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 |
1,429 |
World Health Organization, 26 July 2016 |
Brazil |
1,345,286 |
World Health Organization, 29 July 2016 |
Cambodia |
1,771 |
World Health Organization, 26 July 2016 |
Guangdong |
78 |
Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 27 July 2016 |
India |
15,099 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 July 2016 |
Japan |
181# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 2 August 2016 |
Lao PDR |
1,966 |
World Health Organization, 26 July 2016 |
Mexico |
39,933 |
World Health Organization, 29 July 2016 |
Philippines |
59,585 |
World Health Organization, 26 July 2016 |
Singapore |
10,244^ |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 4 August 2016 |
Sri Lanka |
30,041 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 1 August 2016 |
Taiwan |
376 |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 4 August 2016 |
Thailand |
26,564 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 2 August 2016 |
Vietnam |
25,441 |
World Health Organization, 26 July 2016 |
Remark:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.
^ 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.
Ghana: Avian Influenza, poultry
Outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza among poultry were reported in the Greater Accra state and Central state of Ghana.
(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 8 August 2016)
A case of tularaemia was reported in Sweetwater County, USA.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 August 2016)
A case of human infection with swine origin Influenza A (H3N2) was reported in Michigan, USA. The case is linked to a sick pig at a county fair.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 August 2016)
So far this year, 5 cases of Hantavirus infection were reported in Araucania region, Chile.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 August 2016)
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Yellow Fever [update]
As of 27 July 2016, a total of 2,051 suspected cases of yellow fever have been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 August 2016)
As of 28 July 2016, a total of 3,818 suspected cases of yellow fever have been reported in Angola.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 August 2016)
Nigeria: Avian Influenza, poultry
Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) have been reported in Oyo in Nigeria.
(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 4 August 2016)
Over 295 confirmed cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in Assam, India.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 August 2016)
Mainland China: Rift Valley fever
On 23 July 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of China notified WHO of an imported case of Rift Valley fever. The case had been working in Angola.
(Source: World Health Organization 2 August 2016)
Thailand: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
The number of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease cases in Bangkok, Thailand, has risen to over 6,000 from January to July this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 2 August 2016)