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	2,106	World Health Organization, 3 January 2017
Brazil	1,452,284	World Health Organization, 12 December 2016
Cambodia	1,771	World Health Organization, 13 December 2016
Guangdong	545	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 5 January 2017
India	104,935	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 25 December 2016
Japan	330#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 27 December 2016
Lao PDR	5,373	World Health Organization, 3 January 2017
Malaysia	100,028	World Health Organization, 3 January 2017
Mexico	124,580	World Health Organization, 3 January 2017
Philippines	176,411	World Health Organization, 3 January 2017
Singapore	13,091^	Singapore National Environment Agency, 29 December 2016
Sri Lanka	51,823	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2 January 2017
Taiwan	380”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 29 December 2016
Thailand	62,405	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 28 December 2016
Vietnam	79,204	World Health Organization, 3 January 2017

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.

Mainland: Avian influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health on January 9 received notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the Mainland that 83 additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9), including 25 deaths, were recorded last month. The CHP again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The 54 male and 29 female patients aged from 23 to 91 from Jiangsu (52 cases), Zhejiang (21 cases), Anhui (nine cases) and Fujian (one case) had their onset from November 22 to December 29, 2016. Among them, 58 reported exposure to poultry or poultry market while the source of infection of 17 cases was under investigation.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 9 January 2017)

 

Hong Kong: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is investigating an imported human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Hong Kong, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The male patient, aged 62 with underlying illnesses, departed Hong Kong since December 15 last year and travelled to Zengcheng, Guangzhou. He has developed fever, cough and shortness of breath since January 1. He was admitted to a hospital for treatment in Dongguan during January 2 to 3. The patient discharged himself against medical advice on January 3 and returned to Hong Kong via Lo Wu on the same day. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Yan Chai Hospital on January 4 and was admitted for treatment on the same day. His condition deteriorated on January 5 and has been transferred to intensive care unit for further management. The patient is now in critical condition.

His endotracheal aspirate and nasopharyngeal aspirate specimen were confirmed to be positive for influenza A(H7N9) virus by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch on January 5.

The patient denied recent exposure to poultry or wet market.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 5 January 2017)