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 01/01/2017 *
|
Cumulative reported no. |
Source of information and date of report |
Australia |
773 |
World Health Organization, 26 September 2017 |
Brazil |
219,040 |
World Health Organization, 29 September 2017 |
Cambodia |
2,299 |
World Health Organization, 26 September 2017 |
India |
36,635 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 20 August 2017 |
Guangdong |
310 |
Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 September 2017 |
Japan |
187# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 3 October 2017 |
Lao PDR |
8,550 |
World Health Organization, 26 September 2017 |
Macau |
6" |
Health Bureau of Macau, 22 August 2017 |
Malaysia |
69,254 |
World Health Organization, 26 September 2017 |
Mexico |
41,555 |
World Health Organization, 29 September 2017 |
Philippines |
76,391 |
World Health Organization, 26 September 2017 |
Singapore |
2,131 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 3 October 2017 |
Sri Lanka |
156,901 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 3 October 2017 |
Taiwan |
5” |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 3 October 2017 |
Thailand |
39,977 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 4 October 2017 |
Vietnam |
124,986 |
World Health Organization, 26 September 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.