Current 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 01/01/2019 *
|
Cumulative reported no. |
Source of information and date of report |
Australia |
203 |
World Health Organization, 14 March 2019 |
Brazil |
229,064 |
World Health Organization, 3 April 2019 |
Cambodia |
1,330 |
World Health Organization, 28 February 2019 |
Guangdong, China |
52 |
Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 March 2019 |
Japan |
66^ |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 2 April 2019 |
Lao PDR |
978 |
World Health Organization, 14 March 2019 |
Malaysia |
26,545 |
World Health Organization, 14 March 2019 |
Mexico |
8,759 |
World Health Organization, 3 April 2019 |
The Philippines |
36,664 |
World Health Organization, 14 March 2019 |
Singapore |
2,278@ |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 3 April 2019 |
Sri Lanka |
12,748 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 3 April 2019 |
Taiwan, China |
1” |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 3 April 2019 |
Thailand |
13,677 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 2 April 2019 |
Vietnam |
38,122 |
World Health Organization, 14 March 2019 |
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country/area.
@Cumulative cases since 30 December 2018.
^ Cumulative cases since 31 December 2018.
” 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.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]
Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
State of Michigan, USA: Measles [Update]
State of New Jersey, USA: Measles
Mainland, China: Avian Influenza [Update]
The male patient from Jiuquan, aged 82, has been hospitalised for management and his condition is serious now. This is the first case reported in the Mainland this year.
Southeast Asia: Dengue Fever [Update]
From March 15 to April 3, the CHP recorded four imported DF cases. The patients had been to Cambodia (one case), Fiji (one case), Myanmar (one case) and As of April 3, 35 cases had been confirmed this year, all of which were imported cases. The cases were mainly imported from Indonesia (seven), Malaysia (seven) and Thailand (six).
DF remains endemic in some areas of Asia and beyond. The latest figures for 2019 revealed that 13 677 cases had been recorded in Thailand, 2 278 in Singapore (since December 30, 2018) and 66 in Japan. In the Americas, the latest figures indicated that 229 064 and 8 759 cases were filed in Brazil and Mexico respectively in 2019.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]
State of Michigan, USA: Measles [Update]
State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]
Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
State of Michigan, USA: Measles [Update]
The Philippines: Measles [Update]