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 |
399 |
World Health Organization, 22 March 2016 |
Brazil |
495,266 |
World Health Organization, 24 March 2016 |
Cambodia |
663 |
World Health Organization, 22 March 2016 |
Guangdong |
22 |
Health Department of Guangdong Province, 15 March 2016 |
India |
2,085 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 29 February 2016 |
Japan |
57# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 29 March 2016 |
Lao PDR |
207 |
World Health Organization, 22 March 2016 |
Mexico |
17,981 |
World Health Organization, 24 March 2016 |
Philippines |
18,790 |
World Health Organization, 22 March 2016 |
Singapore |
6,213^ |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 31 March 2016 |
Sri Lanka |
13,275 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 31 March 2016 |
Taiwan |
371 |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 31 March 2016 |
Thailand |
13,411 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 29 March 2016 |
Vietnam |
13,086 |
World Health Organization, 22 March 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.
Americas, Africa, Asia and other areas: Zika virus infection
Africa: Cape Verde
Americas (33): Aruba, Barbados, Bolivia, Bonaire, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin, St Maarten, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, Venezuela;
Southeast Asia: Maldives;
Western Pacific (seven): American Samoa, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu;
Africa: Gabon;
Southeast Asia (three): Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand;
Western Pacific (nine): Cambodia, Cook Islands*, French Polynesia*, Laos, Malaysia, Micronesia, New Caledonia*, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines;
Americas (three): Argentina, Chile, the United States;
Europe (two): France, Italy; and
Western Pacific: New Zealand.
Niger: Meningococcal meningitis
An outbreak of meningococcal meningitis affecting 736 people was reported in Niger. Out of which, 61 people died.
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
Americas, Africa, Asia and other areas: Zika virus infection
Americas (two): Brazil, Panama;
Western Pacific (one): French Polynesia (outbreak terminated);
Americas: Colombia, El Salvador, French Guiana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Venezuela;
Africa (two): Cape Verde, Gabon;
Americas (22): Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Saint-Martin, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands;
Southeast Asia (four): Bangladesh, Indonesia, Maldives, Thailand;
Western Pacific (13): American Samoa, Cambodia, Fiji, Laos, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu;
Americas (two): Argentina, the United States;
Europe (two): France, Italy; and
Western Pacific (one): New Zealand.