited]
<https://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Bilharzia-infections-hit-12m-Ugandans-report/688342-5190618-x7tnh4/index.html>
Bilharzia infections in Uganda have hit 12 million cases and the threat continues, 14 years after the Health ministry launched a programme to wipe out the disease. The ministry launched the Bilharzia Control Programme in 2003, with mass treatment of affected communities once every year with a drug called Praziquantel. The drug was used in areas with bilharzia infection of 20% and above.
The government also launched mass treatment of school-age children once every 2 years in areas where the infection ranges were from 1% to 20%. However, despite its high prevalence, bilharzia is clustered among the tropical neglected diseases, with little funding allocated to combat it. This has made its control and elimination a difficult task for health experts. A 2018 research report released by Makerere University School of Public Health indicates that 29% of 40 million Ugandans are infected by bilharzia, which translates into about 12 million people suffering from the disease. The research findings say the burden is up to 42% among children aged between 2 and 4, posing a huge risk to their health.
Currently, there is no bilharzia treatment for children below 5 years. This means they are at more risk than those above 5 years and adults, yet they have a lot of contact with contaminated water. In an earlier interview with Daily Monitor, Mr. Moses Adriko, the programme officer for vector control at the Vector Control Division of Ministry of Health, said the bilharzia problem is huge yet the disease falls under the neglected tropical disease category. [Byline: Franklin Draku]
[ProMED does not agree that children under 5 years of age with schistosomiasis cannot be treated. Please refer to a recent review (Osakunor, DNM, Woolhouse MEJ, Mutapi F et al. Paediatric schistosomiasis: What we know and what we need to know. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018 Feb; 12(2): e0006144. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5805162/>)
Followed by an endorsement from the WHO (Montresor A, Garba A. Treatment of preschool children for schistosomiasis.
Lancet Glob Health. 2017;5(7):e640-e1. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30202-4; available at: <https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(17)30202-4/fulltext>), a recent randomised dose-ranging trial reports that a single 40 mg/kg dose of PZQ can be used for treatment in preschool-aged children (PSAC) (Coulibaly JT, Panic G, Silué KD, Kovac J, Hattendorf J,
and Keiser J. Efficacy and safety of praziquantel in preschool-aged and school-aged children infected with Schistosoma mansoni: a randomised controlled, parallel-group, dose-ranging, phase 2 trial. Lancet Glob Health. 2017;5(7):e688-e98; available at: <https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(17)30187-0/fulltext>).
PZQ is currently administered to PSAC as crushed tablets with juice or bread. In conclusion, paediatric schistosomiasis can and should be treated. - ProMED Mod. EP]
[HealthMap/ProMED map available at: Uganda:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/97>]
Relief as no further Ebola cases reported in Uganda since deaths in June
Disease Ebola Virus Uganda - 8 days ago
Kinshasa, July 10, 2019 (AFP) - Uganda says there have been no further cases of Ebola on its territory resulting from the deaths of two Ugandans who had travelled to DR Congo, the Congolese authorities said Wednesday. In an update on the epidemic in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the health ministry said its Ugandan counterparts had confirmed there had been no further infections. "The health ministry of the Republic of Uganda has announced that all contacts with the index case completed their obligatory 21-day monitoring period without developing signs of the disease," it said. The "index case" was a five-year-old Ugandan boy who was the first of the two to die, followed by his grandmother.
His family had travelled to DRC where they had buried an Ebola-stricken relative. They were then placed in an isolation ward in the DRC but fled and returned to Uganda across the porous border, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). A total of 1,641 deaths have been recorded in DRC's North Kivu and neighbouring Ituri provinces since August 1, according to the latest toll. The epidemic is the worst outbreak of Ebola on record after more than 11,300 were killed Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone between 2014-2016.
Uganda-DRC border point on high alert over Ebola outbreak
Tourism Uganda - 1 month ago
By Grace Matsiko
Mpondwe, Uganda, June 13, 2019 (AFP) - At the bustling Mpondwe border post, a woman crossing from the Democratic Republic of Congo into Uganda is whisked away to an isolation unit after a thermal scanner picks up her high temperature. Health workers keep Mulefu Kyakimwa, a 32-year-old vegetable oil trader, under observation but later discharge her, once Ebola has been ruled out as the cause of her fever.
The border post is on high alert after a family with suspected Ebola escaped isolation on the Congolese side and entered Uganda, where two of them died this week. The spread of the deadly virus to Uganda comes after months of efforts in a region of porous borders to contain an outbreak in Congo which has killed 1,400 people, according to the latest official data. "Since the start of the outbreak, the total number of cases is 2,084, of which 1,990 have been confirmed and another 94 are probable," the Congolese health ministry said in its daily bulletin from Wednesday. "In all, there have been 1,405 deaths -- 1,311 confirmed and 94 probable -- and 579 people have recovered," the bulletin said, adding that 132,679 people had been vaccinated.
- 'We expected it' -
Few people seem to be surprised that Ebola would eventually make its way to Uganda -- which has experienced outbreaks in the past. "The outbreak is not a surprise. We expected it. People cross the borders all the time and interact a lot," said Dorcus Kambere, a 29-year-old Ugandan bar attendant who feels her job puts her at risk.
At Mpondwe -- where 25,000 people cross daily -- travellers undergo rigorous health checks to detect the lethal virus, which attacks the organs and leads to internal and external bleeding. Soldiers carrying automatic rifles guide travellers through the screening process, making sure they wash their hands with disinfectant. The travellers then pass through a shelter with a thermal scanner that feeds people's body temperatures into a computer. "This is a situation we go through every day since the Ebola outbreak," said Ambrose Nyakitwe, 34, a Ugandan trader returning from the Congo side. "It is good. I have a family. I have to see that they don't get affected," he added, after passing through the scan. Outside the busy border post, business carries on as usual, with children swimming and playing in the muddy Lhubiriha river that draws a natural boundary between the two nations.
- 'Not safe' -
A woman serves pancakes with her bare hands from a bucket as pot-bellied money changers lounging next to her carry out their trade. However, while some carry on seemingly oblivious to the dangers posed by the virus, others are increasingly suspicious. "It is not safe. If they say people with Ebola crossed into Uganda, how sure are we there are not many who will infect us and are yet to be got?" asked Bernadette Bwiso, 41, a trader. "Government must do a house-to-house search," she said. Meanwhile, Nyakitwe is anxious about how the infected patients managed to cross into Uganda despite heightened surveillance. A Congolese woman -- who is married to a Ugandan -- her mother, three children and their nanny had travelled to DRC to care for her ill father, who later died of Ebola.
The World Health Organization said 12 members of the family who attended the burial in Congo were placed in isolation in the DRC, but six "escaped and crossed over to Uganda" on June 9. The next day, a five-year-old was checked into hospital in Bwera vomiting blood. Tests confirmed he had Ebola and the family was placed in an isolation ward. His three-year-old brother was also confirmed to have Ebola, as was their grandmother who died late Wednesday. Uganda and the RDC are discussing what can be done to intensify collaboration between the two countries to prevent the spread, the Congolese authorities said.
