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

Brazil

1,496,282

World Health Organization, 6 February 2017

India

111,880

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2016

Philippines

176,411

World Health Organization, 14 March 2017


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

278

World Health Organization, 14 March 2017

Cambodia

104

World Health Organization, 14 March 2017

Guangdong

13

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 March 2017

Japan

29#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 14 March 2017

Lao PDR

438

World Health Organization, 14 March 2017

Malaysia

16,398

World Health Organization, 14 March 2017

Mexico

4,084

World Health Organization, 3 March 2017

Singapore

646

Singapore National Environment Agency, 16 March 2017

Sri Lanka

21,541

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 15 March 2017

Taiwan

0”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 16 March 2017

Thailand

6,008

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 14 March 2017

Vietnam

6,565

World Health Organization, 14 March 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.


Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

As of 16 March 2017, yellow fever virus transmission continues to expand towards the Atlantic coast of Brazil.

The World Health Organization has determined that the State of Rio de Janeiro, with the exception of the urban areas of Rio de Janeiro City and Niterói, and the State of São Paulo, with the exception of the urban areas of São Paulo City and Campinas, should also be considered at risk for yellow fever transmission. Vaccination against yellow fever is recommended for international travellers visiting those areas in the States of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

The current advice for international travellers going to areas of Brazil deemed to be at risk is the following:

  • Vaccination against yellow fever at least 10 days prior to the travel. Travellers with contraindications for yellow fever vaccine (children below 9 months, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with severe hypersensitivity to egg antigens, and severe immunodeficiency) or over 60 years of age should consult their health professional for advice;
  • Adoption of measures to avoid mosquito bites;
  • Awareness of symptoms and signs of yellow fever;
  • Seeking care in case of symptoms and signs of yellow fever, while travelling and upon return from areas at risk for yellow fever transmission.

(Source: World Health Organization 20 March 2017)

 

Brazil: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

So far this year, Brazil reported 10,294 cases of Chikungunya fever.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 20 March 2017)

 

Netherlands: Tick-borne Encephalitis

The Netherlands reported its 2nd autochthonous case of tick-borne encephalitis.

(Source: ProMED-mail 19 March 2017)

[Editor's note: Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection. It is transmitted by bite of infective ticks. The incubation period ranges from 7 to 14 days. Patients may present with fever, malaise, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, confusion, and paralysis. Travellers should adopt measures similar to the protection against mosquitoes to avoid tick bites.]

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

Since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2016 to 13 March 2017, 1,538 cases of yellow fever, including 255 deaths were reported in Brazil.

(Source: ProMED-mail 18 March 2017)

 

USA: Avian influenza, poultry [Update]

Detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H7N9) was reported in Tennessee, USA.

(Source: ProMED-mail 17 March 2017)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health received notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission that 21 additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9), including four deaths, were recorded from March 10 to 16. The CHP strongly urges the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The 19 male and two female patients, aged from 33 to 77, had their onset from February 28 to March 13. The cases were six cases from Guangxi, five cases in Hunan, three cases each from Guangdong and Guizhou, two cases in Henan and one case each from Jiangxi and Fujian. Among them, 18 were known to have exposure to poultry or poultry markets.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 17 March 2017)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is closely monitoring an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Chongqing, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

According to the Chongqing Municipal Health and Family Planning Commission, the male patient from Fengjie, aged 43, had been in contact with poultry and has been hospitalised for management.

Travellers to the Mainland or other affected areas must avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets or farms. They should be alert to the presence of backyard poultry when visiting relatives and friends. They should also avoid purchase of live or freshly slaughtered poultry, and avoid touching poultry/birds or their droppings. They should strictly observe personal and hand hygiene when visiting any place with live poultry.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 16 March 2017)

 

Maldives: Influenza

All public schools in the Maldives have been closed to prevent the spread of the influenza A(H1N1) virus.

(Source: Flutrackers.com 15 March 2017)

 

France: Measles

44 cases of measles have been reported since 30 January 2017 in the Moselle region of France.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2017)

 

Germany: Measles

In Germany, measles cases were reported from Wiesbaden, Duisburg, Berlin and Baden-Württemberg.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2017)

 

Romania: Measles [Update]

Between 1 January 2016 and 3 March 2017, 3,196 cases of measles have been reported in Romania with 16 fatalities.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2017)

 

Australia: Measles [Update]

So far this year, a total of 8 measles cases have been reported in New South Wales of Australia. All cases were imported from overseas.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2017)

 

Australia: Mumps

So far this year, 89 cases of mumps have been diagnosed in Australia. Of those, 27% should not have been susceptible because they had been vaccinated when they were little.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2017)

 

Guinea: Measles

More than 2,100 children have been infected with measles in Guinea since January 2017. The outbreak is affecting 17 prefectures.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2017)