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	859	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Brazil	219,040	World Health Organization, 27 October 2017
Cambodia	2,979	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
India	140,910	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 19 November 2017
Guangdong	1,343	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 November 2017
Japan	229^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 21 November 2017
Lao PDR	10,302	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Macau	6"	Health Bureau of Macau, 27 October 2017
Malaysia	77,069	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Mexico	58,697	World Health Organization, 27 October 2017
Philippines	97,287	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Singapore	2,536	Singapore National Environment Agency, 23 November 2017
Sri Lanka	171,453	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 22 November 2017
Taiwan	10”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 23 November 2017
Thailand	46,712	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 22 November 2017
Vietnam	166,994	World Health Organization, 21 November 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.

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

On 25 November, the Ministry of Health of Madagascar officially announced the containment of the acute urban pneumonic plague outbreak.

Between 1 August and 24 November 2017, a total of 2,384 cases of plague including 207 deaths were reported. Of these, 1,828 were clinically classified as pneumonic plague. 81 healthcare workers were affected.

(Source: The World Health Organization 27 November 2017)

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

Between 1 August and 22 November 2017, a total of 2,348 cases of plague including 202 deaths were reported in Madagascar.

(Source: The World Health Organization 27 November 2017)

Bulgaria: Hepatitis A

From the beginning of July 2017 to the end of October 2017, there have been 2 outbreaks of type A viral hepatitis with a total of 144 cases in the municipality of Rakovski, Bulgaria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 Novemober 2017)

Uganda: Rift Valley Fever

The occurrence of Rift Valley fever in districts of Mityana and Kiboga in Uganda has killed two people so far.

(Source: World Health Organization 24 November 2017)

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

Between July and mid-October 2017, a total of 71 suspected yellow fever cases were reported in São Paulo State, Brazil. Of these, two were confirmed, six are under investigation, and 63 were ruled out.

(Source: The World Health Organization 24 November 2017)

Afghanistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]

79 cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever have been reported in Afghanistan this year, including 17 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 November 2017)

USA: Hepatitis A

Kentucky, USA reported a hepatitis A outbreak with 31 people affected.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 November 2017)

Nigeria: Monkeypox [Update]

Since October this year, 146 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported in Nigeria.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 21 November 2017)

Philippines: Japanese Encephalitis

8 cases of Japanese encephalitis have been reported in Nueva Vizcaya province of Philippines.

(Source: ProMED-mail 21 November 2017)