Travel Health Service Year 2017

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 01/01/2017 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2017	Source of information and date of report
Australia	625	World Health Organization, 18 July 2017
Brazil	192,123	World Health Organization, 31 July 2017
Cambodia	1,056	World Health Organization, 18 July 2017
India	28,702	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 July 2017
Guangdong	61	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 13 July 2017
Japan	105^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 1 August 2017
Lao PDR	3,958	World Health Organization, 18 July 2017
Macau	3"	Health Bureau of Macau, 3 August 2017
Malaysia	53,750	World Health Organization, 18 July 2017
Mexico	5,372	World Health Organization, 31 July 2017
Philippines	33,760	World Health Organization, 18 July 2017
Singapore	1,704	Singapore National Environment Agency, 3 August 2017
Sri Lanka	121,819	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 3 August 2017
Taiwan	3”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 3 August 2017
Thailand	25,950	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 2 August 2017
Vietnam	45,074	World Health Organization, 18 July 2017

Remarks:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.
“ Locally-acquired
# Cumulative cases since 2 January 2017.

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.

India: Cholera

Cases of cholera were reported in Kerala and Nagaland States of India.

(Source: ProMED-mail 7 August 2017)

Singapore: Diphtheria

A fatal case of diphtheria was reported in Singapore. The victim was a worker from Bangladesh.

(Source: ProMED-mail 6 August 2017)

Nigeria: Lassa fever [Update]

So far this year, 338 suspected cases of Lassa fever with 55 deaths were reported in Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 August 2017)

Mainland: Avian influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is monitoring a notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission that one additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) was recorded from July 28 to August 3 in Fujian, and strongly urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. The 58-year-old male patient in Fujian was known to have had exposure to a live poultry farm and had onset on July 19.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 4 August 2017)

Taiwan: Dengue fever [Update]

Taiwan announced two additional indigenous dengue cases confirmed in Kaohsiung City.

(Source: CDC, ROC (Taiwan) 3 August 2017)