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	662	World Health Organization, 1 August 2017
Brazil	192,123	World Health Organization, 31 July 2017
Cambodia	1,328	World Health Organization, 1 August 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	109^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 8 August 2017
Lao PDR	4,859	World Health Organization, 1 August 2017
Macau	4"	Health Bureau of Macau, 10 August 2017
Malaysia	55,744	World Health Organization, 1 August 2017
Mexico	5,372	World Health Organization, 31 July 2017
Philippines	43,770	World Health Organization, 1 August 2017
Singapore	1,768	Singapore National Environment Agency, 10 August 2017
Sri Lanka	129,076	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 10 August 2017
Taiwan	3”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 10 August 2017
Thailand	27,765	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 9 August 2017
Vietnam	45,074	World Health Organization, 1 August 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.

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

More than 494,000 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen. 1,966 people died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 August 2017)

Vietnam: Japanese Encephalitis

24 cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in Hanoi, Vietnam.

(Source: ProMED-mail 11 August 2017)

Laos: Avian Influenza, poultry

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza were reported in several regions of Laos.

(Source: ProMED-mail 11 August 2017)

Philippines: Avian Influenza, poultry

An outbreak of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza among poultry was reported in a farm in Pampanga in the Philippines.

(Source: OIE 11 August 2017)

Worldwide: Poliomyelitis [Update]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated the temporary recommendations regarding the international spread of poliovirus. States currently infected with wild poliovirus or circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) with potential risk of international spread, i.e. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, should ensure that all residents and long-term visitors (i.e. > 4 weeks) of all ages receive a dose of polio vaccine between 4 weeks and 12 months prior to international travel. For those undertaking urgent travel (i.e. within 4 weeks) who have not received a dose of polio vaccine in the previous 4 weeks to 12 months, should receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure as this will provide benefit, particularly for frequent travellers. Travellers should be provided with an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis to record their polio vaccination and serve as proof of vaccination.

The WHO also encourages residents and long-term visitors of those countries infected with cVDPV with potential risk of international spread, i.e. Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria, to receive a dose of polio vaccine 4 weeks to 12 months prior to international travel. For those undertaking urgent travel (i.e. within 4 weeks) should be encouraged to receive a dose at least by the time of departure. Travellers who receive such vaccination should have access to an appropriate document to record their polio vaccination status.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 August 2017)

Chad: Hepatitis E

As of July 2017, Chad recorded more than 1,600 cases of hepatitis E and 18 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 August 2017)

Niger: Hepatitis E [Update]

As of July 2017, Niger reported approximately 1,450 suspected cases of hepatitis E, including 38 deaths, in the Diffa Region.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 August 2017)

[Editor’s notes: Hepatitis E is a viral liver disease. Typical symptoms include jaundice, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever. It is transmitted mainly through the faecal-oral route due to faecal contamination of drinking water. The incubation period ranges from 3 to 8 weeks.]

Nepal: Scrub Typhus

4 cases of scrub typhus including one death have been reported in Dhankuta, Nepal.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 August 2017)

Guatemala: Typhoid Fever

So far, 60 cases of typhoid fever were reported in Peten, Guatemala.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 August 2017)

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

More than 463,000 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen. 1,940 people died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 August 2017)

Nigeria: Lassa fever [Update]

So far this year, 344 suspected cases of Lassa fever with 56 deaths were reported in Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 August 2017)

South Sudan: Cholera [Update]

Cholera has killed at least 328 people in South Sudan since June 2016.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 August 2017)

USA: La Crosse Encephalitis

In the past 4 weeks, 7 cases of La Crosse Encephalitis were reported in Tennessee, USA. All patients were children.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 August 2017)

[Editor’s Note: La Crosse Encephalitis is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of infected mosquito. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. Seizures may occur in more severe cases. Children and the elderly are most susceptible to the disease.]

India: Typhoid Fever

At least 24 cases of typhoid fever were reported in Andhra Pradesh, India.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 August 2017)

South Africa: Avian Influenza, poultry [Update]

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza was reported in Gauteng, South Africa.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 August 2017)

Russia: Avian Influenza, poultry

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza was reported in Moscow Oblast, Russia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 8 August 2017)