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 01/01/2016 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2016	Source of information and date of report
India	111,880	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2016
Philippines	211,108	World Health Organization, 11 April 2017

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	367	World Health Organization, 11 April 2017
Brazil	70.843	World Health Organization, 10 April 2017
Cambodia	165	World Health Organization, 11 April 2017
Guangdong	20	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 April 2017
Japan	60^#	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 18 April 2017
Lao PDR	532	World Health Organization, 11 April 2017
Malaysia	23,699	World Health Organization, 11 April 2017
Mexico	5,898	World Health Organization, 10 April 2017
Singapore	833	Singapore National Environment Agency, 20 April 2017
Sri Lanka	33,151	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 20 April 2017
Taiwan	0”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 20 April 2017
Thailand	8,267	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 19 April 2017
Vietnam	23,848	World Health Organization, 11 April 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.

Portugal: Measles [Update]

So far, a total of 10 measles cases have been reported in Portugal. .

(Source: ProMED-mail 19 April 2017)

Brazil: Malaria

Brazil reported 5 cases of malaria in Petropolis, which is about 70 km from Rio de Janeiro.

(Source: ProMED-mail 18 April 2017)

Pakistan: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

Pakistan has reported 1,018 suspected cases of Chikungunya fever.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 18 April 2017)

Mainland: Avian influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring a human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Hebei, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

According to the Health and Family Planning Commission of Hebei Province, the male farmer aged 67 from Langfang was hospitalised for chest infection.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 18 April 2017)