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.
Cumulative reported number of dengue cases since 01/01/2016 *
|
Cumulative reported no. |
Source of information and date of report |
Australia |
1,652 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Brazil |
1,426,005 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Cambodia |
1,771 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Guangdong |
184 |
Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 13 September 2016 |
India |
36,110 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 11 September 2016 |
Japan |
237# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 13 September 2016 |
Lao PDR |
3,119 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Malaysia |
73,839 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Mexico |
56,701 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Philippines |
101,401 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Singapore |
11,634^ |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 14 September 2016 |
Sri Lanka |
39,561 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 9 September 2016 |
Taiwan |
376” |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 14 September 2016 |
Thailand |
40,026 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 14 September 2016 |
Vietnam |
36,639 |
World Health Organization, 6 September 2016 |
Remarks:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.
“ Locally-acquired
^ 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.
In the past month, 1,788 new cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Panama.
(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 19 September 2016)
Pakistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever
The first case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever was reported in Faisalabad in Pakistan.
(Source: ProMED-mail 19 September 2016)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring eight additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including one death, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of health risks in the places they visit.
According to the WHO, among the patients, seven male and one female and aged from 27 to 76 (median: 49), five had underlying illnesses, two had contact with camels and consumed their raw milk, one had indirect camel contact and one had contact with a previously confirmed patient. In addition, two previously confirmed patients died.
(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 19 September 2016)
Mainland: Zika virus infection [Update]
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health was notified of an additional imported case of Zika Virus Infection in Guangdong by the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, and again urged the public to adopt strict anti-mosquito measures and safe sex during travel. Pregnant women and those planning pregnancy should not travel to affected areas.
The male patient aged 55 returning from Guatemala arrived at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on September 16. He attended a hospital in Jiangmen for fever. The case was laboratory confirmed yesterday and he was under isolation and management in stable condition. To date, 24 imported cases of Zika Virus Infection have been notified in the Mainland.
(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 18 September 2016)
Thailand & Malaysia: Zika virus infection
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring the latest situation of Zika Virus Infection in Thailand and Malaysia, and again urged the public to adopt strict anti-mosquito measures and safe sex during travel. Pregnant women and those planning pregnancy should not travel to affected areas.
According to the health authority of Thailand, 23 cases were recorded in the past week in six city/provinces, including Bangkok, Nong Khai, Chanthaburi, Phetchabun, Nakhon Ratchasima and Lopburi, bringing the total of cases to 279 in 2016 to date. In Malaysia, the health authority recorded six cases from September 1 to 13.
(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 16 September 2016)
Ghana: Avian Influenza, poultry
Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza among poultry were reported in Ghana.
(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 13 September 2016)
So far in 2016, there were 26,799 cases of cholera in Haiti, including 242 deaths.
(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 13 September 2016)
Romania: West Nile Virus infection
40 cases of West Nile Virus infection were reported in Romania from May till August this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 September 2016)
Afghanistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever
In the past 1 year, 71 cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever were reported across Afghanistan.
(Source: ProMED-mail 13 September 2016)