In response to international criticism, with much of it coming from the United States, the Chinese government announced on Friday that it would initiate stricter air pollution standards for Beijing by the end of the month.  Residents of Beijing, foreigners and natives alike, have long complained that the Chinese government routinely understates the severity of the problem, with many relying on the United States embassy’s official figures instead. 

Under the more “U.S. like” standards, Beijing officials will begin reporting on the level of tiny floating particles — 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less, known as PM 2.5 — that doctors warn can more easily settle in the lungs and cause respiratory problems and other illnesses.  As we reported earlier, China has only reported on the levels of much larger particles—10 micrometers or more. 

Liu Xianshu, the director of the city’s equivalent of the Environmental Protection Agency, said that they would start reporting the readings of the PM 2.5 at the start of the Chinese New Year, which falls on January 23rd.  This appears to be a reversal from a statement last month made by Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian that the government agency would not begin using stricter standards until 2016. 

HTH Worldwide, sponsor of Healthy Travel Blog, processes dozens of allergy and respiratory related claims from travelers to Beijing, many of whom had no prior history of either type of illness.  Ear, nose and throat specialists in Beijing appear to do a very brisk business removing nasal polyps and expanding sinus cavities of those afflicted with conditions aggravated by heavy pollutants, while pulmonologists are quite busy taking care of asthmatics and those with chronic lung disease who struggle with frequent exacerbations.  HTH consultants in China routinely advise those with severe seasonal allergies and lung conditions to have adequate medications for their trip to Beijing.

Photo by egorgrebnev.

Authorities in Tehran have declared the second government holiday in a month due to deadly air pollution.  All schools, public offices, and banks will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday December 2^nd and 3^rd because conditions have been determined to be “polluted and unhealthy.”  Children, the ill and the elderly have been urged to remain indoors, and all sports and other outdoor activities have been cancelled.  The air in Tehran is some of the most polluted in the world, largely due to the growing traffic congestion and the geographical location of the city.

The city of Tehran is rapidly growing, and there are a high number of cars on the roads.  The level of pollutants is well above the standard set by the World Health Organization.  According to the Tehran mayor’s office, the 1.4 million vehicles in the city pump an estimated 5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air each year.  Many of the cars are old which increases the amount of pollution being emitted.  In addition, the city is located between mountains which trap the pollution when there is no wind or rain to clear it. 

Health experts say that many Iranians suffer serious health problems as a result of the pollution. Iran’s Health Ministry reported that there has been a 30% increase in admission of patients suffering from breathing problems in the past few days.  It is estimated that thousands of deaths a year are caused by heart attacks and respiratory illnesses brought on by this pollution.

In the long-term, Iranian officials are working to try to reduce the pollution by expanding public transportation, enforcing more strict traffic laws, and requiring vehicle emission inspections.  Authorities are also working to convert heating systems to natural gas. In the short run, breathing in Tehran can be dangerous.

Photo by Hulivili.

Survivalists and military personnel have long been familiar with the need to purify water from lakes, rivers and streams where safe water supplies are unavailable.  In addition to chemical pollutants, heavy metals and silt, portable water purification systems must be able to remove bacteria, such as E. coli, Salmonella (typhoid fever) and Vibrio cholera (cholera), protozoa such as Giardiasis and Cryptosporidium, parasitic worms such as liver flukes and schistosomiasis and viruses. 

For years, the process of boiling water to kill larger pathogens, using activated charcoal filtration systems to remove pollutants, and then adding chemical decontaminants such as chlorine and iodine to eliminate viruses has been the gold standard for obtaining potable water in the wild.  However, new technologies in the last twenty five years have created more user friendly alternatives for soldiers and nature enthusiasts alike.

Portable water purification devices, otherwise known as point-of-use treatment systems, employ a variety of technologies.  The Sport Berkey Portable Water Purifier uses a filter that removes contaminants by a surface phenomenon known as adsorption — the molecular attraction of substances to a media surface. Source water is forced through a filter that removes pathogens and toxic chemicals.

Aqua Sun produces battery and solar powered briefcase sized devices that can purify a gallon or more of water per minute using a combination of filtration and ultraviolet light disinfection.  This represents a significant improvement over the hand pumps that force contaminated water through filters that have been used by military personnel since the late 1980s. Hydro-Photon manufactures a portable, lightweight UV water purifier with the brand name SteriPEN that uses sunlight to induce DNA changes in disease-causing organisms. These DNA changes interfere with an organism’s ability to reproduce — rendering the pathogen harmless.

Though cutting edge, many of the newer technologies have their limitations.  For instance, devices like the SteriPEN are intended for use with clear water only, and devices that rely on filters lose their ability to extract contaminants over time and may even become pathogen reservoirs.  If you are venturing into areas where safe water is not available, consider the volume of water that you need to purify and the logistics of carrying a purifying device with you. There’s likely to be an optimal solution.

Photo by waterdotorg.

