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 01/01/2018 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2018	Source of information and date of report
Australia	492	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018
Brazil	239,389	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018
Cambodia	5,436	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018
Guangdong	121	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 August 2018
India	14,233	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 22 July 2018
Japan	100	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 4 September 2018
Lao PDR	3,586	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018
Macau	1”	Health Bureau of Macau, 19 June 2018
Malaysia	46,544	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018
Mexico	25,153	World Health Organization, 6 September 2018
Philippines	20,108	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018
Singapore	1,918^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 6 September 2018
Sri Lanka	37,259	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 6 September 2018
Taiwan	84”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 6 September 2018
Thailand	52,670	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 5 September 2018
Vietnam	39,692	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018

* Dengue reporting systems vary by country/area.
@ Cumulative cases since 31 December 2017.
“ Locally-acquired

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.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ministry of Health’s (MoH) update on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the number of confirmed outbreak cases has now reached 101. In addition, there are another 31 probable cases are reported. The total number of deaths is 91.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 10 September 2018)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) noted one new MERS-CoV case in a 44-year-old man in Riyadh. The patient had camel contact.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 10 Sept 2018)

Zimbabwe: Cholera

A cholera outbreak has killed 10 people in Zimbabwe's capital Harare after they drank contaminated water, a city health official said.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 10 Sept 2018)

USA: Hepatitis A [Update]

Since 1 Aug 2017, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) has identified 1628 cases of acute hepatitis A. Statewide outbreak was declared in November 2017.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 Sept 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Ministry of Health’s (MoH) update on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the number of confirmed outbreak cases has now reached 100. In addition, there are another 31 probable cases are reported. Of the 100 confirmed, 58 died, 35 are cured and 7 are hospitalized.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 September 2018)

South Korea: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

According to the Korean Centers for Disease Control, a 61-year-old male patient who visited Kuwait was diagnosed with MERS-CoV. This is the first case reported in South Korea since 2015.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 September 2018)

United States: West Nile Virus infection

The New Mexico Department of Health reports the state’s first two human cases of West Nile Virus infection in 2018 have been confirmed.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 September 2018)

Thailand: Rabies [Update]

The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand has reported the 16th human fatality due to rabies this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 September 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The current Ebola outbreak in North Kivu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to develop and poses considerable regional risk. According to the DRC health ministry's daily update, the 127 Ebola cases include 96 confirmed and 31 probable cases. Also, health officials are investigating 4 suspected cases. The total number of deaths is 87.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 6 September 2018)

Italy: West Nile Virus

Through the end of August, European health officials have reported 710 human West Nile Virus (WNV) cases. Italy has reported 327 human cases.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 September 2018))

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The current Ebola outbreak in North Kivu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to develop and poses considerable regional risk. According to the DRC health ministry's daily update, the 124 Ebola cases include 93 confirmed and 31 probable cases. Also, health officials are investigating 16 suspected cases. The total number of deaths is 85.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 5 September 2018)

Papua New Guinea: Poliomyelitis [Update]

The National Department of Health of Papua New Guinea reported an additional 3 cases of polio this week, making a total of 9 cases since June this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 September 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The current Ebola outbreak in North Kivu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to develop and poses considerable regional risk. According to the DRC health ministry's daily update, the 121 Ebola cases include 91 confirmed and 30 probable cases. Also, health officials are investigating 14 suspected cases. The total number of deaths is 81.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 4 September 2018)

Myanmar: Schistosomiasis [Update]

According to Myanmese health officials, an outbreak of schistosomiasis has been ongoing in Myanmar since March this year. There are now 828 suspected cases and 428 laboratory-confirmed cases of the disease in the Rakhine state townships as of late August.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 September 2018)

India: Leptospirosis

Southern state of India has reported increased cases of leptospirosis after recent floods, including 129 suspected cases and 71 confirmed cases, plus 19 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 September 2018)

Afghanistan: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever [Update]

Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Health said that at least 34 people across the country have died after being diagnosed with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) over the past 5 months.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 4 September 2018)

Croatia: West Nile Virus

A total of 26 people in Croatia have been diagnosed with the West Nile Virus (WNV) this year and one has died, the Croatian Institute of Public Health reported.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 4 September 2018)