Travel Health Service Year 2016

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 01/01/2016 *

 

Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2016

Source of information and date of report

Brazil

1,496,282

World Health Organization, 6 February 2017

India

111,880

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2016

Philippines

176,411

World Health Organization, 28 March 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

333

World Health Organization, 28 March 2017

Cambodia

138

World Health Organization, 28 March 2017

Guangdong

13

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

Japan

38#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 28 March 2017

Lao PDR

489

World Health Organization, 28 March 2017

Malaysia

21,946

World Health Organization, 28 March 2017

Mexico

5,898

World Health Organization, 27 March 2017

Singapore

712

Singapore National Environment Agency, 30 March 2017

Sri Lanka

26,115

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 29 March 2017

Taiwan

0”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 30 March 2017

Thailand

6,957

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 29 March 2017

Vietnam

6,565

World Health Organization, 28 March 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.


Guatemala: Chikungunya fever

So far this year, 83 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Guatemala.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 3 April 2017)

 

Bolivia: Chikungunya fever

So far this year, 539 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Bolivia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 3 April 2017)

 

Nigeria: Meningococcal meningitis [Update]

So far, 328 fatal cases of meningococcal meningitis were reported from 90 local government areas in 16 states of Nigeria. The states affected include Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbe, Niger, Nassarawa, Jigawa, Abuja, Gombe, Tarawa, Yobe, Osun, Cross River, Lagos and Plateau.

(Source: ProMED-mail 3 April 2017)

 

Somalia: Cholera [Update]

So far this year, more than 18,000 cases of cholera have been reported in Somalia.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 April 2017)

 

Somalia: Cholera [Update]

So far this year, more than 18,000 cases of cholera have been reported in Somalia.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 April 2017)

 

Nepal: Chikungunya fever

Over the past 4 months, nearly a dozen confirmed cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Kathmandu, Nepal.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 April 2017)

 

Zimbabwe: Typhoid fever

In Zimbabwe, nearly 100 people fell ill because of Typhoid fever in the past week.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 April 2017)

 

Italy: Measles [Update]

In the first 3 months of this year, 1,010 cases of measles have been reported in Italy.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 April 2017)

 

Taiwan: Measles

A case of imported measles was reported in Taiwan. The patient became infected while on vacation in Europe.

(Source: ProMED-mail 1 April 2017)

 

Japan: Measles

As of 22 March 2017, 59 cases of measles have been reported in Japan. Half of which were reported in Mie Prefecture and Hiroshima Prefecture.

(Source: Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases 31 March 2017)

 

Cameroon: Avian Influenza, poultry [Update]

More outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza were reported in Cameroon.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 31 March 2017)

 

Hong Kong: Mad honey poisoning (honey from Nepal)

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is investigating a case of mad honey poisoning, and reminded the public to buy honey from a reliable source or apiary.

The male patient aged 37 with underlying illness, developed dizziness, numbness and shortness of breath around five minutes after consuming honey alone at home on March 25. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on the same day and was admitted for treatment. The patient was discharged against medical advice on the next day and has been in a stable condition. Grayanotoxin was detected in the honey remnant upon testing, which matches with the clinical diagnosis of grayanotoxin poisoning.

Initial enquiries revealed that the honey was brought from Nepal by the patient's friend. Members of the public are reminded to pay special attention to honey from Nepal and the Black Sea region of Turkey as there have been grayanotoxin poisoning cases connected with honey from these areas.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 30 March 2017)

 

Somalia: Cholera [Update]

So far this year, 17,211 cases of Cholera including 388 deaths were reported in Somalia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 30 March 2017)

 

Philippines: Rabies

Two people have died of rabies in Cauayan ,Philippines this month. Both were bitten by their own dogs.

(Source: ProMED-mail 30 March 2017)

 

Singapore: Zika virus infection

Two cases of locally transmitted Zika virus infection in Singapore have been confirmed at Simon Place.

(Source: National Environment Agency of Singapore 29 March 2017)

 

Italy: Measles

So far this year, about 700 cases of measles have been reported in Italy.

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2017)

 

Romania: Measles [Update]

From September 2016 to 17 March 2017, 3,799 cases of measles have been reported in Romania.

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2017)

 

Germany: Measles [Update]

So far this year, more than 200 measles cases were reported in Germany.

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2017)

 

Belgium: Measles

So far this year, more than 100 cases of measles have been reported in Belgium.

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2017)

 

Cameroon: Meningococcal meningitis

As of 24 March 2017, a total of 23 cases of meningococcal meningitis including 9 deaths were reported in Cameroon.

(Source: ProMED-mail 29 March 2017)

 

Europe: Measles

Over 500 cases of measles were reported for January 2017 in Europe. Of these, 474 cases were reported in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, and Ukraine.

(Source: World Health Organization 28 March 2017)

 

Peru: Chikungunya fever [Update]

So far this year, 307 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Peru.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 28 March 2017)

 

Colombia: Chikungunya fever [Update]

So far this year, 328 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Colombia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 28 March 2017)

 

Paraguay: Chikungunya fever [Update]

So far this year, 632 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Paraguay.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 28 March 2017)

 

Nigeria: Lassa fever [Update]

Between 16 December 2016 and 19 March 2017, a total of 283 suspected cases of Lassa fever including 56 deaths were reported in Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 28 March 2017)