Weather is enjoying celebrity-like status in the news this year.  The unusually warm weather in Vancouver has caused all kinds of problems with the outdoor Olympic events, but these abnormal conditions are not unique to British Columbia.  Many areas of Canada and the U.S. are experiencing unseasonable warmth and rain, or equally unusual cold and snow.  These strange patterns extend beyond North America as evidenced by floods and mud slides in Machu Picchu and Portugal.  The blame for this weather can be squarely attributed to El Nino once again.

El Nino emerges every 2 – 7 years and is caused by irregular warming and cooling of the Pacific Ocean west of South America.  This disturbance kicks up atmospheric conditions that give rise to unusual patterns of deluge and drought.  When El Nino delivers a large amount of rainfall to a desert area,   problems occur.  Likewise, El Nino can indirectly unleash freezing temperatures and precipitation that harm crops cultivated in areas used to a warm dry climate.

In addition to the immediate havoc caused by these weather patterns — floods, mudslides and crop failures, there are long-tem implications for public health.  As the World Health Organization (WHO) reports, flooding can cause pollution leading to food-borne illnesses that attack one’s digestive system.  Flooding also creates a moisture-rich environment ideal for mosquitoes to breed. More mosquitoes mean more carriers for vector-based diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and chikungunya. 

Recent reports from Environmental Research show how scientists are analyzing El Nino to predict some of these outbreaks.  Their insights can help determine which vaccines travelers will need to stay healthy.  As you plan your trip, don’t just look at the weather forecast.  Do some digging into recent weather trends to uncover any problems El Nino might be drumming up, whether it’s disease, digestion or the dislodging of entire mountainsides.

This map from Wikipedia (click to enlarge) shows the weather patterns created by El Nino. (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/El_Nino_regional_impacts.gif).

Jellyfish have long been a danger of the sea, and many summer beach stories involve a tale of a painful encounter. Now, according to researchers, there will be plenty more stories to tell:  jellyfish numbers are increasing, and they are migrating to popular swimming areas. The increase in jellyfish numbers can be traced to overfishing of their natural predators such as tuna, swordfish, and sea turtles. At the same time, jellyfish have started massing closer to shore, possibly responding to warmer seas related to global warming dynamics.

Jellyfish are found in most oceans, (check out this map of common tourist locations with jellyfish), and the National Science Foundation recently released a detailed paper on “hot spots” of recent jellyfish blooms that can help  anticipate problems in specific locations.  Of particular concern is the amount of jellyfish near Spain and the surrounding Mediterranean region this summer. Not only have numbers of Mauve Stinger jellyfish been increasing every year (with 300 people stung in Barcelona over a few hours in 2008), but this summer many Portuguese Man-of-War have been spotted. (While not technically jellyfish, they cause very painful stings and can cause chest pain or muscle spasms.)  This problem is definitely spreading as shown by the large number of jellyfish warning signs popping up on the beaches of the UK this week.

The bottom line is: if you’re at a favorite beach and encounter jellyfish, you’ll  need to know what to do if you get stung. The first, if obvious, rule is to get out of the water. Flag down a bystander or lifeguard if the pain is making it difficult for you to move in to shore. Once on shore, rinse with salt water (fresh may be more painful), ice it,  but don’t rub it. Remove the tentacles with tweezers and gloved hands. A vinegar rinse can help prevent the release of toxins, particularly with box jellyfish and the Portuguese man-of war. For these two species, you should also contact a medical authority. Many experienced beach bums recommend applying shaving cream or a paste of baking soda/water and then shaving or scraping with a credit card to remove stingers.  If you’re heading to a jellyfish hotspot you may want to consider adding tweezers, vinegar, and shaving cream to your first aid kit. By the way, the urban myth of urinating(!) on stings is just that — it won’t do any good, and could make it worse.

Jellyfish are actually fascinating animals. You can visit the interactive special report put out by the NSF if you’re interested in learning more about them through pictures, videos, and fun facts.  Just keep your distance from them in the surf.

What’s your jellyfish story?

Amid all the news and speculation, it’s natural to wonder how Influenza A H1N1 got off to such a galloping start in Mexico. Reports are coming in about cultural resistance to seeking medical care,  which no doubt is a contributing factor.  But I was struck by a report filed by Jason Beaubien of NPR  potentially linking the flu outbreak to the scarcity of clean water in many parts of Mexico. If maintaining basic hygiene is compromised by chronic water shortages, it seems the environment becomes ripe for infectious diseases to blossom.

Taking a global view of this issue makes it very clear why pandemics are expected to emanate from Africa and Asia –countries like China and India are among the most “water-stresssed” in the world. And Mexico appears to be on a par with them. Until a workable plan for redistributing water to needy populations is adopted, water-stressed destinations will be increasingly problematic for economic development and tourism.  The Healthy Travel Blog will keep digging into underlying environmental issues that world travelers need to understand to keep their travels safe and healthy.