Travel Health Service Year 2014

Travel Health News Digest (20 May 2014 - 26 May 2014)

Take precautions against dengue fever when travelling abroad

Dengue fever is now endemic in more than 100 countries in Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. This includes various popular tourist destinations for Hong Kong people including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Travellers planning to travel in these areas should take precautions against the disease.

Cumulative reported number of dengue cases since 01/01/2014 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2014	Source of information and date of report
Australia	776	World Health Organization, 20 May 2014
Brazil	282,397	World Health Organization, 09 May 2014
Cambodia	425	World Health Organization, 20 May 2014
Guangdong Taiwan	5 77	Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 14 May 2014 CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 26 May 2014
India	1,768	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 April 2014
Lao PDR	527	World Health Organization, 20 May 2014
Malaysia	30,921	World Health Organization, 20 May 2014
Mexico	18,154	World Health Organization, 09 May 2014
New Caledonia	276	World Health Organization, 20 May 2014
Philippines	19,406	World Health Organization, 20 May 2014
Singapore	5, 926	Singapore National Environment Agency, 23 May 2014
Sri Lanka	10,128	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 23 May 2014
Thailand	6,420	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 20 May 2014
Vietnam	3,820	World Health Organization, 20 May 2014

Remark:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.

Travellers should stay vigilant against dengue fever and adopt the following personal preventive measures against mosquito bite:

*	Always wear loose, light-coloured long-sleeved tops and trousers;
*	Stay in air-conditioned residence or places with mosquito screens;
*	If mosquito screen or air-conditioning is absent, aerosol insecticide and bed nets are advised;
*	Use insect repellents containing DEET on exposed skin and clothing;
*	Use insect repellents containing DEET apart from applying sunscreen while staying in beaches;
*	Re-apply insect repellents according to instructions during the trip;
*	Carry a portable bed nets and apply permethrin on it as well as to clothes if travelling to rural areas where dengue fever is prevalent.

Travellers returning from areas where dengue fever is prevalent should seek medical advice as soon as possible if they feel unwell and provide travel details to their doctors.

Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human

World Health Organization reported that a 2 year old boy from Central Java, Indonesia died of H5N1 avian influenza in April 2014.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 May 2014)

United Arab Emirates: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

The Department of Health (DH) is today (May 24) closely monitoring three additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the United Arab Emirates, and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel.

According to the WHO, the patients are from Abu Dhabi, including:

* A man aged 71 who had contact with a previously confirmed health-care worker (HCW) in hospital;
* A man aged 26 who had contact with cows and sheep but not camels; and
* A man aged 36 with no contact with previously confirmed patients, no travel history, no animal contact, and no history of consumption of raw camel products.

To date, 635 MERS cases (including 193 deaths) have been reported to the WHO globally, including 41 and 17 additional cases reported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from May 10 to 15 and from May 16 to 18 respectively.

Travellers, apart from avoiding contact with animals, especially camels, or visits to farms, barns or markets with camels, they should not drink raw milk, or consume food which may be contaminated by animal secretions or products, unless they have been properly cooked, washed or peeled.

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 24 May 2014)

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

As of 23 May 2014, the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 258 clinical cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 174 deaths. Cases have been reported from Télimélé, Conakry, Guekedou, Macenta, Kissidougou, Dabola and Djingaraye.

(Source: World Health Organization 23 May 2014)

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is closely monitoring the latest reports of the Mainland health authorities as of yesterday (May 22) on two additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Anhui affecting two men aged 69 and 58 who are now hospitalised for treatment.

A total of 429 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been confirmed in the Mainland, including Zhejiang (138 cases), Guangdong (108 cases), Jiangsu (54 cases), Shanghai (41 cases), Hunan (23 cases), Fujian (22 cases), Anhui (17 cases), Jiangxi (eight cases), Beijing (four cases), Henan (four cases), Guangxi (three cases), Shandong (three cases), Jilin (two cases), Guizhou (one case, imported from Zhejiang) and Hebei (one case).

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 23 May 2014)

Georgia: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

In April 2014 in Georgia, 2 people died from Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 May 2014)

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is closely monitoring, as of yesterday (May 20), an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Anhui according to the latest reports of the Mainland health authorities. The patient is a man aged 40 who is now hospitalised for treatment.

A total of 427 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been confirmed in the Mainland, including Zhejiang (138 cases), Guangdong (108 cases), Jiangsu (54 cases), Shanghai (41 cases), Hunan (23 cases), Fujian (22 cases), Anhui (15 cases), Jiangxi (eight cases), Beijing (four cases), Henan (four cases), Guangxi (three cases), Shandong (three cases), Jilin (two cases), Guizhou (one case, imported from Zhejiang) and Hebei (one case).

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 21 May 2014)

Vietnam: Rabies

Hanoi has recorded 2 human deaths from rabies in 2014. This yea, the country has recorded deaths from rabies in 10 provinces and cities, including 3 in the central province of Thanh Hoa and 2 in the northern provinces of Yen Bai and Tuyen Quang each.

(Source: ProMED-mail 20 May 2014)

Haiti: Chikungunya Fever

According to health ministry of Haiti, at least 1529 cases of chikungunya fever have been confirmed. Of these, about 900 of them were found in the west department and another 300 cases were confirmed in north western Haiti.

(Source: ProMED-mail 19 May 2014)

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

As of 18 May 2014, the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 253 clinical cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 176 deaths. Cases have been reported from Conakry, Guekedou, Macenta, Kissidougou, Dabola and Djingaraye.

(Source: World Health Organization 18 May 2014)

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