Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (6 February 2005)
Health Advisory for Lunar New Year Holidays
The Lunar New Year is coming, and many will travel to the Mainland or overseas. This Service would like to remind the public and the travel industry of the health risks associated with travel, so as to enable travellers enjoy a safe and healthy trip.
Recently, the epidemic of avian influenza in Vietnam and Cambodia is flaring up, and occurring of suspected human-to-human transmission. Although no travel health alert has been issued by the World Health Organization yet, travellers visiting the above countries or other previously affected areas in the region should avoid visiting affected villages, stay away from avian farms, wash hands frequently, and avoid contact with poultries. They should also carry surgical masks and disinfectant wet tissues for health protection. For details, please refer to Prevention of Avian Flu - Health tips for travellers.
Although, cases of Meningococcal Meningitis were reported recently through out the country in China, there is not obvious difference when compared with previous years. The risk of acquiring meningococcal infection while travelling is low. As the disease is transmitted by direct contact and droplets of respiratory secretions, when visiting affected areas, travelers are advised to wash hands frequently, keep good personal hygiene and prevent crowded places. For details, please refer to Prevention of Meningococcal Meningitis - Health tips for travellers.
Before the Trip
Prevention starts early before the trip. Precautionary measures include:
- Endeavour to understand more the health risks of your destinations and their preventive measures;
- Get vaccinated if indicated;
- Bring along preventive medications and paraphernalia;
- Immunization course takes time and vaccines may not become effective immediately, one should allow 2 to 4 weeks time for vaccination.
During the Trip
Cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A are common serious food-borne diseases encountered in developing and underdeveloped regions. Travellers should remain vigilance against food borne diseases in tropical areas like Southeast Asia, South Asia:
- Avoid not thoroughly cooked food;
- drink bottled water, avoid iced drinks;
- Do not patronize roadside hawkers.
Respiratory tract diseases like influenza is prevalent in spring. When visiting North Asia and Southeast Asia, travellers should take precautions to prevent respiratory tract infection:
- Adequate rest;
- Balance diet;
- Stop smoking;
- Avoid crowded places;
- Avoid direct contact with infected persons.
Although it is getting colder in Hong Kong, the risk of mosquito bites decreases. However, risk of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever exists in Southeast Asia and South Asia all year round. Other preventable mosquito-borne diseases, like malaria and yellow fever, are prevalent especially in Latin America and Africa. Travellers should:
- Be aware of the risk of various mosquito-borne diseases at their destinations;
- Take active measures to prevent mosquito bites;
- Receive vaccination or preventive medications when necessary. Please consult your family doctor or travel health practitioner for advice.
Beware of accidents. In particular, the surge in travellers and traffic volume during spring Festival merits caution.
- Choose reputable companies when joining long distance coach tours;
- Do avoid boarding over-crowded or over-used boats or vehicles;
- For self-drive, do maintain vigilance especially when driving a left-hand-drive vehicle in unfamiliar environment;
- Be careful when participating in high risk activities like white-water rafting, para-gliding, diving, skiing;
- Taking care of yourself and others when playing with fire works and fire crackers.
Other health risks to note:
- In areas endemic of rabies, avoid contact with wild animals or domestic pets.
- In areas with cold climate, prepare enough warm clothing and avoid exhaustion to minimize the risk of getting frostbite or upper respiratory tract infection.
- Avoid unsafe sex. Using condom correctly can lower the chance of getting sexually transmitted diseases. But still the best thing is to avoid promiscuity and never have sex with strangers.
After the Trip
On return, travellers should be aware that there is a chance that they may bring back infections and spread to the community. To minimize the risk, please:
- Seek medical attention if you have diarrhoea, stomach pain, fever or rash after trip;
- Remember to inform doctor your travel history so as to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment.
Wishing all travellers a happy and healthy trip!
Health authority of Zhejiang Province reported that the number of typhoid fever infections in Ningpo city in January increased 3-fold as compared with the same period last year. Spot-check of oysters and snail clams collected from aquatic market in Changjiang river area and the Fenghua city revealed that the majority were contaminated with the paratyphoid bacteria. Eating of raw aquatic food was the main reason of the recent upsurge of typhoid and paratyphoid fever. Health authority had ordered not to sell undercooked aquatic product in food premises.
