Current Travel Health News

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	1,930	World Health Organization, 15 November 2016
Brazil	1,452,284	World Health Organization, 28 October 2016
Cambodia	1,771	World Health Organization, 15 November 2016
Guangdong	454	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 November 2016
India	90,277	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 14 November 2016
Japan	312#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 15 November 2016
Lao PDR	4,658	World Health Organization, 15 November 2016
Malaysia	91,879	World Health Organization, 15 November 2016
Mexico	99,759	World Health Organization, 28 October 2016
Philippines	101,401	World Health Organization, 15 November 2016
Singapore	12,657^	Singapore National Environment Agency, 17 November 2016
Sri Lanka	45,845	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 17 November 2016
Taiwan	377”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 17 November 2016
Thailand	55,073	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 15 November 2016
Vietnam	63,504	World Health Organization, 15 November 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.

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

Over 4,000 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 November 2016)

 

Sudan: Cholera

Since July 2016, over 3,000 cholera cases have been reported in Sudan.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 November 2016)

 

Ghana: Cholera

As of 8 November, 268 cases of cholera were reported in the Central Region of Ghana.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 November 2016)

 

Hong Kong: Zika Virus Infection

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is investigating an imported case of Zika Virus Infection. The male patient, aged 56 with underlying illnesses, was febrile on November 8 and this was followed by generalised maculopapular rash and diarrhoea. He attended Sha Tau Kok General Out-patient Clinic on November 12 and was admitted to North District Hospital on the same day. He has been in stable condition all along and has been admitted for isolation and management.

The patient had travelled alone to New York, Antigua and Barbuda, St Maarten and Anguilla from October 13 to November 8 before onset. He returned from New York via Chicago and arrived in Hong Kong on November 10. He recalled mosquito bites during his stay in Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua and Barbuda, St Maarten and Anguilla have been classified by the World Health Organization as countries/areas reporting outbreaks from 2015. Locally, he mainly stayed in his residence in Yan Shau Wai, San Tin, Yuen Long, on his own upon arrival until November 12, when he visited San Fung Avenue, Sheung Shui, after attending the GOPC before attending NDH.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 15 November 2016)