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 |
1,652 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Brazil |
1,426,005 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Cambodia |
1,771 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Guangdong |
141 |
Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 6 September 2016 |
India |
27,879 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 August 2016 |
Japan |
222# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 6 September 2016 |
Lao PDR |
3,119 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Mexico |
56,701 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Philippines |
101,401 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Singapore |
11,478^ |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 8 September 2016 |
Sri Lanka |
39,509 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 8 September 2016 |
Taiwan |
376 |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 8 September 2016 |
Thailand |
38,031 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 6 September 2016 |
Vietnam |
36,639 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 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.
Mainland: Avian influenza, human
A human case of H9N2 avian influenza was reported in Jiangxi province, China.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 September 2016)
Mainland: Zika Virus Infection
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health was notified of an additional imported case of Zika Virus Infection in Henan by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and again urged the public to adopt strict anti-mosquito measures and safe sex during travel. Pregnant women and those planning pregnancy should not travel to affected areas.
The male patient aged 28 developed fever and headache in Guatemala on September 4 and returned to Henan on September 8. He was detected as febrile with rash upon arrival and was hospitalised for management in stable condition.
To date, 23 imported cases of Zika Virus Infection have been notified in the Mainland China.
(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 12 September 2016)
From August 2015 till now, 284 cases of Lassa fever, including 154 deaths, were reported across Nigeria.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 September 2016)
Pakistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]
The number of cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is on the rise across Pakistan. The most affected province is Balochistan.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 September 2016)
4 confirmed cases of mumps were reported in Arkansas, USA.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10 September 2016)
Mainland: Avian influenza, poultry [Update]
A new outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N6 avian influenza was reported among poultry in Guizhou province, China.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 September 2016)
In the past 9 months, over 250 confirmed cases of scrub typhus were reported in Shimla, India.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 September 2016)
As of 6 September, a total of 41 cases of measles have been reported in Japan.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2016)
3 new cases of Lassa fever were reported in Ondo state of Nigeria.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 September 2016)
United Kingdom: E.coli infection
The United Kingdom reported an outbreak of E. Coli O157 infection in Scotland. The majority of patients had consumed a brand of blue cheese.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 September 2016)
In Japan, a total of 31 employees of Kansai International Airport have been confirmed to have measles. Kansai Airport warned those who visited the airport on or after 17 August to seek medical attention if they develop symptoms.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 September 2016)
From 14 to 20 August 2016, there have been 3,635 new indigenous cases of malaria in Venezuela.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 September 2016)
From 24 August to 2 September, 5 confirmed cases of Lassa fever were reported in Nigeria.
(Source: ProMED-mail 6 September 2016)
Between January 2015 and August 2016, there were 8 confirmed cases of yellow fever in Goias, Brazil. 75 percent of the patients died.