There has not yet been reported any disease outbreaks in the areas hit by the tsunami.
The main risk relates to contaminated drinking water from broken water pipes. This can transmit hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera and other enteric pathogens, but the risk is related to the areas where the watersystem is damaged and is not expected to pose a major threat to areas outside the disaster areas.
Personnel involved in disaster relief can be protected by immunization against hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera.
Over the past year, Thailand has experienced an outbreak of avian influenza - birdflu - with a few infected humans. The situation where many relief workers are gathered in a limited area where the infrastructure has broken down pose a unique possibility for a new pathogen like flu, to infected many people from around the world at the same time.
Increased surveillance of fever and upper respiratory tract symptoms in returning relief workers and tourist from Thailand would be appropriate as suggested in ProMED 30 December 2004.
Travels to areas affected by the disaster should be cancelled.
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