Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (3 February 2015 - 9 February 2015)
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 |
1,514 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Brazil |
591,080 |
World Health Organization, 19 January 2015 |
Cambodia |
3,543 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Guangdong
Taiwan |
45,171
15,824 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 15 December 2014
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 6 February 2015 |
India |
36,486 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2014 |
Lao PDR |
1,716 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Malaysia |
108,698 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Philippines |
104,741 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Vietnam |
17,766 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Cumulative reported number of dengue cases since 01/01/2015 *
|
Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2015 |
Source of information and date of report |
Mexico |
1,432 |
World Health Organization, 3 February 2015 |
Japan |
18 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 3 February 2015 |
Singapore |
1,134 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 5 February 2015 |
Sri Lanka |
5,372 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 5 February 2015 |
Thailand |
1,589 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 3 February 2015 |
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.
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 8) closely monitoring two additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Guangdong notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the GDHFPC, the male patient aged 52 in Shenzhen and the other male patient aged 73 in Zhongshan were hospitalised for treatment in stable and critical condition respectively.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 8 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 7) closely monitoring an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Jiangmen, Guangdong notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the GDHFPC, the patient is a 56-year-old man with underlying illness. He is currently hospitalised for treatment in critical condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 7 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 6) closely monitoring five additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the GDHFPC, the five patients involve three males and two females aged between 2 and 76. Among them, a woman aged 62 has passed away while the others are currently hospitalised for treatment.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 6 February 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,988 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,957 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 6 February 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 10,792 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,301 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 6 February 2015)
Kyrgyzstan: Anthrax, human
In Jalal-Abad province of
Kyrgyzstan, at least 7 people who have consumed meat of an animal were suspected of
anthrax.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 February 2015)
Panama: Hantavrius infection
The health authorities in Herrera province of
Panama confirmed on 4 February the first case of
hantavirus infection in 2015 in the province. The individual is a 37-year-old patient from the Parita district.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 February 2015)
Taiwan: Avian Influenza, poultry
A dead spoonbill that was discovered in the Tingshan wetlands of Tainan City's Chiku Township, Taiwan on 25 January was positively diagnosed with a sub strain of H5 avian influenza.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring one additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the GDHFPC, the male patient aged 51 in Shenzhen was hospitalised for management in serious condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 5 February 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,986 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,947 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 February 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 8,745 including 3,746 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 February 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 10,756 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,286 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (February 4) received notification of 49 additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) in the past six weeks from the National Health and Family Planning Commission and Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province , and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. The patients comprise 38 men and 11 women aged from one to 88 and nine of them (eight men and one woman) died. 30 cases are from Fujian, 10 from Zhejiang, seven from Jiangsu, one from Guangdong and one from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang).
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 4 February 2015)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
The Department of Health (DH) is today (February 4) closely monitoring nine additional cases of
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) (including four deaths) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 4 February 2015)
Bangladesh: Nipah virus
Two fatal cases of Nipah encephalitis were reported in Naogaon of Bangladesh.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 February 2015)
United Kingdom: Mumps
A
mumps outbreak in Lanarkshire of Scotland has affected more than 30 people in 2 weeks.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 February 2015)
Egypt: Avian Influenza, human
The Health Ministry of
Egypt reported an additional case of H5N1
avian influenza affecting a 13-year-old girl from Qena governorate.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 February 2015)
Panama: Hantavrius infection
Cases of
hantavirus infection continue in Los Santos province of
Panama and the fourth case was confirmed on 2 February.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 3) closely monitoring two additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the GDHFPC, the male patient aged 56 in Guangzhou and the 9-month-old female patient in Zhongshan were hospitalised for management in critical and stable condition respectively.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 3 February 2015)
India: Scrub Typhus
In the past 2 months,
India reported at least 28 cases of
Scrub Typhus.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 February 2015)
Israel: Avian Influenza, poultry [Update]
Another outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1
avian influenza was reported in a turkey farm in Hasharon near Netanya,
Israel.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 February 2015)
United Kingdom: Avian Influenza, poultry
A case of low pathogenic H7
avian influenza has been confirmed in chickens at a farm in Hampshire,
United Kingdom.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 February 2015)
Taiwan: Rubella
The
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control announced on 29 January 2015 this year's first
rubella case in a 41-year-old male who resides in northern Taiwan.
(Source: ProMED-mail 2 February 2015)
USA: Measles
From January 1 to January 30, 2015, 102 people from 14 states of
USA were reported to have
measles. Most of these cases are part of a large, ongoing multi-state outbreak linked to an amusement park in California.
(Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention 2 February 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,975 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,944 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 3 February 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 8,729 including 3,739 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 9九 February 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 10,740 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,276 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 3 February 2015)