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	146,377	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 26 November 2017
Guangdong	1,343	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 November 2017
Japan	230^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 28 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	2,569	Singapore National Environment Agency, 30 November 2017
Sri Lanka	174,009	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 30 November 2017
Taiwan	10”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 30 November 2017
Thailand	47,847	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 29 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.

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

As of 20 November 2017, over 700 human cases of yellow fever have been reported since the start of the outbreak in Brazil. Risk areas expanded to include Rio de Janeiro, and parts of Bahia and São Paulo states. Between September and mid-October 2017, two human cases with one death, were confirmed in Itatiba, Campinas, São Paulo State. These are the first confirmed human cases to be reported in Brazil since June 2017.

(Source: NaTHNaC 4 December 2017)

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

On 27 November, the Ministry of Health of Madagascar officially announced the containment of the acute urban pneumonic plague outbreak.

Between 1 August and 26 November 2017, a total of 2,417 cases of plague including 209 deaths were reported. Of these, 1,854 were clinically classified as pneumonic plague.

(Source: The World Health Organization 4 December 2017)

Bolivia: Chikungunya fever [Update]

So far this year, 3,326 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Bolivia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 4 December 2017)

Colombia: Chikungunya fever [Update]

So far this year, 1,047 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Colombia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 4 December 2017)

Peru: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

So far this year, Peru reported 2,450 cases of Chikungunya fever.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 4 December 2017)

South Africa: Typhoid fever

During November 2017, more than 60 cases of typhoid fever including 2 associated deaths have been recorded in communities of Stykraal, Tswaing, Mooiplaas, Vlakplaas and surroundings in South Africa. Water source has been tested positive for typhoid.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 December 2017)

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

In Yemen, a cumulative total of 962,536 suspected cases of cholera including 2,219 associated deaths were reported for the outbreak which started in October 2016.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 December 2017)

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 an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) was recorded from November 24 to December 1 in Yunnan, and strongly urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The 64-year-old male patient in Kunming, known to have contact with dead poultry, had onset on November 21 and was in a serious condition. This is the first human case reported in the Mainland since October 2017.

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 purchasing 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 2 December 2017)

Nigeria: Yellow Fever [Update]

276 suspected cases of yellow fever were reported in 14 states in Nigeria.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 29 November 2017)

Nigeria: Monkeypox [Update]

155 suspected cases of monkeypox were reported in Nigeria.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 29 November 2017)

South Korea: Avian Influenza, wild birds

A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza - H5N6 - has been identified from wild bird droppings in South Korea's southern Jeju island.

(Source: ProMED-mail 28 November 2017)