(Source: Ming Pao Daily News 3/2/05)
China: Meningococcal meningitis [update]
There was recent report of meningococcal meningitis cases in a number of provinces in the Mainland, especially Anhui province reported earlier. Sporadic cases were reported in many provinces, including 19 cases in Hubei, 15 cases in Jiangsu, 11 cases in Guangdong, 9 cases in Guizhou, 5 cases in Jilin. However, according to recent media reports in the Mainaland, the situation in Anhui province had been under control, while that in other less serious provinces were stable or on a declining trend.
Local expert pointed out that it was unlikely to have another outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Guangdong this year and the risk of meningococcal meningitis was small. According to the current situation, avian influenza was under the first priority for prevention.
(Source: Xinhuanet 2-4/2/05, Central News Agency 3/2/05)
[Editor Note: Travelers who need to go to countries with recent report of meningococcal outbreak should:
- Wash hands frequently, and observe good personal and environmental hygiene;
- Avoid crowded places;
- Avoid close contact with patients having fever or severe headache;
- Use ordinary surgical face mask;
- Cover the nose and mouth after sneezing or coughing; hold the spit with tissue paper and discard it into a bin and wash their hands;
- Seek early medical advice if they become ill or develop fever, severe headache, nausea and vomiting, or rash and let your doctors know the travel history.]
Timor-Leste: Dengue hemorrhagic fever
In the last week, the World Health Organization had received reports of 95 cases of dengue infection and 11 deaths. Sixty-one cases had clinical features compatible with dengue hemorrhagic fever. Most of the cases were reported from Dili. The local health authority has organized vector control activities to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
(Source: World Health Organization 3/2/05)
Malaysia: Dengue fever [update-4]
The number of cases of dengue fever in Malaysia showed a great upsurge recently, with 3,625 cases recorded in January, including 13 deaths. From 23 to 29 January, a total of 1,387 cases were recorded, which was 28% more than the previous week. Kuala Lumpur, Selangor State, Perak State and Johor State were the worst hit areas.
(Source: China News 4/2/05)
Department of Health reported that contaminated water sickened 39 residents in Pasay City of Manila over the weekend, triggering a probable outbreak of typhoid fever in the area. Local officials reported an outbreak of typhoid fever in Negros Oriental, where 133 residents had fallen ill since mid-January.
Health officials advised residents to boil water used for drinking, cooking and washing kitchen utensils.
(Source: ProMED-mail 2/2/05)
Thailand and Africa: HK visitor contracted malaria
One imported case of malaria was reported by the Department of Health. The patient traveled to Pretoria of South Africa and Uganda in early December 2004, and then went to Phuket and Khaolak of Thailand in late December. He developed fever, chills, headache and vomiting 3 weeks after returning from Thailand. He was diagnosed to suffer from Plasmodium ovale malaria infection. He was hospitalized and his condition was stable.
(Source: Department of Health, HKSAR 3/2/05)
[Editor Note: Travellers visiting malaria areas should adopt anti-mosquito measures for health protections. They should consider taking anti-malarial medical prophylaxis and seek advice from travel health practitioners.]
Southeast Asia: Avian influenza [update-23]
In Vietnam, avian influenza has affected 33 out of 64 cities and provinces since Dec 2004, including the Ha Giang province which is located on the east of the Chinese border. To date, 17 cases of confirmed infection were reported and 12 of them were fatal.
The Cambodian women treated earlier in Vietnam hospital was claimed by avian influenza in late January. This was the first reported case in Kampot province, Cambodia. Although the woman's younger brother also died earlier after showing avian influenza-like symptoms, local authority found that none of her 7 relatives were infected after taking blood samples for investigation. As such, there was no new evidence to support ongoing human-to-human transmission of the disease. Cambodia health authority also reported the first bird flu outbreak in the country. H5N1 virus was isolated from dead chicken of a farm in Kandal province, 12km south from the capital Phnom Penh. The remaining chickens in the farm were destroyed. In Thailand, 2 more northern provinces were affected by avian influenza, bringing the total affected provinces to eight. The newly affected provinces were the northeastern province of Nong
Khai, along the Laos border and the Pichit province, about 350 kilometers north of Bangkok. Other affected provinces were Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Sawan, Phitsanulok, Rayong, Uttaradit and Uthai Thani. (Source: World Health Organization 2/2/05, ProMED-mail 3/2/05 & 6/2/05)