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 01/01/2018 *

 

Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2018

Source of information and date of report

Australia

162

World Health Organization, 29 March 2018

Brazil

81,141

World Health Organization, 10 May 2018

Cambodia

247

World Health Organization, 29 March 2018

Guangdong

9

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 13 April 2018

India

5,613

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 29 April 2018

Japan

33

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 9 May 2018

Lao PDR

24#

World Health Organization, 29 March 2018

Macau

0”

Health Bureau of Macau, 21 April 2018

Malaysia

1,079&

World Health Organization, 29 March 2018

Mexico

6,493

World Health Organization, 10 May 2018

Philippines

15,599

World Health Organization, 29 March 2018

Singapore

908@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 10 May 2018

Sri Lanka

17,894

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 10 May 2018

Taiwan

0”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 10 May 2018

Thailand

9,577

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 9 May 2018

Vietnam

12,360

World Health Organization, 29 March 2018

* Dengue reporting systems vary by country/area.
@ Cumulative cases since 31 December 2017.
“ Locally-acquired
# data of week 10
& data of week 11

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]

From 4 April through 13 May 2018, a total of 39 Ebola virus disease cases have been reported, including 19 deaths in Democratic Republic of Congo. Cases were reported from the Bikoro, Iboko and Wangata health zone.

(Source: World Health Organization 14 May 2018)

 

Costa Rica: Malaria

A U.S. traveller contracted malaria while visiting Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. The Osa Peninsula is at the southern part of Costa Rica that has had rare P. falciparum cases, and none in the previous two years.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 14 May 2018)

 

Uganda: Measles

The Ministry of Health of Uganda announced an outbreak of measles in 26 districts across the country. The most affected districts are Amuru in northern Uganda, and Kamuli, Mbale, and Butebo in the east of the country.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 May 2018)

 

Philippines: HIV [Update]

The Philippines has become the country with the fastest growing HIV epidemic in Asia and the Pacific. Health officials of Philippines reported 912 new HIV cases in March 2018. Ninety-four percent (858) of the 912 cases were male. Sexual contact is the most predominant mode of transmission (99%, 899). Among this, 86% (774) were among males who have sex with males.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 May 2018)

 

Malaysia: Rabies [Update]

The Malaysian Ministry of Health announced one new human rabies case in Sarawak. This makes four human cases this year and 10 since last summer.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 May 2018)

 

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The World Health Organization reported that as of 11 May 2018, there are a total of 34 cases with 18 deaths recorded in the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of Congo. Two cases are confirmed, 14 suspected and 18 probable.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 May 2018)

 

United Kingdom: Measles [Update]

Between 1 January and 9 May, 2018, England has reported 440 laboratory-confirmed measles cases, with London (164), the South East (86), West Midlands (78), South West (42) and West Yorkshire (37) reporting the most cases. The majority of cases (54%) are over 15 years of age.

(Source: Public Health England 11 May 2018)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, poultry

Mainland China reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H7N9 involving a layer farm in Ningxia province. The outbreak began on April 25, killing 2,210 of 86,000 susceptible birds.

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

 

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

In the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of Congo, a total of 32 Ebola virus disease cases (two confirmed cases) were reported from Bikoro health zone, Equateur province, from 4 April through 9 May 2018. Eighteen deaths have been recorded. Three of the 32 cases were among healthcare workers.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 May 2018))

 

Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]

Brazil reported 4 more lab-confirmed cases of yellow fever and 15 more deaths in the latest weekly update. Brazil has reported 1,261 confirmed cases and 409 deaths from this disease so far. Most of the confirmed cases were from the southeast region of Brazil.

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

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Health officials in Ukraine reported additional 1,078 measles cases in the most recent week. Since the beginning of the year, 13,883 people were affected by measles and eight people died of the complications of the measles. The proportion of adults with measles has increased to 44%.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 May 2018)

 

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola virus disease

The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Bikoro in Equateur Province. Between 4 April and 5 May 2018, a total of 21 suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases were reported and two out of five samples collected from five hospitalized patients were tested positive for EVD.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 May 2018)

 

Japan: Measles [Update]

Officials in Okinawa prefecture, Japan, have reported additional measles cases that bring the outbreak total to 91 since March.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 May 2018)

 

Brazil: Measles

In Brazil, there is an ongoing measles outbreak with 693 suspected cases reported (358 in Amazonas state and 335 in Roraima state), 103 of which have been confirmed (22 in Amazonas state and 81 in Roraima state), including 2 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 8 May 2018)