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

752

World Health Organization, 12 September 2017

Brazil

214,990

World Health Organization, 8 September 2017

Cambodia

2,102

World Health Organization, 12 September 2017

India

36,635

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 20 August 2017

Guangdong

310

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 September 2017

Japan

170#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 19 September 2017

Lao PDR

7,708

World Health Organization, 12 September 2017

Macau

6"

Health Bureau of Macau, 22 August 2017

Malaysia

66,906

World Health Organization, 12 September 2017

Mexico

30,519

World Health Organization, 8 September 2017

Philippines

67,601

World Health Organization, 12 September 2017

Singapore

2,056

Singapore National Environment Agency, 21 September 2017

Sri Lanka

154,529

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 21 September 2017

Taiwan

3”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 21 September 2017

Thailand

37,392

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 19 September 2017

Vietnam

108,925

World Health Organization, 12 September 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.


Yemen: Cholera [Update]

725,488 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen. 2,110 people died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 September 2017)

 

Nigeria: Measles

656 suspected cases of measles have been reported in Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 September 2017)

 

Pakistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]

So far this year, 6 fatal cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever were reported in Pakistan.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 September 2017)

 

France: Malaria

Two locally-acquired cases of malaria have been reported in Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France.

(Source: ProMED-mail 23 September 2017)

 

United Arab Emirates: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring one additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by United Arab Emirates, and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit.

According to the WHO, the patient is a 78-year-old man with underlying illness in the United Arab Emirates. He tested positive for MERS Coronavirus on August 22. Investigations into the source of infection are ongoing.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 22 September 2017)

 

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

704,454 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen. 2,103 people died.

(Source: ProMED-mail 21 September 2017)

 

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

686,783 suspected cholera cases were reported in Yemen. 2,090 people died.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 20 September 2017)

 

Madagascar: Plague

As of 14 September 2017, a total of 28 cases of plague have been reported in Madagascar, including 5 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 20 September 2017)

 

Nepal: Leptospirosis

During the first 2 weeks of September, at least 10 cases of leptospirosis were reported in Nepal.

(Source: ProMED-mail 20 September 2017)