- No surveillance -
Uganda's health ministry said that the surviving travellers and the Ugandan father -- five people in total -- had agreed to be repatriated to DRC on Thursday for treatment and "family support and comfort" from relatives on the other side of the border. However, three unrelated patients are still in a Ugandan hospital awaiting the result of Ebola tests.
Uganda's Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said challenges remained at "unofficial entry points" between Congo and Uganda, which share a porous 875-kilometre (545-mile) border. These unauthorised border crossings, known as "panyas" in the local Lukonzo language, are often merely planks laid down across a point in the river, or through forests and mountains where there is no surveillance. In a bid to contain the spread of the disease the Ugandan government has suspended market days and urged people to stop shaking hands and hugging.
WHO provides confirmation of case of ebola virus disease in Uganda
Disease Ebola Virus Uganda - 1 month ago
https://afro.who.int/news/confirmation-case-ebola-virus-disease-uganda
Kampala, 11 June 2019 - The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO) have confirmed a case of Ebola Virus Disease in Uganda. Although there have been numerous previous alerts, this is the first confirmed case in Uganda during the Ebola outbreak on-going in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The confirmed case is a 5-year-old child from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who travelled with his family on 9th June 2019. The child and his family entered the country through Bwera Border post and sought medical care at Kagando hospital where health workers identified Ebola as a possible cause of illness. The child was transferred to Bwera Ebola Treatment Unit for management. The confirmation was made today by the Uganda Virus Institute (UVRI). The child is under care and receiving supportive treatment at Bwera ETU, and contacts are being monitored.
The Ministry of Health and WHO have dispatched a Rapid Response Team to Kasese to identify other people who may be at risk, and ensure they are monitored and provided with care if they also become ill. Uganda has previous experience managing Ebola outbreaks. In preparation for a possible imported case during the current outbreak in DRC, Uganda has vaccinated nearly 4700 health workers in 165 health facilities (including in the facility where the child is being cared for); disease monitoring has been intensified; and health workers trained on recognizing symptoms of the disease. Ebola Treatment Units are in place.
In response to this case, the Ministry is intensifying community education, psychosocial support and will undertake vaccination for those who have come into contact with the patient and at-risk health workers who were not previously vaccinated.
Ebola virus disease is a severe illness that is spread through contact with the body fluids of a person sick with the disease (fluids such as vomit, faeces or blood). First symptoms are similar to other diseases and thus require vigilant health and community workers, especially in areas where there is Ebola transmission, to help make diagnosis. Symptoms can be sudden and include:
People who have been in contact with someone with the disease are offered vaccine and asked to monitor their health for 21 days to ensure they do not become ill as well.
The investigational vaccine being used in DRC and by health and frontline workers in Uganda has so far been effective in protecting people from developing the disease, and has helped those who do develop the disease to have a better chance of survival. The Ministry strongly urges those who are identified as contacts to take this protective measure.
Investigational therapeutics and advanced supportive care, along with patients seeking care early once they have symptoms, increase chances of survival.
The Ministry of Health has taken the following actions to contain spread of the disease in the country:
The District administration and local councils in the affected area have been directed to ensure that any person with Ebola signs and symptoms in the community is reported to the health workers immediately and provided with advice and testing.
The Ministry of Health is setting up units in the affected district and at referral hospitals to handle cases if they occur.
•Social mobilization activities are being intensified and education materials are being disseminated.
There are no confirmed cases in any other parts of the country.
The Ministry is working with international partners coordinated by the World Health Organization.
The Ministry of Health appeals to the general public and health workers to work together closely, to be vigilant and support each other in helping anyone with symptoms to receive care quickly. The Ministry will continue to update the general public on progress and new developments.
Update on 4 deaths from food poisoning in Uganda
Disease Food Borne Disease Uganda - 1 month ago
Date: Wed 5 Jun 2019
Source: Food Safety News [edited]
<https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2019/06/fda-and-cdc-helping-with-ugandan-outbreak-investigation/>
Two federal agencies in the USA are part of efforts to find the source of food poisoning in Uganda that led to 4 deaths. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are involved in the investigation of the outbreak that occurred in March and April [2019].
The World Food Programme (WFP) previously reported 3 people died and hundreds more were admitted to health centers in the Karamoja region of northeast Uganda after eating Super Cereal, which had been distributed to prevent malnutrition. Symptoms included mental confusion, vomiting, headache, high fever, and abdominal pain.
The food came from a Turkish supplier, which has been suspended from local and international Super Cereal distribution pending results of the investigation. Super Cereal is corn or wheat blended with soya beans, fortified with vitamins and minerals, processed into flour and supplied in 25 kg [55 lb] bags.
It was established all 296 people who fell ill had eaten porridge from one batch of specially fortified food called Super Cereal (also known as CSB+). However, lab testing so far has not found the causative agent.
The FDA detected traces of alkaloids, specifically atropine, but is yet to establish the levels of contamination and whether the alkaloids are synthetic or natural. More tests are being performed by the agency, and results will be released at a later date, according to a statement from the Ugandan Ministry of Health.
Samples were collected from WFP warehouses, health facilities, and the homes of patients to rule out the presence of mycotoxins, heavy metals, pesticides, and microbial agents. Lab tests were complemented by an epidemiological review by the ministry of health and CDC, as well as toxicologists from the UK who visited Karamoja to examine patients.
Representatives from the CDC are part of a task force that includes the Ugandan Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs, World Health Organization (WHO), WFP, and Ugandan National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).
Of 18 samples tested by UNBS, one had aflatoxin B1 slightly higher than the acceptable limit and a few had low levels of yeast and mould, but levels were lower than those required to cause illness, according to the ministry of health statement. The government analytical laboratory also found one sample with slightly high aflatoxin B1, but these levels could not explain the acute symptoms of toxicity seen in patients.
Testing by the Ministry of Health central public health lab found _Bacillus cereus_ twice and _Salmonella_ spp. once in 3 samples from a household. Contamination was not found in samples from the warehouse.
An Intertek lab in Mombasa detected coliforms in 3 samples. In the Johannesburg lab owned by the same company, one sample failed the aflatoxin B1 test, 3 were contaminated with _B. cereus_ and 33 also had coliforms. The FDA did not report any of these findings, but further analysis is ongoing.
UNBS and the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory (DGAL) boosted analytical capabilities through support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). "In the past, the lack of adequate diagnostic and analytical testing capacities limited our ability to minimize health risks to the public, including responding to outbreaks and emergencies and investigating suspected causes," said Deus Mubangizi, manager of the Testing Division at UNBS.
