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. 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
Take precautions against Monkeypox when travelling abroad
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease caused by Monkeypox virus. Often found in tropical forest regions of Central and West Africa. It is mainly transmitted by contact with infected animals, human-to-human transmission is limited. Incubation period is mainly from 6 to 13 days, symptoms are similar with Smallpox infection, but less severe.
Since 6 May this year, multiple outbreaks were reported in Europe and North America countries, and many patient are self-identified as bisexual or men who have sex with men. Travellers planning to travel in these areas should avoid contact with infected person. Travellers returning from these areas shall notify the doctor to seek medical treatment and inform the travel situation if feeling unwell.
For more information on Monkeypox, including the latest situation in overseas countries or places, please visit the World Health Organization and Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpages at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/monkeypox#tab=tab_1
https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/list_of_affected_countries.pdf
Iraq: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]
13 June 2022
Cambodia: Dengue Fever
13 June 2022
In the first 22 weeks of the year, the
Cambodia Ministry of Health reported recorded 1,354 cases of
Dengue fever, including 3 deaths.
Kenya: Cholera
13 June 2022
In early May 2022, a total of 319
Cholera cases have been reported in Kisumu County of
Kenya, including 2 deaths.
Central African Republic: Monkeypox [Update]
13 June 2022
The World Health Organization reported 17 suspected cases of
Monkeypox including eight confirmed cases and two deaths in the
Central African Republic since early March to 19 May.
Singapore: Dengue Fever [Update]
9 June 2022
As of 8 Jun,
Singapore's National Environment Agency reported 13,913 cases of
Dengue Fever infection.
USA: Monkeypox [Update]
9 June 2022
In
USA,
Arizona reported the first probable
Monkeypox case in Maricopa County.
The
Texas Department of State Health Services is investigating a case of Monkeypox infection in a Dallas County resident with recent international travel.
(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 June 2022)
Brazil: Monkeypox
9 June 2022
According to the
Brazil Ministry of Health on 4 June, 6 suspected
Monkeypox cases have been reported in the country: two in Rondônia and one each in Ceará, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso do Sul.
Malaysia: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease [Update]
9 June 2022
As of 4 June, the
Malaysia Ministry of Health has reported a total of 82,846 cases of
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease. This is an increase of 32-fold compared to the same period in 2021. State of Selangor contributed the highest number of cases compared to other states which was 23,305 cases, followed by Kuala Lumpur & Putrajaya 9,540 cases.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Cholera
9 June 2022
In South Kivu,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, officials reported 107 cases of
Cholera infection including 5 deaths in the health zone of Kalehe, so far this year.
Yemen: Measles
9 June 2022
According to the
Yemen Ministry of Public Health and Population, during the past 5 months 2,924 cases of
Measles infection including 34 deaths were reported in areas controlled by the Yemen government.
Portugal: Monkeypox [Update]
9 June 2022
In
Portugal, 13 more cases of
Monkeypox infection have been confirmed, adding to a total of 166 cases so far. Most infections have been reported to date in Lisbon and Vale do Tejo, but there are also cases in the North and Algarve regions. All confirmed infections are in men between the ages of 19 and 61, with the majority being younger than 40 years old.
Philippines: Chikungunya Fever
9 June 2022
Davao City,
Philippines, reported 17 suspected cases of the
Chikungunya Fever infection.
Singapore: Dengue Fever [Update]
7 June 2022
As of 6 Jun,
Singapore's National Environment Agency reported 13,330 cases of
Dengue Fever infection.
Sri Lanka: Dengue Fever [Update]
7 June 2022
According to the
Sri Lanka Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health, 19,339 cases of
Dengue Fever have been reported in the country through May 2022, including more than 3,200 cases in Colombo.
South Africa: Measles
7 June 2022
In Gauteng,
South Africa, 4 confirmed cases of
Measles were reported over the last two weeks of May 2022.
Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]
7 June 2022
The eighth case of
Poliovirus infection was confirmed in a 20 month old boy on 1 June by the
Pakistan National polio laboratory in Islamabad.
USA: Legionnaires' disease
7 June 2022
In New York,
USA, 25 cases of
Legionnaires’ disease were reported in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx. Two people have died and several others are currently hospitalized.
France: Monkeypox
7 June 2022
As of 3 June, 51 confirmed cases of
Monkeypox have been reported in
France: 37 in Ile-de-France, 6 in Occitanie, 4 in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, 2 in Normandy, 1 in Hauts-de-France and 1 in Centre-Val de Loire.
To date, as in other European countries, these cases have occurred mainly, but not exclusively, in men who have sex with men, with no direct link to people returning from endemic areas.
USA: Monkeypox [Update]
7 June 2022
In Chicago,
USA, 1 case of presumptive
Monkeypox infection was reported in an adult male with recent travel history to Europe.
Another 7 cases have been identified in New York, to date.
San Francisco also reported its first probable case in a resident whom had visited a location with Monkeypox outbreak.
(Source: Outbreak News Today 3, 5 & 6 June 2022)
Canada: Monkeypox [Update]
7 June 2022
In
Canada, Quebec has confirmed 52 cases of
Monkeypox as of 31 May and Toronto reported 5 confirmed and 5 suspected cases as of 2 June.
Uganda: Anthrax
7 June 2022
According to the World Health Organization, 8 suspected cases of
Anthrax have been reported in Buduba District,
Uganda.