Travel Health Service Year 2016

Current Travel Health News

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.
of cases since 01/01/2016

Source of information and date of report

Australia

1,044

World Health Organization, 31 May 2016

Brazil

1,130,316

World Health Organization, 3 June 2016

Cambodia

1,771

World Health Organization, 31 May 2016

Guangdong

39

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 13 May 2016

India

5,605

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 May 2016

Japan

137#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 7 June 2016

Lao PDR

583

World Health Organization, 31 May 2016

Mexico

26,971

World Health Organization, 3 June 2016

Philippines

33,748

World Health Organization, 31 May 2016

Singapore

8,464^

Singapore National Environment Agency, 9 June 2016

Sri Lanka

18,421

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 8 June 2016

Taiwan

372

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 9 June 2016

Thailand

18,337

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 8 June 2016

Vietnam

16,967

World Health Organization, 31 May 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.


Benin: Lassa fever

A total of 54 suspected cases of Lassa fever, including 28 deaths, were reported in Benin.

(Source: World Health Organization 13 June 2016)

 

Netherlands: Avian Influenza, poultry

An outbreak of low pathogenic H7N9 avian influenza virus infection was reported in Netherlands.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 13 June 2016)

 

India: Japanese Encephalitis

Till June this year, 5 fatal cases of Japanese Encephalitis have been reported in India.

(Source: ProMED-mail 13 June 2016)

 

Uganda: Rift Valley fever

A case of Rift Valley fever was reported in Uganda. This is the second outbreak in less than 2 months.

(Source: ProMED-mail 13 June 2016)

 

Mexico: Avian Influenza, poultry

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza virus has been detected in Mexico.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 June 2016)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health was notified of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Hunan by 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 case involves a 50-year-old man who lives in Xiangxi, Hunan. The patient developed symptoms on May 23 and was admitted to a local hospital on May 28. He is now in a critical condition.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 8 June 2016)

 

Uganda: Yellow Fever [update]

Two fatal cases of yellow fever were reported from Kalangala of Uganda.

(Source: ProMED-mail 7 June 2016)