Travel Health Service Year 2017

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

India

111,880

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


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

501

World Health Organization, 23 May 2017

Brazil

113,381

World Health Organization, 19 May 2017

Cambodia

302

World Health Organization, 23 May 2017

Guangdong

27

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 12 May 2017

Japan

67#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 23 May 2017

Lao PDR

1,071

World Health Organization, 23 May 2017

Malaysia

35,004

World Health Organization, 23 May 2017

Mexico

8,222

World Health Organization, 20 April 2017

Philippines

26,433

World Health Organization, 23 May 2017

Singapore

1,067

Singapore National Environment Agency, 25 May 2017

Sri Lanka

52,015

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 24 May 2017

Taiwan

0”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 25 May 2017

Thailand

11,062

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 23 May 2017

Vietnam

29,701

World Health Organization, 23 May 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.


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 nine additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) were recorded from May 19 to 25, and strongly urges the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The nine male patients, aged 36 to 74, had onset from May 7 to 24. Three of them are from Sichuan and one each from Beijing, Hebei, Jiangsu, Shandong, Shanxi and Zhejiang. Among them, eight were known to have exposure to poultry, poultry markets or mobile stalls.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 26 May 2017)

 

India: Zika Virus Infection

On 15 May 2017, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare-Government of India (MoHFW) reported three laboratory-confirmed cases of Zika virus disease in Ahmedabad District, Gujarat, State, India.

(Source: World Health Organization 26 May 2017)

 

Kenya: Cholera [Update]

A total of 146 cholera cases have been reported in Kenya, including 4 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 May 2017)

 

South Sudan: Cholera [Update]

Cholera has killed 20 people in Tonj State of South Sudan in the past two weeks.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 May 2017)

 

Bolivia: Rabies, human

Two fatal human cases of rabies were reported in Bolivia during May 2017.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 May 2017)

 

Zambia: Typhoid Fever

An outbreak of typhoid fever was reported in Lusaka, Zambia.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 May 2017)

 

Liberia: Meningococcal meningitis

Liberia reported 31 suspected cases of meningococcal meningitis last month.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 23 May2017)

 

Romania: Measles [Update]

From September 2016 to 19 May 2017, 6,124 cases of measles have been reported in Romania, including 26 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 23 May 2017)

 

Mozambique: Cholera [Update]

A cholera outbreak in Mozambique has infected 2,159 people, including 4 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 23 May 2017)