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

1,930

World Health Organization, 15 November 2016

Brazil

1,452,284

World Health Organization, 23 November 2016

Cambodia

1,771

World Health Organization, 15 November 2016

Guangdong

454

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 November 2016

India

94,519

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 20 November 2016

Japan

317#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 29 November 2016

Lao PDR

4,658

World Health Organization, 15 November 2016

Malaysia

91,879

World Health Organization, 15 November 2016

Mexico

118,841

World Health Organization, 23 November 2016

Philippines

101,401

World Health Organization, 15 November 2016

Singapore

12,827^

Singapore National Environment Agency, 1 December 2016

Sri Lanka

46,827

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 29 November 2016

Taiwan

380”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 1 December 2016

Thailand

57,425

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 30 November 2016

Vietnam

63,504

World Health Organization, 15 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.


Colombia: Chikungunya fever [Update]

So far this year, 19,384 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Colombia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 5 December 2016)

 

Kenya: Anthrax

7 suspected cases of anthrax were reported in Samburu, Kenya. The patients contracted the disease after eating an infected sheep.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 December 2016)

 

France: Avian Influenza, poultry

Cases of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza were reported in Occitanie Region of France.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 December 2016)

 

Dominican Republic: Leptospirosis

So far this year, 502 suspected cases of leptospirosis, including 42 deaths, were reported in Dominican Republic.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 December 2016)

 

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

So far, 7,730 suspected cholera cases, including 82 deaths, were reported in Yemen.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 2 December 2016)

 

Mainland: Avian influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health received notification of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Guangxi from 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 involved a 30-year-old female farmer from Liuzhou. She developed symptoms on November 8 and was hospitalised on November 18. She is now in a serious condition. The patient had contact with dead poultry before the onset of symptoms.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 1 December 2016)

 

Tunisia: Avian Influenza, wild birds

Cases of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza were reported in Ichkeul National Park, Tunisia.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 1 December 2016)

 

India: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

As of 30 Oct 2016, 10,851 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Delhi, India. In Karnataka, 11,951 cases were reported.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 December 2016)

 

Brazil: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

As of 24 Nov 2016, 251,000 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Brazil.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 December 2016)

 

Nicaragua: Chikungunya Fever

As of 28 Nov 2016, 682 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Nicaragua.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 December 2016)

 

India: Japanese Encephalitis [Update]

As of 26 Nov 2016, 119 fatal cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in Odisha, India.

(Source: ProMED-mail 30 November 2016)

 

Ukraine: Avian influenza, poultry

Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5) have been reported in Kherson, Ukraine.

(Source: ProMED-mail 30 November 2016)

 

Egypt: Avian Influenza, birds

Cases of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza were reported in Dumyat, Egypt.

(Source: ProMED-mail 30 November 2016)

 

Japan: Avian Influenza, poultry

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza were reported in Aomori and Niigata, Japan.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 29 November 2016)

 

Romania: Avian Influenza, birds

Cases of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza were reported in Constanta, Romania.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 29 November 2016)

 

Nigeria: Avian Influenza, poultry

Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) have been reported in Bauchi and Kano, Nigeria.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 29 November 2016)

 

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring six additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) 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, all of the patients, five male and one female aged 52 to 94, had underlying illnesses. Four patients are in critical condition while two are in stable condition. Investigations revealed that two had contact with camels and consumed their raw milk. The remaining four patients' sources of infection are still under investigation. In addition, two previously confirmed patients died.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 29 November 2016)