Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News(24 February 2015 - 2 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 |
India |
36,486 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2014 |
Vietnam |
31,848 |
World Health Organization, 10 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
120 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 15 February 2015
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 27 February 2015 |
Japan |
26 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 24 February 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 |
1,570 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 26 February 2015 |
Sri Lanka |
8,918 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 26 February 2015 |
Thailand |
3,286 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 24 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 (March 1) 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, two male patients aged 36 (in Foshan) and 45 (in Dongguan) were hospitalised for treatment in stable condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 2 March 2015)
Liberia: Pertussis
More than 500 children in Maryland County in southern
Liberia have contracted
pertussis.
(Source: ProMED-mail 1 March 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH)is today (February 28) closely monitoring two additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) in the Mainland, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the Health and Family Planning Commission of Anhui Province, a male patient and a female patient, both aged 58 with poultry exposure before onset, were hospitalised for management. They were in critical condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 28 February 2015)
Nigeria: Lassa Fever
As of 20 February 2015, Federal Ministry of Health of
Nigeria reported 19 cases including 1 fatal case of
Lassa fever.
(Source: ProMED-mail 28 February 2015)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
The Department of Health (DH) is today (February 27) closely monitoring four additional cases of
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including one death, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel. In addition, four previously confirmed patients died. To date, 1 030 laboratory-confirmed MERS cases have been reported to the WHO globally, including at least 381 deaths.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 27 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 27) closely monitoring an additional human case 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, a male patient aged 80 in Shantou was hospitalised for treatment in critical condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 27 February 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,190 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,113 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 27 February 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 9,265 including 4,057 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 27 February 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,370 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,490 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 27 February 2015)
Algeria: Influenza
Three people died following complications from seasonal
influenza on 21 February 2015 in
Algeria.
(Source: ProMED-mail 27 February 2015)
Myanmar: Avian Influenza, poultry
An outbreak of H5N1
avian influenza was reported on 26 February 2015 in Sagaing Region of
Myanmar. Thousands of poultry has been destroyed in order to control the outbreak.
(Source: ProMED-mail 26 February 2015)
Canada: Measles [Update]
In
Canada, 8 new cases of
measles were reported during 8 February to 14 February 2015, 5 cases in Ontario and 3 cases in Quebec respectively. A total of 27 cases of measles have been reported in Canada for 2015.
(Source: Public Health Agency of Canada 25 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 26) closely monitoring an additional human case 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, a male patient aged 78 in Zhaoqing was hospitalised for treatment in serious condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 26 February 2015)
Hungary: Avian Influenza, poultry
On 23 February 2015, a suspected outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8
avian influenza was reported in Bekes County of
Hungary and 21 170 fattening ducks were affected.
(Source: ProMED-mail 26 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 25) closely monitoring three additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) in the Mainland, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the notification of the Health and Family Planning Commission (HFPC) of Guangdong Province, the male patient aged 59 in Zhaoqing was hospitalised for management in critical condition. In addition, according to the HFPC of Anhui Province, the two male patients aged 48 and 75 with poultry exposure before onset were hospitalised for management. Both were in critical condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 25 February 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 25) 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, a male patient aged 3 in Heyuan and a female patient aged 18 in Foshan were hospitalised for treatment, and are in a stable and critical condition respectively.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 25 February 2015)
Australia: Ross River Virus
An outbreak of Ross River fever was confirmed in south part of Australia and 1000 people have already been infected since the start of 2015. Heavy rain is being blamed for an upsurge in the mosquito population.
(Source: ProMED-mail 25 February 2015)
Germany: Measles
The number of
measles infections was increasing in Berlin,
Germany and it was related to unvaccinated refugees and cases from overseas. Berlin has recorded 347 measles cases since the start of 2015.
(Source: ProMED-mail 22 February 2015)
Egypt: Avian Influenza, human
Egyptian health authorities have reported an additional case of H5N1
avian influenza. A 32-year-old woman from northern province of Dakahlia died of the disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 February 2015)
India: Influenza
According to Health Ministry of
India, some 14484 people have been affected by
influenza A (H1N1) across the nation as of 22 February and more than 800 people have died of the disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 February 2015)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
Between 8 and 19 February 2015, the IHR National Focal Point for the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 43 additional cases of
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) infection, including 14 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 23 February 2015)
Taiwan: Norovirus Infection
A suspected
norovirus outbreak was reported in Taichung of
Taiwan. Tourists from a resort in Wuling developed symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea and fever and around 120 people have sought medical consultation within two days. Control measures were implemented and investigation was ongoing.
(Source: Health Bureau of Taichung City Government 23 February 2015)