The IAEA supported expert missions, training courses, and delivery of equipment such as radio receptor assays, isotope-dependent liquid chromatographic and spectrometric tools, liquid chromatographic instruments, tools to help sample preparation and storage, and analytical material to ensure performance according to international standards.
"The outbreak could have spread further or affected more consumers if stakeholders including the 2 laboratories...had not been in a position to intervene, promptly," said Kepher Kuchana Kateu, director of DGAL.
The Ugandan Government and WFP suspended distribution of Super Cereal in the country from all suppliers. The United Nations agency started distributing foods of equal or higher nutritional value to vulnerable people.
Testing at the FDA showed Super Cereal from all suppliers other than the Turkish firm is safe to eat. The government has allowed WFP to resume Super Cereal distributions from the other suppliers. The WFP previously said food supplies on hold around the world totaled more than 21,000 metric tons [23,150 US tons] with an estimated replacement value of USD 22 million.
[The clinical signs described above are somewhat general and could fit a number of contaminants. However, they are not a very good match to the contaminants found thus far. In fact finding coliforms in the cereal/flour substance may result from a lack of hygiene by the workers or in the processing plant in general. Either way, it is a nauseating thought.
Alkaloids are mentioned, specifically atropine. Tropane alkaloids are known to produce clinical signs including dilated eyes, flushed skin or a feverish feeling and is often associated with the inability to sweat.
While there have been some bacterial contaminants found, it has not
been wide spread, nor have levels been noted as being very high.
Aflatoxin most often causes liver damage and may first be noticed as jaundice or yellowing of the whites of the eyes. This has not been mentioned.
It would seem the causative agent of the death and illnesses is either multifactorial or has not yet been uncovered. - ProMED Mod.TG]
Bolivia US Consular Information Sheet
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Bolivia is a constitutional democracy and one of the least-developed countries in South America. Tourist facilities are generally adequate, but vary greatly in qualit Read More Show Less
. The capital is La Paz, accessible by Bolivia's international airport in El Alto. Read the Department of State Background Notes on Bolivia for additional information.
ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A U.S. passport valid for at least six months from the date of proposed entry into Bolivia is required to enter and depart Bolivia. U.S. citizen tourists do not need a visa for a stay of one month or less (that period can be extended up to 90 days upon application to the Bolivian immigration authorities). Visitors for other purposes must obtain a visa in advance. U.S. citizens whose passports are lost or stolen in Bolivia must obtain a replacement passport and present it, together with a police report of the loss or theft, to a Bolivian government immigration office in order to obtain permission to depart. For more information on replacement passport procedures, please consult the U.S. Embassy's Web site at . An exit tax is charged when departing Bolivia by air. Travelers with Bolivian citizenship or residency pay an additional fee upon departure. While the Bolivian Government does not require travelers to purchase round-trip air tickets in order to enter the country, some airlines have required travelers to purchase round-trip tickets prior to boarding aircraft bound for Bolivia. Some tourists arriving by land report that immigration officials did not place entry stamps in their passports, causing problems at checkpoints and upon departure. See our Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on Bolivia and other countries. Visit the Embassy of Bolivia web site at for the most current visa information (please note that the web site is primarily in Spanish).
Bolivian consulates are located in Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Oklahoma City, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle. For information on in-country visa procedures and requirements, please consult the Bolivian Immigration Service at (please note that the web site is in Spanish), fax/telephone (591-2) 211-0960, street address Avenida Camacho entre Loayza y Bueno, La Paz, Bolivia. See Entry and Exit Requirements for more information pertaining to dual nationality and the international child abduction . Please refer to our Customs Information to learn more about customs regulations.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MINORS: In an effort to prevent international child abduction, the Bolivian Government has initiated procedures at entry/exit points. Minors (under 18) who are citizens or residents of Bolivia and who are traveling alone, with one parent or with a third party, must present a copy of their birth certificate and written authorization from the absent parent(s) or legal guardian, specifically granting permission to travel alone, with one parent or with a third party. When a parent is deceased, a notarized copy of the death certificate is required in lieu of the written authorization. If documents are prepared in the United States, the authorization and the birth certificate must be translated into Spanish, notarized, and authenticated by the Bolivian Embassy or a Bolivian consulate within the United States. If documents are prepared in Bolivia, only notarization by a Bolivian notary is required. Using these documents, a t ravel permit may be obtained from the Juzgado del Menor. This requirement does not apply to children who enter the country with a U.S. passport as tourists, unless they hold dual U.S./Bolivian citizenship or have been in Bolivia for more than 90 consecutive days.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: The countrywide emergency number for the police, including highway patrol, is 110. The corresponding number for the fire department is 119. The National Tourism Police has an office in La Paz, with plans to expand to Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, providing free assistance to tourists 24 hours a day. These services include English-speaking officials who may assist tourists in filing police reports of lost/stolen documents or other valuables. The La Paz office is located at Plaza del Stadium, Edificio Olympia, planta baja, Miraflores, telephone number 222-0516.
Protests, strikes, and other civic actions can occur at any time and disrupt transportation on a local and national level. This is particularly true before, during and after elections or other changes in government. While protest actions generally begin peacefully, they have the potential to become violent. The police have used tear gas to break up protests. In addition to rallies and street demonstrations, protesters sometimes block roads; they sometimes react with force when travelers attempt to pass through or go around roadblocks and occasionally have used the threat of explosives to press their point.
U.S. citizens should avoid roadblocks and demonstrations. Demonstrations protesting government or private company policies occur frequently, even in otherwise peaceful times. Roadblocks and demonstrations in June 2005 led to the closure of the El Alto airport in La Paz, resulting in cancellation and diversion of flights and other inconveniences to travelers. U.S. citizens planning travel to or from Bolivia should take into consideration the possibility of disruptions to air service in and out of La Paz and other airports. Americans should monitor Bolivian media reports for updates. The Embassy strongly recommends that U.S. citizens avoid areas where roadblocks or public demonstrations are occurring or planned. Political rallies should similarly be avoided in light of press reports of violence at some rallies in various parts of Bolivia.
U.S. citizens who find themselves in a roadblock should not attempt to "run" a roadblock, as this may aggravate the situation and lead to physical harm. Taking alternative, safe routes, or returning to where the travel started may be the safest courses of action under these circumstances. U.S. citizens embarking on road trips should monitor news reports and may contact the American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy in La Paz at (591)(2)(216-8297 or the U.S. consular agencies in Cochabamba at (591)(4)425-6714 and/or Santa Cruz at (591) (3) 351-3477 for updates. Given that roadblocks may occur without warning and have stranded travelers for several days, travelers should take extra food and water. The U.S. Embassy also advises its employees to maintain at least one week's supply of drinking water and canned food in case roadblocks affect supplies, as occurred in June 2005. For more information on emergency preparedness, please consult the Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA) Web site at . That Web site includes a Spanish language version.
