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 01/01/2017 *

 

Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2017

Source of information and date of report

Australia

834

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

Brazil

219,040

World Health Organization, 13 October 2017

Cambodia

2,716

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

India

100,794

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 22 October 2017

Guangdong

642

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 13 October 2017

Japan

205#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 24 October 2017

Lao PDR

9,832

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

Macau

6"

Health Bureau of Macau, 22 August 2017

Malaysia

73,794

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

Mexico

49,231

World Health Organization, 13 October 2017

Philippines

76,391

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

Singapore

2,344

Singapore National Environment Agency, 26 October 2017

Sri Lanka

163,430

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 26 October 2017

Taiwan

10”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 26 October 2017

Thailand

43,120

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 25 October 2017

Vietnam

152,924

World Health Organization, 24 October 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]

In Yemen, a cumulative total of 884,368 suspected cases of cholera including 2,184 associated deaths were reported for the outbreak which started in October 2016.

(Source: ProMED-mail 30 October 2017)

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

Since July 2017, 37 suspected cases of yellow fever were reported in Sao Paulo state, Brazil.

(Source: ProMED-mail 30 October 2017)

 

Pakistan: Chikungunya fever [Update]

A total 4,602 suspected cases of chikungunya fever have been reported in Karachi, Pakistan since 1 Jan 2017.

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 October 2017)

 

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

From 1 August to 24 October 2017, a total of 1,309 suspected cases of plague, including 93 deaths, were reported in Madagascar.

(Source: World Health Organization 26 October 2017)

 

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

In Yemen, a cumulative total of 862,858 suspected cases of cholera including 2177 associated deaths were reported for the outbreak which started in October 2016.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 October 2017)

 

France: West Nile Virus Infection

A case of West Nile virus infection was reported in Nice, France. This is the first human case reported in France since 2015.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 October 2017)

 

South Africa: Listeriosis

There was an increase in the number of listeriosis cases in South Africa, particularly in the Gauteng Province. There have been 190 confirmed cases across the country this year.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 October 2017)

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

At least two parks were closed following cases of yellow fever in monkeys were reported in Sao Paulo state, Brazil.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2017)

 

Italy: Chikungunya fever [Update]

There was an increase in the number of Italy has reported 358 cases of chikungunya fever.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2017)

 

Zimbabwe: Typhoid fever

There were a total of 2,531 suspected typhoid cases in Zimbabwe.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2017)

 

India: Typhoid Fever

Over 712 cases of typhoid fever were reported in Krishna District of India.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2017)