Current Travel Health News

The health authorities of the province of Santiago, Dominican Republic reported on 19 Aug 2012, that the number of people with symptoms of cholera is increasing, where more than 300 are affected.

(Source: ProMED-mail 20 August 2012)

On 20 August 2012, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo notified the World Health Organization of an outbreak of Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever in the Province Orientale in Eastern area. A total of 15 suspected cases and 10 deaths have been reported.

(Source: World Health Organization 18, 21August 2012)

Since the beginning of the year, Sierra Leone has recorded 11,653 cases of Cholera, with 216 deaths. Since the beginning of August, 5706 cases have been recorded.

(Source: WHO 22 August 2012)

Health department of Chicago, USA, received reports of three confirmed cases of Legionnaires' disease among people who stayed at the JW Marriott Chicago Hotel in recent one month.

(Source: ProMED-mail 23 August 2012)

1118 cases of human West Nile Virus infection including 41 deaths were reported in The United States of America so far. 75 per cent of the cases were reported from Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 August 2012)

As widespread violent clashes occurred in many cities across Syria, including Daraa, Latakia, Damascus, Baniyas, Aleppo, Homs and Hama, resulting in serious casualties, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for Syria to Black. Residents are urged to avoid all travel to the country. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and avoid protests and large gatherings of people.

For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.

(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 26 April 2011)

Following the hostage taking incident in the Philippines which had caused casualties, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for the Philippines to Black. Hong Kong residents are urged to avoid all travel to the Philippines. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and stay alert.

For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.

(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 20 September 2010)

For more information, please visit the World Health Organization webpage.