Current 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 01/01/2016 *
|
Cumulative reported no. |
Source of information and date of report |
India |
111,880 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2016 |
Cumulative reported number of dengue cases since 01/01/2017 *
|
Cumulative reported no. |
Source of information and date of report |
Australia |
411 |
World Health Organization, 25 April 2017 |
Brazil |
70.843 |
World Health Organization, 20 April 2017 |
Cambodia |
206 |
World Health Organization, 25 April 2017 |
Guangdong |
20 |
Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 April 2017 |
Japan |
61# |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 25 April 2017 |
Lao PDR |
561 |
World Health Organization, 25 April 2017 |
Malaysia |
27,405 |
World Health Organization, 25 April 2017 |
Mexico |
8,222 |
World Health Organization, 20 April 2017 |
Philippines |
26,433 |
World Health Organization, 25 April 2017 |
Singapore |
880 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 27 April 2017 |
Sri Lanka |
38,819 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 27 April 2017 |
Taiwan |
0” |
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 27 April 2017 |
Thailand |
8,858 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 25 April 2017 |
Vietnam |
23,848 |
World Health Organization, 25 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.
Mainland: Avian influenza, human [Update]
The nine male and eight female patients, aged from four to 74, had onset from April 6 to 23. Five of the patients were from Sichuan, two each from Beijing, Guangdong and Shandong, and one each from Chongqing, Fujian, Gansu, Henan, Hunan and Jiangsu. Among them, 16 were known to have had exposure to poultry, poultry markets or mobile stalls.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
Hong Kong: Zika Virus Infection
Sweden: Avian influenza, poultry [Update]
United Arab Emirates: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
Pakistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever
Mainland: Avian influenza, human [Update]
[Editor’s notes: Hepatitis E is a viral liver disease. Typical symptoms include jaundice, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and fever. It is transmitted mainly through the faecal-oral route due to faecal contamination of drinking water. The incubation period ranges from 3 to 8 weeks.]