Americans living or traveling in Bolivia are encouraged to register and update their contact information at the U.S. Embassy in La Paz and/or the U.S. consular agencies in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Registration may be done online and in advance of travel. Information on registering may be found at the Department of State's Consular Affairs website .
In February and October 2003, approximately one hundred people died during violent demonstrations and protests in downtown La Paz and the nearby city of El Alto. These demonstrations also affected Cochabamba and other towns and villages in the Altiplano. While the protests and demonstrations subsided, many of the underlying social, political, and economic causes remain, and in March 2005, several intercity roads, including Bolivia's major east-west highway, were closed by blockades for several weeks.
Since 2000 the resort town of Sorata, located seventy miles north of La Paz, has been cut off by blockades on three occasions, ranging from one week to one month. Visitors contemplating travel to Sorata should contact the Consular Section in La Paz prior to travel.
In the Chapare region between Santa Cruz and Cochabamba and the Yungas region northeast of La Paz violence and civil unrest, primarily associated with anti-narcotics activities, periodically create a risk for travelers to those regions.
Confrontations between area residents and government authorities over coca eradication have resulted in the use of tear gas and stronger force by government authorities to quell disturbances. Pro-coca groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and may attempt to target U.S. Government or private interests. U.S. citizen visitors to the Chapare or Yungas regions are encouraged to check with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy prior to travel. Violence has also erupted recently between squatters unlawfully invading private land and security forces attempting to remove them.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site , where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement , Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found.
The Department of State urges American citizens to take responsibility for their own personal security while traveling overseas. For general information about appropriate measures travelers can take to protect themselves in an overseas environment, see the Department of State's pamphlet A Safe Trip Abroad .
CRIME: The U.S. Department of State currently classifies Bolivia as a medium to high crime threat country. Street crime, such as pick pocketing and theft from parked vehicles, occurs with some frequency in Bolivia. Theft of cars and car parts, particularly late-model four-wheel-drive vehicles, is common. Hijacking of vehicles has occurred, and travelers should take appropriate precautions to avoid being victimized. In November 2003, an American citizen was murdered during an attempted carjacking in Santa Cruz.
Bolivian police state that there are currently eight organized criminal groups operating in the La Paz area. The techniques employed by these groups vary, but there are a few major patterns that can be identified.
There have been reports of "false police" -- persons using police uniforms, identification, and even buildings modified to resemble police stations -- intercepting and robbing foreign tourists. Under Bolivian law, police need a warrant from the "fiscal" or prosecutor to detain a suspect. Any searches or seizures must occur at a bona fide police station in the presence of the fiscal. The warrant requirement also applies to suspected drug trafficking cases, although such searches and seizures may occur without a fiscal present. If detained, U.S. citizens should request to see the warrant and demand immediate contact with the nearest U.S. Consular Office (in La Paz, Cochabamba or Santa Cruz).
According to press reports, criminals using the "false police" method focus on foreigners in areas frequented by tourists including bus terminals and tourist markets such as Sagarnaga Street in La Paz. The perpetrators will identify a potential victim and have an accomplice typically driving a white taxi offer taxi services to the potential victim. They focus on European/American tourists who are not wearing a traditional "trekker" backpack and are traveling without a large number of bags. A few blocks after the potential victim boards the taxi another accomplice, pretending to be a recently arrived tourist, boards the taxi with the potential victim. With all the accomplices then in place, the "false police" stop the taxi, "search" the passengers, and rob the victim. As part of this scam, the false police may take the victim to a "false police" station.
A similar variation also introduces a "tourist" to the victims. This introduction can take place on a bus, taxi, train, or just walking down the street. The "tourist" will befriend the victims and might seek assistance in some manner. After a period of time, the "police" intercept the victims and the "tourist." At this point, the "police" discover some sort of contraband (usually drugs) on the "tourist." The entire group is then taken to the "police station." At this point, the "police" seize the documents, credit cards, and ATM cards of the victims. The perpetrators obtain pin numbers, sometimes by threat of violence, and the scam is complete.
Another technique again introduces a "tourist" to the victims. This "tourist" can be any race or gender and will probably be able to speak the language of the victims. This meeting can happen anywhere and the goal of the "tourist" is to build the trust of the victims. Once a certain level of trust is obtained, the "tourist" suggests a particular mode of transportation to a location (usually a taxi). The "taxi" picks up the victims and the "tourist" and delivers the group to a safe house in the area. At this point the victims are informed that they are now kidnapped and are forced to give up their credit cards and ATM cards with pin numbers.
Bolivian police sources state that two Austrian citizens fell victim to this scam and had their bank accounts emptied through use of their ATM card. The perpetrators then suffocated the victims and buried them in clandestine graves, where police found their bodies on April 3, 2006. During that timeframe, a Spanish citizen also purportedly fell prey to this scam, and his body was found nearby.
In most instances, the victims are released, but the murder of the victims is still a possibility. The techniques and the perpetrators are convincing. Authentic uniforms, badges, and props help persuade the victims that the situation is real and valid. All tourists visiting Bolivia should exercise extreme caution. Visitors should be suspicious of all "coincidences" that can happen on a trip. If the tourist has doubts about a situation, the tourist should immediately remove him/herself from the scene.
Thefts of bags, wallets, and backpacks are a problem throughout Bolivia, but especially in the tourist areas of downtown La Paz and the Altiplano. Most thefts involve two or three people who spot a potential victim and wait until the bag or backpack is placed on the ground, often at a restaurant, bus terminal, Internet café, etc. In other cases, the thief places a disagreeable substance on the clothes or backpack of the intended victim, and then offers to assist the victim with the removal of the substance. While the person is distracted, the thief or an accomplice grabs the bag or backpack and flees. In such a situation, the visitor should decline assistance, secure the bag/backpack, and walk briskly from the area. To steal wallets and bags, thieves may spray water on the victim's neck, and while the person is distracted, an accomplice takes the wallet or bag. At times the thief poses as a policeman, and requests that the person accompany him to the police station, using a nearby taxi. The visitor should indicate a desire to contact the U.S. Embassy and not enter the taxi. Under no circumstances should you surrender ATM or credit cards, or release a PIN number. While most thefts do not involve violence, in some instances the victim has been physically harmed and forcibly searched for hidden valuables. Visitors should avoid being alone on the streets, especially at night and in isolated areas.
Five years ago female tourists reported being drugged and raped by a tourist guide in the city of Rurrenabaque in the Beni region. Visitors should be careful when choosing a tour operator and should not accept any type of medication or drugs from unreliable sources. The Embassy has received reports of sexual assaults against female hikers in the Yungas Valley, near the town of Coroico. Visitors to Coroico are advised to avoid hiking alone or in small groups.
INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If you are the victim of a crime while overseas, in addition to reporting to local police, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate for assistance. The Embassy/Consulate staff can, for example, assist you to find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends, and explain how funds may be transferred. Although the investigation and prosecution of the crime is solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
See our information on Victims of Crime .
