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, 27 October 2017

Cambodia

2,716

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

India

109,676

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 29 October 2017

Guangdong

642

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

Japan

213#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 31 October 2017

Lao PDR

9,832

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

Macau

6"

Health Bureau of Macau, 27 October 2017

Malaysia

73,794

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

Mexico

58,697

World Health Organization, 27 October 2017

Philippines

76,391

World Health Organization, 24 October 2017

Singapore

2,407

Singapore National Environment Agency, 2 November 2017

Sri Lanka

165,517

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2 November 2017

Taiwan

10”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 2 November 2017

Thailand

43,969

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 1 November 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.


Peru: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

So far this year, Peru reported 1,668 cases of Chikungunya fever.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 6 November 2017)

 

Colombia: Chikungunya fever [Update]

So far this year, 995 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Colombia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 6 November 2017)

 

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

Between 1 August and 3 November 2017, a total of 1,947 cases of plague including 143 deaths were reported in Madagascar.

(Source: ProMED-mail 6 November 2017)

 

Burkina Faso: Dengue fever

An outbreak of dengue fever was reported. Between 1 January and 29 October 2017, a cumulative total of 8,904 suspected cases, including 18 deaths have been reported in Burkina Faso.

(Source: World Health Organization 6 November 2017)

 

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

A total of 1,836 suspected cases of plague including 133 deaths were reported in Madagascar.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 November 2017)

 

South Africa: Malaria

Many cases of malaria have been reported in Mpumalanga province of South Africa.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 November 2017)

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Poliomyelitis [Update]

The 10th case of vaccine-derived poliomyelitis has been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo this year.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 3 November 2017)

 

Zambia: Typhoid Fever

The Southern Province of Zambia has recorded over 55 suspected cases of typhoid fever in Mazabuka district.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 November 2017)

 

Nigeria: Monkeypox

As of 27 October, 104 cases of monkeypox were reported from 15 states/territories of Nigeria.

(Source: World Health Organization 1 November 2017)

 

Madagascar: Plague

An unusual outbreak of plague pneumonia is occurring in widespread areas of Madagascar.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that during or after travel, travellers should be alert for symptoms of plague and should seek medical care if symptoms do appear. [Alert Level 2]

(Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1 November 2017)

 

USA: Hepatitis A [Update]

The ongoing hepatitis A outbreak has killed 20 people in San Diego, USA. The number of confirmed cases has reached 536. Apart from homeless people and illicit drug users, there has been a steady increase in the number of local food handlers testing positive for hepatitis A infection.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 November 2017)

 

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

Between 1 August and 30 October 2017, a total of 1,801 suspected cases of plague including 127 deaths were reported in Madagascar.

(Source: World Health Organization 31 October 2017)

 

India: Scrub typhus

Over 30 people in Bankura, India have been affected by scrub typhus in the past month.

(Source: ProMED-mail 31 October 2017)

 

Democratic Republic of Congo: Cholera [Update]

There were 38,000 cases of cholera in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Source: ProMED-mail 31 October 2017)