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	1,030	World Health Organization, 2 January 2018
Brazil	219,040	World Health Organization, 27 October 2017
Cambodia	3,195	World Health Organization, 2 January 2018
India	157,220	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 24 December 2017
Guangdong	1,704	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 December 2017
Japan	243^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 26 December 2017
Lao PDR	11,039	World Health Organization, 2 January 2018
Macau	6"	Health Bureau of Macau, 27 October 2017
Malaysia	82,840	World Health Organization, 2 January 2018
Mexico	58,697	World Health Organization, 27 October 2017
Philippines	117,654	World Health Organization, 2 January 2018
Sri Lanka	184,442	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 3 January 2018
Thailand	52,048	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 4 January 2018
Vietnam	183,287	World Health Organization, 2 January 2018

Remarks:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.
“ Locally-acquired
# Cumulative cases since 2 January 2017.

Cumulative reported number of dengue cases since 01/01/2018 *

Singapore	58^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 4 January 2018
Taiwan	0”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 4 January 2018

@ Cumulative cases since 31 December 2017.
“ Locally-acquired

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.

Nigeria: Yellow Fever [Update]

A yellow fever outbreak is currently active in Nigeria with 7 and 16 States reported confirmed and suspected cases respectively.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 January 2018)

Afghanistan: Avian Influenza, wild birds

Wild birds in Khost, Afghanistan were tested positive to avian influenza H5 virus.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 January 2018)

Iraq: Avian Influenza, poultry

Birds in a farm in Diyala, Iraq were test positive to avian influenza H5N8 virus.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 January 2018)

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health received notification of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Fujian from the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The case involved a three-year-old girl, who had contact with live poultry before the onset of symptoms. The patient had recovered after medical treatment and her close contacts remain asymptomatic.

"Based on the seasonal pattern of avian influenza viruses, their activity in the Mainland is expected to increase in winter. The public should avoid contact with poultry, birds and their droppings and should not visit live poultry markets and farms to prevent avian influenza," a spokesman for the CHP said.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 6 January 2018)

Namibia: Hepatitis E [Update]

An outbreak of hepatitis E in Khomas region of Namibia was declared on 14 Dec 2017. As of 5 Jan 2018, 152 people were diagnosed with hepatitis E.

(Source: ProMED-mail 6 January 2018)

USA: Zika Virus Infection

Department of Public Health in Los Angeles, USA announced the area's first sexually transmitted Zika case today. A male resident who travelled to Mexico had Zika symptoms in early November. His female partner, who did not travel, had Zika symptoms that began after the man returned to Los Angeles County.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 4 January 2018)

Ireland: Influenza

Influenza is actively circulating in Ireland now. The Irish Health officials revealed that a number of people have died from the Australian flu in Ireland. So far this year, the number of flu-related deaths recorded is under 10.

(Source: ProMED-mail 4 January 2018)

Bangladesh: Diphtheria [Update]

From 8 November 2017 through 31 December 2017, a total of 3,014 suspected diphtheria cases including 28 deaths were reported among the displaced Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar of Bangladesh.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 January 2018)

Mainland: Influenza

The influenza activity of Mainland China in both southern and northern provinces was at the seasonal level for winter influenza season, and was still on an increasing trend. The predominant circulating influenza subtype was influenza B, followed by influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 and influenza A (H3N2).

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 4 January 2018)

South Korea: Avian Influenza, poultry [Update]

Quarantine agency of South Korea reported that at least 2 slightly different highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N6 strains have entered South Korea via migratory birds this winter.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 January 2018)

Malaysia: MERS

Malaysian Ministry of Health reported a Malaysian man had MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) infection, who recently returned from Saudi Arabia. The man visited a camel farm and drank raw camel's milk.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 2 January 2018)

Egypt: Avian Influenza, poultry

Egypt reported an outbreak of avian influenza in a farm and has slaughtered more than 17,500 poultry. The veterinary inspection found new H5N2, H8N2, H9N2, and infectious bronchitis strains that are appearing for the first time in Egypt.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 January 2018)