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical care in large cities is adequate for most purposes but of varying quality. Ambulance services are limited-to-non-existent. Medical facilities are generally not adequate to handle serious medical conditions. Pharmacies are located throughout Bolivia, and prescription and over the counter medications are widely available. Western Bolivia, dominated by the Andes and high plains (Altiplano), is largely insect-free. However, altitude sickness (see below) is a major problem. Eastern Bolivia is tropical, and visitors to that area are subject to related illnesses. In March 2005, several cases of yellow fever were reported in the Chapare region. News media periodically report outbreaks of rabies, particularly in the larger cities.
Information on vaccinations and other health precautions, such as safe food and water precautions and insect bite protection, may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747) or via the CDC's Internet site at . For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad consult the World Health Organization's (WHO) website at . Further health information for travelers is available at .
MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Most medical evacuation flights cannot land at the airport serving La Paz due to the altitude; instead flights may need to use the international airport in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Please see our information on medical insurance overseas .
HIGH-ALTITUDE HEALTH RISKS: Official U.S. Government travelers to La Paz are provided with the following information: The altitude of La Paz ranges from 10,600 feet to over 13,000 feet (3,400 to 4,000 meters) above sea level. Much of Western Bolivia is at the same altitude or higher, including Lake Titicaca, the Salar de Uyuni, and the cities of Oruro and Potosi. The altitude alone poses a serious risk of illness, hospitalization, and even death, if you have a medical condition that affects blood circulation or breathing.
Prior to departing the U.S. for high-altitude locations (over 10,000 feet above sea level), travelers should discuss the trip with their personal physician and request information on specific recommendations concerning medication and lifestyle tips at high altitudes. Coca-leaf tea is a popular beverage and folk remedy for altitude sickness in Bolivia. Possession of this tea, which is sold in bags in most Bolivian grocery stores, is illegal in the United States.
The State Department's Office of Medical Services does not allow official U.S. Government travelers to visit La Paz if they have any of the following:
Sickle cell anemia or sickle cell trait: 30 percent of persons with sickle cell trait are likely to have a crisis at elevations of more than 8,000 feet.
Heart disease: A man 45 years or older, or a woman 55 years or older, who has two of the following risk factors (hypertension, angina, diabetes, cigarette smoking, or elevated cholesterol) should have a stress EKG and a cardiological evaluation before the trip.
Lung disease: Anyone with asthma and on maximum dosage of medication for daily maintenance, or anyone who has been hospitalized for asthma within the last year should not come to La Paz and surrounding areas.
Given potential complications from altitude sickness, pregnant women should consult their doctor before travel to La Paz and other high-altitude areas of Bolivia.
All people, even healthy and fit persons, will feel symptoms of hypoxia (lack of oxygen) upon arrival at high altitude. Most people will have increased respiration and increased heart rate. Many people will have headaches, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite, minor gastric and intestinal upsets, and mood changes. Many travelers limit physical activity for the first 36 to 48 hours after arrival and avoid alcohol and smoking for at least one week after arrival.
For additional information, travelers should visit the World Health Organization's website at as well as the CDC's travel warning on high altitude sickness at .
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Bolivia is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance. U.S. citizens planning on driving in Bolivia, despite the hazards described below, should obtain an international driver's license through their local automobile club before coming to Bolivia.
Road conditions in Bolivia are hazardous. Although La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Cochabamba are connected by improved highways, the vast majority of roads in Bolivia are unpaved. Few highways have shoulders, fencing or barriers, and highway markings are minimal. Yielding for pedestrians in the cities is not the norm. For trips outside the major cities, especially in mountainous areas, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is highly recommended. Travel during the rainy season (November through March) is difficult, as most routes are potholed, and some roads and bridges are washed out. Added dangers are the absence of formal training for most drivers, poor maintenance and overloaded vehicles, lack of lights on some vehicles at night, and intoxicated or overly tired drivers, including commercial bus and truck drivers.
The majority of intercity travel in Bolivia is by bus, with varying levels of safety and service. In recent years there have been major bus crashes on the highway between La Paz and Oruro, and on the Yungas road. The old Yungas road is considered one of the most dangerous routes in the world. Taxis, vans, and buses dominate intracity transportation. From a crime perspective, public transportation is relatively safe and violent assaults are rare. However, petty theft of unattended backpacks and other personal items does occur. For reasons of safety, visitors are advised to use radio taxis whenever possible.
Drivers of vehicles involved in traffic accidents are expected to remain at the scene until the arrival of local police authorities. Any attempt to leave the scene is in violation of Bolivian law. The Embassy believes any attempt to flee the scene of an accident would place the driver and passengers at greater risk of harm than remaining at the scene until the arrival of local police. Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information.
AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the Government of Bolivia as being in compliance with ICAO international aviation safety standards for oversight of Bolivia's air carrier operations. For more information, travelers may visit the FAA's Internet web site at www.faa.gov/avr/iasa/index.cfm . There are limited flights within Bolivia and to neighboring countries. Flight delays and cancellations are common. In February and March 2006, strikes at national carrier Lloyd Aereo Boliviano led to the cancellation of both national and international flights with resultant delays and other inconveniences for travelers.
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: In the run-up to the July 2006 Constituent Assembly elections, President Morales accused the United States military of infiltrating Bolivia with operatives disguised as "students and tourists." As an apparent result of these comments, some U.S. citizens have reported harassment by Bolivian officials and been subjected to unwanted media attention. In one case, a local Bolivian newspaper wrongly identified an American citizen as an operative for the Central Intelligence Agency. Americans planning on traveling to Bolivia should be aware of the political atmosphere and the possibility of unwanted attention from pro-governmental groups and other Bolivian officials.
For information on in-country visa procedures and requirements, please consult the Bolivian Immigration Service at (please note that the Web site is in Spanish), fax/telephone (591-2) 211-0960, street address Avenida Camacho entre Loayza y Bueno, La Paz, Bolivia. In emergency cases, the Immigration Service may permit temporary residency applicants to retrieve their passports from those applications. However, under current regulations in such cases the applicant would need to commence the application anew, including paying the corresponding fees. Any U.S. documents, such as birth, marriage, divorce or death certificates, to be presented in Bolivia must first be authenticated in the U.S. at the nearest Bolivian Embassy or consulate. For information on those procedures, please consult the Department of State Office of Authentications web site, www.state.gov/m/a/auth , and the nearest Bolivian Embassy or consulate.
Please see our information on customs regulations .
