Travel Health Service Year 2016

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 01/01/2016 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2016	Source of information and date of report
Australia	802	World Health Organization, 3 May 2016
Brazil	802,429	World Health Organization, 29 April 2016
Cambodia	663	World Health Organization, 3 May 2016
Guangdong	29	Health Department of Guangdong Province, 15 April 2016
India	3,962	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 April 2016
Japan	101^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 26 April 2016
Lao PDR	260	World Health Organization, 3 May 2016
Mexico	22,805	World Health Organization, 29 April 2016
Philippines	18,790	World Health Organization, 3 May 2016
Singapore	7,445^{^}	Singapore National Environment Agency, 5 May 2016
Sri Lanka	16,110	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 5 May 2016
Taiwan	372	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 5 May 2016
Thailand	16,425	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 4 May 2016
Vietnam	16,967	World Health Organization, 3 May 2016

Remark:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.
^ Cumulative cases since 3 January 2016
# Cumulative cases since 4 January 2016.

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.

Brazil: Yellow Fever

One fatal case of yellow fever was reported in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was suspected the deceased got the infection in the forest area.

(Source: ProMED-mail 7 May 2016)

Americas, Africa, Asia and other areas: Zika virus infection

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is today (May 6) closely monitoring the latest Zika virus update of the World Health Organization (WHO), and again urged the public to adopt strict anti-mosquito measures and safe sex during travel. Pregnant women and those planning pregnancy should consider deferring their trip to affected areas.

According to the WHO, Peru and Saint Barthelemy are the latest country and territory to report mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission. To date, 57 countries/areas have documented ongoing mosquito-borne transmission since 2007 while nine have reported evidence of person-to-person transmission probably by sexual contact (see attachment). Based on research to date, there is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 6 May 2016)

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health was notified of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Anhui by the National Health and Family Planning Commission today (May 3), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The case involves an 65-year-old woman who lives in Xuancheng, Anhui. With history of poultry contact before onset, the patient developed symptoms on April 24 and was admitted to a local hospital on April 27. She is now in critical condition.

From 2014 to date, a total of 13 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 3 May 2016)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Yellow Fever

From early January to 22 March, a total of 453 suspected cases of yellow fever, including 45 deaths were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Further investigations identified 41 cases potentially related to the Angola outbreak.

(Source: World Health Organisation 2 May 2016)

Uganda: Yellow Fever [update]

From 26 March to 18 April, 30 suspected cases of yellow fever, including 7 deaths, were reported from Masaka, Rukungiri, Ntungamo, Bukumansimbi, Kalungu, Lyantonde, and Rakai of Uganda

(Source: World Health Organisation 2 May 2016)