Travel Health Service Year 2017

Current Travel Health News

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 01/01/2017 *

 

Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2017

Source of information and date of report

Australia

601

World Health Organization, 4 July 2017

Brazil

144,326

World Health Organization, 7 July 2017

Cambodia

765

World Health Organization, 4 July 2017

India

11,402

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 May 2017

Guangdong

42

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 June 2017

Japan

89#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 11 July 2017

Lao PDR

3,048

World Health Organization, 4 July 2017

Malaysia

48,092

World Health Organization, 4 July 2017

Mexico

3,782

World Health Organization, 7 July 2017

Philippines

33,760

World Health Organization, 4 July 2017

Singapore

1,529

Singapore National Environment Agency, 12 July 2017

Sri Lanka

87,636

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 12 July 2017

Taiwan

0”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 12 July 2017

Thailand

20,697

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 12 July 2017

Vietnam

45,074

World Health Organization, 4 July 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.


Taiwan: Japanese Encephalitis [Update]

So far this year, 16 cases of Japanese encephalitis have been confirmed in Taiwan, including the most recent cases in Nantou County and Hualien County.

(Source: Taiwan Centers for Disease Control 17 July 2017)

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

Since December last year up to 31 May this year, Brazil has reported 3,240 suspected cases of yellow fever.

(Source: ProMED-mail 16 July 2017)

 

Peru: Yellow fever [Update]

So far this year, a total of 20 yellow fever cases were reported in Peru, including 3 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 16 July 2017)

 

Pakistan: Typhoid Fever

An outbreak of multi-drug resistant typhoid fever was reported in Pakistan.

(Source: ProMED-mail 16 July 2017)

 

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

More than 332,600 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen. 1,759 people died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 16 July 2017)

 

Malaysia: Rabies [Update]

The 5th rabies case was reported in Sarawak, Malaysia. The 6-year-old boy was believed to have been bitten by a dog in Serian.

(Source: ProMED-mail 16 July 2017)

 

Nigeria: Lassa fever [Update]

So far this year, 317 suspected cases of Lassa fever with 52 deaths were reported in Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 July 2017)

 

Mainland: Avian influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is monitoring a notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission that one additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) was recorded from July 7 to 13 in Yunnan, and strongly urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. The 54-year-old male patient in Wenshan was known to have exposure to poultry markets and had onset on June 23.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 14 July 2017)

 

Fiji: Meningococcal meningitis

5 cases of meningococcal meningitis were reported at a college in Levuka, Fiji.

(Source: ProMED-mail 13 July 2017)

 

Nigeria: Cholera

The World Health Organization was notified of a cholera outbreak in Kwara State, Nigeria. As of 30 June, a total of 1,558 suspected cases have been reported including 11 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 12 July 2017)

 

Nigeria: Hepatitis E [Update]

The World Health Organization was notified of a hepatitis E outbreak in the north-east of Nigeria. As of 2 July, 146 cases have been reported.

(Source: World Health Organization 12 July 2017)

 

Italy: Measles [Update]

Since the beginning of this year, 3,346 cases of measles have been reported in Italy. 95% of the cases were unvaccinated or under vaccinated.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 July 2017)

 

Romania: Measles [Update]

As of 7 July, 7,647 cases of measles have been reported in Romania. 31 people died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 July 2017)

 

Japan: Tick-borne Encephalitis

Japan reported the 3rd case of tick-borne encephalitis. The patient in the southern part of Hokkaido Prefecture died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 July 2017)

 

[Editor's note: Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection. It is transmitted by bite of infective ticks. The incubation period ranges from 7 to 14 days. Patients may present with fever, malaise, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, confusion, and paralysis. Travellers should adopt measures similar to the protection against mosquitoes to avoid tick bites.]

Nepal: Food poisoning

Over the last few days, at least 6 people have been affected by a mass vibrio parahaemolyticus food poisoning incident in Kathmandu, Nepal.

(Source: ProMED-mail 11 July 2017)

 

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

A total of 313,538 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen. At least 1,732 people died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 11 July 2017)