Travel Health Service Year 2017

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 01/01/2017 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2017	Source of information and date of report
Australia	859	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Brazil	219,040	World Health Organization, 27 October 2017
Cambodia	2,979	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
India	151,561	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 3 December 2017
Guangdong	1,343	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 November 2017
Japan	234^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 5 December 2017
Lao PDR	10,302	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Macau	6"	Health Bureau of Macau, 27 October 2017
Malaysia	77,069	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Mexico	58,697	World Health Organization, 27 October 2017
Philippines	97,287	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017
Singapore	2,602	Singapore National Environment Agency, 7 December 2017
Sri Lanka	175,644	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 6 December 2017
Taiwan	10”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 7 December 2017
Thailand	48,896	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 6 December 2017
Vietnam	166,994	World Health Organization, 21 November 2017

Remarks:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.
“ Locally-acquired
# Cumulative cases since 2 January 2017.

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.

Kenya: Cholera

From 1 January though 29 November 2017, a total of 3967 laboratory-confirmed and probable cases of cholera were reported by the Ministry of Health in Kenya, including 76 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 11 December 2017)

Ghana: Influenza A H1N1

The Ghana Ministry of Health reported a focal outbreak of influenza A H1N1 in a school in Kumasi City, Ashanti Region. As of 9 December 2017, 77 cases with four deaths have been the reported.

(Source: World Health Organization 9 December 2017)

Malaysia: Melioidosis

A fatal case of melioidosis was reported in Malaysia. The victim was a 40-year-old cameraman who might have got in contact with contaminated soil while filming.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 December 2017)

Zambia: Cholera

Cholera has broken out in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, with 515 cases reported.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 December 2017)

Indonesia: Diphtheria

So far this year, at least 591 cases of diphtheria have been reported in Indonesia.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 December 2017)

Netherlands: Avian Influenza, poultry

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza virus infection was reported in the Netherlands.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 8 December 2017)

Bangladesh: Diphtheria

Diphtheria is rapidly spreading among Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. More than 110 suspected cases of diphtheria have been reported, including 6 deaths.

(Source: The World Health Organization 6 December 2017)

Venezuela: Measles [Update]

Venezuela has reported 431 confirmed measles cases from the beginning of September through the end of November this year. The majority of the cases come from Bolívar state.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 December 2017)

Yemen: Diphtheria

In the last 3 months, 197 cases of diphtheria have been reported in Yemen, including 22 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 December 2017)

South Africa: Listeriosis [Update]

So far this year, 557 cases of listeriosis cases have been reported in South Africa. Of these, 345 cases were reported in Gauteng Province.

(Source: ProMED-mail 5 December 2017)