MARRIAGE: Please see our information on marriage in Bolivia , available on the Embassy's Web site at
MOUNTAIN TREKKING AND CLIMBING SAFETY: U.S. citizens are advised to exercise extreme care when trekking or climbing in Bolivia. Since June 2002, four American citizens have died in falls while mountain climbing in Bolivia. Three of the deaths occurred on Illimani, a 6,402-meter peak located southeast of La Paz. Many popular trekking routes in the Bolivian Andes cross passes as high as 16,000 feet. Trekkers must have adequate clothing and equipment, not always available locally, and should be experienced mountain travelers. It is not prudent to trek alone. Solo trekking is the most significant factor contributing to injuries and robberies. The safest option is to join an organized group and/or use a reputable firm to provide an experienced guide and porter who can communicate in both Spanish and English. If you develop any of the following symptoms while climbing at altitude - severe headache, weakness, vomiting, shortness of breath at rest, cough, chest tightness, unsteadiness - descend to a lower altitude immediately. Trekkers and climbers are strongly encouraged to purchase adequate insurance to cover expenses in case of injury or death.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country's laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and may not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Bolivian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Bolivia are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties .
It often takes years to reach a decision in Bolivian legal cases, whether involving property disputes, civil, or criminal matters. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the court can order a defendant held in jail for the duration of the case. Prison conditions are primitive, and prisoners are expected to pay for food and lodging. For further information, please see the Annual Human Rights Report for Bolivia at . Lists of local Bolivian attorneys and their specialties are available from the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in La Paz and the Consular Agencies in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, and may also be found on our Web site at .
CHILDREN'S ISSUES: For information on international adoption of children and international parental child abduction, see the Office of Children's Issues website . Pending U.S. implementation of the Hague Convention on International Adoptions, under Bolivian law U.S. citizens who are not resident in Bolivia are not permitted to adopt Bolivian children./p>
REGISTRATION / EMBASSY LOCATION: Americans living or traveling in Bolivia are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consular Agency through the State Department's travel registration website, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Bolivia. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consular Agencies in Cochabamba and Santa Cruz. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consular Agency to contact them in case of emergency.
The U.S. Embassy is located at 2780 Avenida Arce in La Paz, between calles Cordero and Campos; telephone (591-2) 216-8297 during business hours 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., or (591-2) 216-8000 for after-hours emergencies; fax (591-2) 216-8808; Internet . The U.S. Embassy in La Paz is open for American Citizen Services Monday through Thursday from 1:30PM to 5:00PM and Fridays from 08:30 to12:30 and from 2:00PM to 4:00PM, except U.S. and Bolivian holidays. Questions should be directed to the email address USCit.Services.Bolivia@gmail.com or consularlapaz@state.gov .
There are two consular agencies in Bolivia, which provide limited services to American citizens, but are not authorized to issue passports. Anyone requesting service at one of the consular agencies should call ahead to verify that the service requested would be available on the day you expect to visit the agency.
Santa Cruz: The Consular Agency in Santa Cruz is located at 146 Avenida Roque Aguilera (Tercer Anillo); telephone (591-3) 351-3477, 351-3479, or 351-3480; fax (591-3) 351-3478. The U.S. Consular Agency in Santa Cruz is open to the public Mondays from 09:00 to 12:30 and from 2:00PM to 5:00PM and on Tuesday through Friday from 09:00 to 12:30, except U.S. and Bolivian holidays.
Cochabamba: The Consular Agency in Cochabamba is located at Avenida Oquendo 654, Torres Sofer, room 601; telephone (591-4) 411-6313; fax (591-4) 425 -6714. The U.S. Consular Agency in Cochabamba is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, excluding U.S. and Bolivian holidays.
This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated April 4, 2006 to update Entry/Exit Requirements, Safety and Security, Crime, Marriage, Special Circumstances and web links.
Gideon background on Bolivian Haemorrhagic Fever
Disease Bolivian Haemorrhagic Virus Bolivia - 11 days ago
Date: Fri 5 Jul 2019
Source: GIDEON (Global Infectious Disease Epidemiology Network) [edited]
<http://www.gideononline.com>
Re: ProMED-mail Undiagnosed illness - Bolivia (02): (LP) Bolivian haemorrhagic fever conf. http://promedmail.org/post/20190704.6551379
In 2019, a small outbreak of Bolivian haemorrhagic fever was reported at a hospital in La Paz [department], Bolivia. The following background data on Bolivian haemorrhagic fever are abstracted from Gideon www.GideonOnline.com and the Gideon e-book series.[1,2] Primary references are available from the author.
Bolivian haemorrhagic fever (BHF) is caused by Machupo virus (Arenaviridae, Tacaribe complex, _Mammarenavirus_). The disease was initially described in 1959 as a sporadic hemorrhagic illness in rural areas of Beni department, eastern Bolivia, and the virus itself was 1st identified in 1963. BHF is most common during April to July in the upper savanna region of Beni. Principal exposure occurs through rodents ([the large vesper mouse] _Calomys callosus_), which enter homes in endemic areas.
BHF is one of several human _Arenavirus_ diseases reported in the Americas: Argentine haemorrhagic fever (Junin virus), Brazilian haemorrhagic fever (Sabia virus), lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Venezuelan haemorrhagic fever (Guanarito virus) and Whitewater Arroyo virus infection. (At least 2 related diseases are reported in Africa: Lassa fever and Lujo virus infection.)
Infection of _C. callosus_ results in asymptomatic viral shedding in saliva, urine, and feces; 50% of experimentally infected _C. callosus_ are chronically viremic and shed virus in their bodily excretions or secretions. _C. callosus_ acquires the virus after birth, and start shedding it through their urine and saliva while suckling. When mice acquire the virus as adults, they may develop immunity and no longer shed the virus.
Although the infectious dose of Machupo virus in humans is unknown, exposed persons may become infected by inhaling virus in aerosolized secretions or excretions of infected rodents, ingestion of food contaminated with rodent excreta, or by direct contact of excreta with abraded skin or oropharyngeal mucous membranes. Nosocomial and human-to-human spread have been documented. Hospital contact with a patient has resulted in person-to-person spread of Machupo virus to nursing and pathology laboratory staff.
In 1994, fatal secondary infection of 6 family members in Magdalena, Bolivia from a single naturally acquired infection further suggested the potential for person-to-person transmission.
During December 2003 to January 2004, a small focus of haemorrhagic fever was reported in the area of Cochabamba. A 2nd _Arenavirus_, Chapare virus, was recovered from one patient with fatal infection.
Early clinical manifestations consist of nonspecific signs and symptoms, including fever, headache, fatigue, myalgia, and arthralgia. Within 7 days, patients may develop hemorrhagic signs, including bleeding from the oral and nasal mucosa and from the bronchopulmonary, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts. Case fatality rates range from 5% to 30%.
Ribavirin has been used successfully in several cases of BHF. The recommended adult regimen is 2.0 g intravenously (IV), followed by 1.0 g IV every 6 hours for 4 days, and then 0.5 g every 8 hours for 6 days.
Note that the etiologic agent and clinical features of BHF are similar to those of Argentine hemorrhagic fever (AHF). Neurological signs are more common in AHF, while hemorrhagic diatheses are more common in BHF. A vaccine available for AHF could theoretically be effective against BHF as well.
