Current Travel Health News
Current Travel Health News
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 01/01/2016 *
|
Cumulative reported no. |
Source of information and date of report |
Australia |
1,760 |
World Health Organization, 2 November 2016 |
Brazil |
1,452,284 |
World Health Organization, 28 October 2016 |
Cambodia |
1,771 |
World Health Organization, 2 November 2016 |
Guangdong |
434 |
Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 25 October 2016 |
India |
79,800 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 October 2016 |
Japan |
300# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 1 November 2016 |
Lao PDR |
4,658 |
World Health Organization, 2 November 2016 |
Malaysia |
87,890 |
World Health Organization, 2 November 2016 |
Mexico |
99,759 |
World Health Organization, 28 October 2016 |
Philippines |
101,401 |
World Health Organization, 2 November 2016 |
Singapore |
12,495^ |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 3 November 2016 |
Sri Lanka |
44,822 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 3 November 2016 |
Taiwan |
377” |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 3 November 2016 |
Thailand |
52,562 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 2 November 2016 |
Vietnam |
63,504 |
World Health Organization, 2 November 2016 |
Remarks:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.
“ Locally-acquired
^ Cumulative cases since 3 January 2016
# Cumulative cases since 4 January 2016.
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.
Poland: Avian influenza, wild birds
Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) have been reported in Goleniow, Poland.
(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 7 November 2016)
India: Japanese Encephalitis [Update]
97 fatal cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in Odisha, India in 59 days.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 November 2016)
A total of 2,733 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen.
(Source: World Health Organization 6 November 2016)
The number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen has increased to 1,410 within 3 weeks.
(Source: ProMED-mail 2 November 2016)
Panama: Hantavirus infection [Update]
The 3rd case of hantavirus infection was reported in Los Santos province in Panama.
(Source: ProMED-mail 1 November 2016)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring seven additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, including one death, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of health risks in the places they visit.
According to the WHO, among the five male and two female patients aged from 28 to 78 (median age 51), five had underlying illnesses. Investigations revealed that three had contact with camels (including two who consumed their raw milk).
(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 1 November 2016)