The Global Health Compass: Steering Your Patients Through Travel Risks and Pandemic Concerns
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58931/cpct.2025.3141Abstract
Canadian-resident trips abroad continued to increase in 2024 and surpassed their 2023 levels by 10.0%. Overseas trips by Canadians increased by 30.9% from 2023 and now exceed pre-pandemic numbers.
Although international travellers are an important group for the world economy, they are at increased risk of exposure to infectious diseases while they are outside their home country and may possibly spread these diseases from one country to another. SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, Zika, and antimicrobial resistant pathogens are examples of health threats whose spread has been facilitated by international travellers. Climate change is also impacting infectious disease risk. Rising temperatures are expanding the regions where vector-borne diseases (e.g., dengue, malaria, Chikungunya, Zika) can thrive, as well as increasing the risk of zoonotic (e.g., Avian influenza) and waterborne diseases (e.g., Vibrio, E. coli).
As more Canadians travel, clinicians play a critical role in making travel recommendations. This article will focus on simple recommendations that can be made to reduce travel risks and highlight potential future pandemic concerns.
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