Travel Health Service Year 2020

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. 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.

For more information on dengue fever, including the latest situation in neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage at https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/38847.html

Haiti: Typhoid Fever

18 February 2020

An outbreak of typhoid fever has been reported in the Northeast of Haiti due to poor water quality.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 17 February 2020)

Tonga: Measles [Update]

18 February 2020

Since October 2019, Tonga has been experiencing measles outbreak. A total of 659 cases have been recorded so far. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 17 February 2020)

Singapore: Dengue Fever

17 February 2020

During the first six weeks of 2020, 2129 dengue cases have been reported in Singapore, a 60 percent increase over this time last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 February 2020)

Philippines: Poliomyelitis

17 February 2020

The Philippines Department of Health reported the 17^th confirmed polio case in the country since September 2019.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 February 2020)

Nigeria: Lassa fever [Update]

14 February 2020

Nigeria health officials reported a total of 472 confirmed Lassa fever cases in 2020.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 February 2020)

Africa: Poliomyelitis

14 February 2020

Outbreaks of poliomyelitis have been reported in several African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Somalia, Togo and Zambia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all travelers to the countries listed above be vaccinated fully against polio.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 February 2020)