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 |
1,106 |
World Health Organization, 14 June 2016 |
Brazil |
1,244,583 |
World Health Organization, 17 June 2016 |
Cambodia |
1,771 |
World Health Organization, 14 June 2016 |
Guangdong |
48 |
Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 June 2016 |
India |
5,605 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 May 2016 |
Japan |
151# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 28 June 2016 |
Lao PDR |
840 |
World Health Organization, 14 June 2016 |
Mexico |
29,467 |
World Health Organization, 17 June 2016 |
Philippines |
33,748 |
World Health Organization, 14 June 2016 |
Singapore |
9,024^ |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 29 June 2016 |
Sri Lanka |
20,462 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 29 June 2016 |
Taiwan |
373 |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 29 June 2016 |
Thailand |
20,395 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 29 June 2016 |
Vietnam |
25,441 |
World Health Organization, 14 June 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.
The number of cases of yellow fever in Angola has declined as a result of vaccination campaign.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 July 2016)
At least 70 cases of anthrax were reported in Nakuru, Kenya. The patients contracted the disease after eating the carcasses of an infected cow.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 July 2016)
A cluster of 12 cases of hepatitis A was reported in Hawaii, USA.
(Source: ProMED-mail 3 July 2016)
Vietnam: Japanese Encephalitis
Nine cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in Hanoi, Vietnam.
(Source: ProMED-mail 30 June 2016)
Qatar: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring an additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization by Qatar, and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of health risks in the places they visit.
The male patient aged 23 had frequent contact with camels and consumption of their raw milk.
(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 30 June 2016)
8 inhabitants of Karaganda in Kazakhstan were diagnosed with anthrax. They were infected after butchering an infected cow.
(Source: ProMED-mail 28 June 2016)