Travel Health Service Year 2015

Current Travel Health News

Travel Health News

Travel Health News (10 March 2015 - 16 March 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

Vietnam

31,848

World Health Organization, 24 February 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

Australia

244

World Health Organization, 24 February 2015

Brazil

67,006

World Health Organization, 24 February 2015

Cambodia

174

World Health Organization, 24 February 2015

Guangdong

Taiwan

6

136

Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 15 February 2015
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 13 March 2015

India

1,938

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 Februray 2015

Japan

30

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 3 March 2015

Lao PDR

53

World Health Organization, 24 February 2015

Malaysia

18,351

World Health Organization, 24 February 2015

Mexico

5,655

World Health Organization, 24 February 2015

Philippines

3,575

World Health Organization, 24 February 2015

Singapore

1,972

Singapore National Environment Agency,12 March 2015

Sri Lanka

10,284

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka,12 March 2015

Thailand

4,347

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 11 March 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.

 

Malaysia: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

An outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease has been declared in Sarawak, Malaysia and most of the cases occurred in Kuching, Miri and Sibu.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 March 2015)

 

Kenya: Cholera

Outbreaks of cholera were reported in Migori, Homa Bay and Kisii counties of Kenya in January 2015 and have claimed 30 lives and affected 1500 people.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 March 2015)

 

Democratic Republic of Congo: Cholera

A cholera outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has infected 1500 people and caused 35 deaths in less than 2 months.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 March 2015)

 

Australia: Ross River Virus [Update]

Since 1 January 2015, more than 2835 people in Queensland, Australia have contracted Ross River fever.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2015)

 

USA: Salmonella infection

An outbreak of Salmonella infection was reported in northwestern Texas of USA affecting at least 78 people.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2015)

 

Netherlands: Avian Influenza, poultry

An outbreak of low pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza virus infection was reported in a farm of Gelderland, Netherlands.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 13 March 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,331 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,192 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 13 March 2015)

 

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia is 9,482 including 4,241 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 13 March 2015)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,696 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,663 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 13 March 2015)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health today (March 13) received notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of a human case of avian influenza A(H5N1) affecting a man aged 46 in Sichuan.  According to the information provided by NHFPC, the patient is a poultry worker who lived in Suining. He developed a cough and chest discomfort on February 18. He attended a local hospital on February 21 and passed away on February 27. His specimen, which was tested by the relevant authority, was positive for avian influenza A(H5N1).

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 13 March 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,330 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,187 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 12 March 2015)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,677 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,655 deaths.

Moreover, the United Kingdom military healthcare worker with Ebola has now been medically evaculated from Sierra Leone and back to London for treatment.

(Source: World Health Organization & Public Health England 12 March 2015)

 

USA: Avian Influenza, poultry

The Missouri Department of Agriculture reported the second confirmed case of H5N2 avian influenza in a turkey farm in Missouri, USA and the facility housed 21,000 turkeys.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 March 2015)

 

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

Between 26 February and 2 March 2015, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified World Health Organization of 18 additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 5 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 11 March 2015)

 

Caribbean and America: Chikungunya Fever[Update]

WHO Pan-American Health Organization has reported nearly 50,000 new cases of Chikungunya fever in the Pan-American region. Since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2013, there have been 183 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 5 March 2015)

 

Qatar: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

On 9 March 2015, Qatar notified World Health Organization of 1 additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.

(Source: World Health Organization 11 March 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,285 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,170 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 March 2015)

 

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia is 9,343 including 4,162 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 March 2015)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,619 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,629 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 March 2015)

 

Bolivia: Hantavirus infection

The Tarija Health Services Department in Bolivia reported the first 6 suspected cases of hantavirus infection and a person who died of the disease.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 March 2015)

 

Malaysia: Melioidosis

Cases of melioidosis are on the increase in Pahang, Malaysia with already 21 cases detected during the first two months of 2015 and it could be related to flooding in previous months.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 March 2015)

 

Germany: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

The Department of Health (DH) is today (March 10) closely monitoring an additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by Germany, and hence called on the public to stay alert and

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 10 March 2015)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (March 9) received notification of 19 additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) with the onset dates in the past five weeks prior to February 25 from the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. The patients comprise 13 males and six females aged from 3 to 76. Three of them (one man and two women) died and two (one man and one woman) were in critical condition. Eleven cases are from Zhejiang, three are from Jiangsu, two are from Hunan, one is from Fujian, one is from Guizhou and one is from Jiangxi.

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 9 March 2015)

 

Egypt: Avian Influenza, human

The ministry of health of Egypt reported additional 3 cases of H5N1 avian influenza affecting a 2-year-old child from Cairo along with 2 men from the delta area.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 March 2015)