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, 31 January 2017

Cambodia

1,771

World Health Organization, 13 December 2016

Guangdong

545

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 5 January 2017

India

111,880

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

Philippines

176,411

World Health Organization, 31 January

Vietnam

110,854

World Health Organization, 31 January


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

74

World Health Organization, 31 January 2017

Japan

17#

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 31 January 2017

Lao PDR

117

World Health Organization, 31 January 2017

Malaysia

5,592

World Health Organization, 31 January 2017

Mexico

1,357

World Health Organization, 1 February 2017

Singapore

347

Singapore National Environment Agency, 2 February 2017

Sri Lanka

8,399

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 2 February 2017

Taiwan

0”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 2 February 2017

Thailand

2,290

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 1 February 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 Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in the Mainland, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the female patient, aged 69 from Changsha, had poultry exposure. She is under treatment and in a serious condition.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 6 February 2017)

 

Colombia: Chikungunya fever

So far this year, 106 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Colombia.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 6 February 2017)

 

Peru: Chikungunya fever

So far this year, 98 cases of Chikungunya fever were reported in Peru.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 6 February 2017)

 

Taiwan: Avian Influenza, wild birds

First detection of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N6 was reported in Taiwan.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 6 February 2017)

 

Chile: Hantavirus infection [Update]

Two cases of Hantavirus infection were reported in Biobio, Chile. The patients participated in a camping trip.

(Source: ProMED-mail 6 February 2017)

 

Mainland & Taiwan: Avian Influenza, human

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

According to the Hunan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the 37-year-old male patient from Changsha in Hunan was exposed to poultry and is now in serious condition. The Health and Family Planning Commission in Guangxi reported that the 32-year-old male patient from Guigang City in Guangxi worked in Guangdong before onset and is now in critical condition. The third case is a male patient from Honghu City in Hubei.

Meanwhile, according to the health authority in Taiwan, the 69-year-old male patient had his onset in Guangdong on January 23. He returned to Taiwan on January 25 for management and was diagnosed with H7N9 infection on February 4.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 5 February 2017)

 

Poland: Avian influenza, wild birds

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N5) has been reported in the Poland for the first time.

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

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

The number of confirmed cases of yellow fever in Minas Gerais, Brazil, rose to 109.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 February 2017)

 

Belgium: Avian influenza, wild birds

First detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) was reported in Belgium.

(Source: ProMED-mail 2 February 2017)

 

Germany: Hepatitis A among MSM

Outbreaks of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men (MSM) were reported in Germany.

(Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control 2 February 2017)

 

United Kingdom: Hepatitis A among MSM

Outbreaks of hepatitis A among men who have sex with men (MSM) were reported across eight areas in the United Kingdom.

(Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control 2 February 2017)

 

Hong Kong: Hepatitis A among MSM

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health reported that there was an unusual increased number of hepatitis A cases among men who have sex with men (MSM) positive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-positive) in recent months. One-off hepatitis A vaccination would be arranged for MSM attending designated public clinical services as a control measure of the hepatitis A outbreak.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 2 February 2017)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human [Update]

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

The Health and Family Planning Commission of Hubei Province reported that two male patients, aged 40 and 55, are in a critical condition. They are currently under management in a medical centre in Wuhan. Their close contacts remain asymptomatic.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 2 February 2017)

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

In view of the ongoing outbreak of yellow fever in Brazil, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 2 Alert.

(Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1 February 2017)

 

Portugal: Avian influenza, wild bird

First detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) was reported in Portugal.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 1 February 2017)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health isclosely monitoring four additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) in the Mainland, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

Among the four cases, two patients respectively from Kangping County in Shenyang and Beipiao City in Chaoyang, Liaoning are in a stable condition. A 67-year-old male patient from Hengyang, Hunan has a history of poultry contact and is in a critical condition, while the remaining patient from Wangmo County in Guizhou is currently under management in hospital.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 1 February 2017)

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

Several states in Brazil are experiencing an upsurge of yellow fever activity including areas towards the Atlantic coast that were previously not considered to be at risk for yellow fever transmission.

(Source: World Health Organization 31 January 2017)

 

Mexico: Cyclospora Infection

The Public Health England continues to monitor the increasing numbers of Cyclospora cases in travellers returning from Mexico.

(Source: Public Health England 31 January 2017)

 

Thailand: Dengue Fever

Since early December 2016, more than 100 people in Koh Samui, Thailand, developed dengue fever including one fatal case.

(Source: Dengue Virus Net 31 January 2017)

 

Cambodia: Avian Influenza, poultry

Three chicken samples taken from a backyard in Svay Rieng, Cambodia, were tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza.

(Source: OIE 31 January 2017)