1. Berger S. American hemorrhagic fevers: global status, 2019. Gideon e-books.
<https://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/disease/american-hemorrhagic-fevers-global-status/>
2. Berger S. Infectious diseases of Bolivia, 2019. 342 pages, 87 graphs, 495 references.
<https://www.gideononline.com/ebooks/country/infectious-diseases-of-bolivia/>
Steve Berger
Geographic Medicine
Tel Aviv Medical Center, Israel
steve@gideononline.com
[ProMED-mail thanks Dr. Berger for the overview of Bolivian haemorrhagic fever presented above. As noted in the previous comment, and above, Bolivian haemorrhagic fever, caused by Machupo virus, occurs sporadically in lowland Bolivia, especially in Beni department. There was a case there in 2013, and in 2012 ProMED-mail reported that 13 people had been infected with Machupo virus and 7 had died as a consequence of the disease. In Beni department at that time, 5 municipalities, including Magdalena, were reported to have had large populations of _Calomys callosus_ mice, the reservoir host of Machupo virus, which can persistently infect the mice. It is not surprising to find cases in lowland areas of La Paz department again, where the current cases are occurring. The drylands vesper mouse, _C. musculinus_ mentioned in the previous post, although present in southern Bolivia, is unlikely to be the reservoir rodent involved in the current cases. _C. callosus_ mice are the recognized reservoir hosts of Machupo virus. Health officials can provide information about rodent control and assist in implementing it to reduce the risk of exposure to Machupo virus, but effective long-term implementation of rodent control ultimately rests with local residents.
An image of _C. callosus_, the large vesper mouse and reservoir host of Machupo virus, can be seen at
<http://www.faunaparaguay.com/calomyscallosus.html>. - ProMED Mod.TY]
[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map:
Bolivia: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/5>]
An arenavirus transmitted by rodents linked to illness in Bolivia
Date: Wed 3 Jul 2019 11:53 BOT
Source: La Razon [in Spanish trans. ProMED Mod.TY, edited]
<http://www.la-razon.com/sociedad/Virus-salud-arenavirus-medicos-La_Paz-muerte-interna_0_3177282262.html>
[The Ministry of] Health confirmed that a virus that killed a hospitalized patient and 2 physicians from La Paz is an arenavirus transmitted by rodents. The disease, after 7 days, causes haemorrhagic fever, a symptom presented by the patients hospitalized in intensive care in 2 health centers in La Paz.
One of the viruses in this family is Machupo that causes Bolivian hemorrhagic fever, a disease that, according to hypotheses, is affecting the patients that are under observation, La Razon reported this [Wed 3 Jul 2019] in its printed edition.
"In laboratory terms, from national laboratories such as INLASA [Instituto Nacional de Laboratorios de Salud; National Institute of Health Laboratories] and CENTROP, [Centro de Enfermedades Tropicales; Tropical Diseases Center] they have identified an arenavirus," said Gabriela Montano in a press conference.
The report is also backed by a report from the [US] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta [CDC], Georgia, USA.
"We have a preliminary result from the CDC in Atlanta that also mentions an arenavirus. All of these elements together allow us to provide this information to the public today," the official added.
This virus is transmitted by rodents, specifically called the corn rat or _Calomys musculinus_, and it may also be transmitted person-to-person. [Byline: Ruben Arinez]
[Bolivian haemorrhagic fever, caused by Machupo virus, an arenavirus, occurs sporadically in lowland Bolivia, especially in Beni department. There was a case there in 2013 and in 2012, ProMED-mail reported that 13 people had been infected with Machupo virus and 7 had died as a consequence of the disease. In Beni department at that time, 5 municipalities, including Magdalena, were reported to have had large populations of _Calomys callosus_ mice, the reservoir host of Machupo virus, which can cause persistent infections in the mice. It would not be surprising to find cases in lowland areas of La Paz department as well, where the current cases are occurring. The drylands vesper mouse, _C. musculinus_ mentioned above, although present in southern Bolivia, is unlikely to be the reservoir rodent involved in these cases. _C. callosus_ mice are the recognized reservoir hosts of Machupo virus. Health officials can provide information about rodent control and assist in implementing it, but effective long-term implementation ultimately rests with local residents.
An image of _C. callosus_, the large vesper mouse and reservoir host of Machupo virus can be seen at
<http://www.faunaparaguay.com/calomyscallosus.html>.
An image of _C. musculinus_, the drylands vesper mouse, can be seen at
<http://www.faunaparaguay.com/calomysmusculinus.html>. - ProMED Mod.TY]
[HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of Bolivia:
<http://healthmap.org/promed/p/10123>]
Health alert in Bolivia as physician dies and others in serious condition
Disease Idiopathic Disease Bolivia - 15 days ago
Date: Mon 1 Jul 2019
Source: Eje Central Mexico [in Spanish, trans. ProMED Mod.MPP, edited]
<http://www.ejecentral.com.mx/alertan-por-enfermedad-viral-no-identificada-en-bolivia/>
An unknown disease that led to the death of an internal medicine physician and that has another 2 in serious condition has led to the activation of health protocols in Bolivia, requesting assistance from international medical teams in order to identify the aetiology of the disease, it was announced on Mon 1 Jul 2019 by the Minister of Health, Gabriela Montano.
Initial diagnostic tests indicated a "viral disease," but through the analysis of the physician who died and the 2 other professionals who are in intensive care, "they have discarded influenza and other viral diseases," such as dengue, according to Montano.
In the last hours, Montano increased the number of infected individuals to 5. "We have 3 suspected cases in addition to the 1st 2 cases, the doctors; the other 3 are in the same hospital (in La Paz) as the original 2 cases," the Minister of Health said at a press conference. "Two of the 3 new cases had contact with the 2 doctors who were infected. The 3rd person did not have contact with the professionals, but presented similar symptoms," said Montano.
In order to establish the origin of the disease, an infectious disease specialist from Brasil and another 2 specialists from Atlanta, United States [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC], will help the national teams in the investigation. The health authorities have not declared a state of epidemiologic emergency, while the representative from the Pan American Health Organization [PAHO/OPS] in Bolivia, Alfonso Tenorio, asked to follow protocols in order to "be calm." "Bolivia has "the equipment and personnel fully trained in order to take the appropriate diagnostic steps, treatment, clinical management, and epidemiologic control," said Tenorio at a press conference.
As part of these protocols, the Ministry of Health ordered the mandatory use of masks and latex gloves in local hospitals. At the end of last year [2018], Caranavi, the semitropical zone in the northeast of La Paz, where the deceased doctor was infected, reported a dengue outbreak that claimed the lives of 5 people.
