Travel Health Service Year 2015

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 01/01/2015 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2015	Source of information and date of report
Australia	1000	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Brazil	1,253,041	World Health Organization, 17 July 2015
Cambodia	1,119	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Guangdong Taiwan	30 389	Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 26 May 2015 CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 24 July 2015
India	5,874	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 June 2015
Japan	127	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 21 July 2015
Lao PDR	304	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Malaysia	53,823	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Mexico	45,344	World Health Organization, 17 July 2015
Philippines	28,600	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Singapore	5,071	Singapore National Environment Agency, 23 July 2015
Sri Lanka	17,436	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 23 July 2015
Thailand	35,591	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 22 July 2015
Vietnam	14,474	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015

Remark:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.

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.

USA: Plague

The USA New Mexico Department of Health is investigating a probable case of plague in a 52-year-old woman who died of her illness.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 July 2015)

Canada: Pertussis

39 cases of pertussis have been reported in southern Bruce County, Canada.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 July 2015)

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is closely monitoring six additional cases reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). According to the WHO, the six cases involve four men and two women aged 35 to 77, five of whom have underlying illnesses. They experienced onset of symptoms between June 17 and July 5. Four of the patients have a history of contact with camels while three of them had also consumed raw camel milk. The investigation into the remaining two patients' history of exposure to known risk factors in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms is ongoing. All of the patients are currently hospitalised for treatment.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 24 July 2015)

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,787 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,517 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 24 July 2015)

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia after 9 May 2015 is 7, including 2 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 24 July 2015)

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 13,264 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,949 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 24 July 2015)

India: Japanese Encephalitis

In the past 10 days, 13 fatal cases of Japanese Encephalitis have been reported in Assam, India.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 July 2015)

USA: Leprosy

9 cases of Leprosy have been reported across Florida, USA this year. Each case has involved people who were in direct contact with armadillos.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 July 2015)

Russia: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

36 cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever have been recorded in the Stavropol region, Russia.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 July 2015)

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,783 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,512 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 22 July 2015)

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia after 9 May 2015 is 6, including 2 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 22 July 2015)

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 13,250 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,949 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 22 July 2015)

South Korea: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

Between 18 and 21 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of no additional cases of infection and no new deaths related to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). To date, a total of 186 MERS-CoV cases, including 36 deaths, have been reported.

(Source: World Health Organization 21 July 2015)