New case of Hantavirus infection reported in Padcaya in Bolivia
Disease Hantavirus Bolivia - 2 months ago
Source: El Pais [in Spanish, trans. Mod.TY, edited]
<https://elpais.bo/reportan-un-nuevo-caso-de-hantavirus-en-padcaya/>
Tarija Departmental Health Services (SEDES) reported a new case of hantavirus [infection] in Padcaya municipality. The number of patients with this illness is within what is expected, because this season is when more people acquire the disease. Epidemiological surveillance is continuing in Arce province. The person who acquired this illness is male and is under medical care until his recuperation.
The head of the Epidemiological Unit of SEDES, Claudia Montenegro, stated that the patient is hospitalized in the San Juan de Dios Regional Hospital in Tarija awaiting his recuperation. The physician said that in Bermejo and Padcaya municipalities, the harvest of citrus fruit and sugar cane for production of sugar has begun, so there is a trend for the cases of this illness to increase. This is due to the large number of families that move to the countryside where the rodent (long tail) is present that transmits this disease [virus].
"In contrast to previous seasons, this year [2019], there were positives for this disease in Gran Chaco province, including fatalities," Montenegro commented. "Epidemiological surveillance there is being implemented, as well as in areas such as Padcaya and Bermejo."
The official explained that in these localities, the rodent that transmits the disease [virus] to families is present, and with agricultural activities, [people] move into places where this animal lives, and so new cases of patients with hantavirus [infections] are registered every year.
In order to prevent this illness, it is recommended that rodent control campaigns be done to reduce their populations, openings in houses be sealed, and that residents reduce the possibility for rodents to make nests within a radius of 30 meters [100 ft] around the house, and eliminate items that could attract these animals near the house (food, grain, garbage). Workers should employ protective measures during agricultural tasks and cleaning work.
Initial symptoms include fatigue, fever and muscle pain, especially in the thighs, hips and back. Also, patients may present with headache, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. [These symptoms may progress rapidly to respiratory difficulty requiring mechanical ventilation (hantavirus cardio pulmonary syndrome). Death can occur. - ProMED Mod.TY]
[The hantavirus involved in the above cases is not mentioned. Cases of hantavirus infections in Tarija department are not new. Tarija department is endemic for hantaviruses, and cases occur there sporadically. Last year (2018), there were 11 cases. The previouslyreported 2015 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) that occurred in Tarija department were confirmed. As noted in the previous comments, earlier cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome have been reported from tropical, lowland areas of Bolivia, including 7 cases in Tarija during 2014. The specific hantaviruses involved in these or previous cases in Bolivia were not given.
In the lowland Amazon Basin of Bolivia, the rodent hosts of the hantavirus that might be involved in these hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) cases, with their images, include the following: - Laguna Negra virus (_Calomys laucha_ <http://www.faunaparaguay.com/images/Calomys%20laucha%20enciso%2031aug2011.jpg> and _C. callosus_ <https://eee.uci.edu/clients/bjbecker/PlaguesandPeople/Calomyscallosusb.jpg>); - Bermejo (Chaco rice rat _Oligoryzomys chacoensis_ <http://www.faunaparaguay.com/oligorizomyschacoensis.html>); and - Oran (_O. longicaudatus_ <http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/imgs/512x768/0000_0000/0711/1203.jpeg>).
Since previous cases in Tarija department have occurred in Bermejo, perhaps Bermejo hantavirus was involved.
Dr. Jan Clement commented that there is a need to be able to differentiate Seoul (SEOV) as a causative agent, but that is hampered by the fact that most current commercial ELISA or WB formats do not contain (anymore) a SEOV antigen, so that a preliminary presumption of a hantavirus infection can even be missed in non-research laboratories (ibidem, and: Reynes J-M, Carli D, Bour J-B, Boudjeltia S, Dewilde A, Gerbier G, et al. Seoul virus infection in humans, France, 2014-2016. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017;23:973-7; <https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/23/6/16-0927_article>.
SEOV is widely distributed around the world in the brown rat and is likely found in Tarija department. - ProMED Mod.TY]
Tarija, Tarija, Bolivia: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/12643>]
Hantaviral infection suspected in illness of 17yo in Postrervalle (Bolivia)
Date: Mon 29 Apr 2019
Source: El Deber [in Spanish, trans., ProMED Mod.TY, edited]
<https://www.eldeber.com.bo/santacruz/Reportan-un-caso-de-hantavirus-en-Postrervalle-20190428-9511.html>
A suspected case of [a] hantavirus [infection] in Postrervalle last week mobilized personnel of the medical centre of this municipality and the Office of Health of Vallegrande. The ill individual, a 17 year old, who works as a cowboy in the Mosqueras area, went to the [health] center, presenting with symptoms of [a] hantavirus [infection]. He was taken to Vallegrande where a corresponding chart was initiated and related tests were done that confirmed the 1st case of [a] hantavirus [infection] in the area. Due to the seriousness of the case, on [Fri 26 Apr 2019] the patient was transferred to Santa Cruz where he received treatment. It is believed that the patient was infected when he was in a rural property in Moroco, close to Mosqueras.
The Moroco - Mosqueras area is forested with high humidity due to the constant rains. There are several cattle ranches in the area. Rodrigo García, Chief of Health in Vallegrande, stated that they went immediately to the areas and established an [epidemiological] focal blockade and began to train people about management of the disease. Today [Mon 29 Apr 2019] a new team went into the place in order to verify the presence of long-tail rats that transmit the virus. A hantavirus outbreak was reported recently in [nearby] Tarija [department]. [Byline: Juan Carlos Aguilar F.]
[The condition of the patient is reported as serious, prompting his transfer to Santa Cruz city where more advanced facilities are available. The seriousness of the case suggests that he may have developed hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome although no mention is made of the use of mechanical ventilation. The hantavirus involved in this case is not specified. The Moroco - Mosqueras area is an inter-Andean valley.
The report above indicates that it is forested area but the presence of cattle ranches indicates that extensive open areas of pasture must be present as well; making it difficult to determine which of several hantaviruses may be involved. Andes hantavirus has not been reported present in Bolivia.
In the lowland Amazon Basin of Bolivia, the rodent hosts of the hantavirus that might be involved in these cases, with their images, include the following:
- Laguna Negra virus (_Calomys laucha_ <http://www.faunaparaguay.com/images/Calomys%20laucha%20enciso%2031aug2011.jpg>
and _C. callosus_ <http://www.faunaparaguay.com/calomyscallosus.html>);
- Bermejo (Chaco rice rat _Oligoryzomys chacoensis_ <http://www.faunaparaguay.com/oligorizomyschacoensis.html>); and
- Oran (_O. longicaudatus_ <http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/imgs/512x768/0000_0000/0711/1203.jpeg>).
As Dr. Jan Clement pointed out previously, a battery of hantavirus diagnostic agents, including SEOV antigens is required to reach a definitive diagnosis. - ProMED Mod.TY]
[HealthMap/ProMED map available at: Bolivia: <http://healthmap.org/promed/p/5>]