Travel Health Service Year 2018

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	532	World Health Organization, 13 September 2018
Brazil	239,389	World Health Organization, 30 August 2018
Cambodia	6,097	World Health Organization, 13 September 2018
Guangdong	378	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 17 September 2018
India	40,868	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 September 2018
Japan	139	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 10 October 2018
Lao PDR	4,435	World Health Organization, 13 September 2018
Macau	4”	Health Bureau of Macau, 29 September 2018
Malaysia	51,337	World Health Organization, 13 September 2018
Mexico	36,101	World Health Organization, 4 October 2018
Philippines	69,088	World Health Organization, 13 September 2018
Singapore	2,184^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 11 October 2018
Sri Lanka	39,791	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 11 October 2018
Taiwan	147”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 9 October 2018
Thailand	64,649	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 10 October 2018
Vietnam	48,607	World Health Organization, 13 September 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 the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

Democratic Republic of the Congo recorded six more cases of Ebola virus disease over the weekend lifting the outbreak total to 211, including 135 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 October 2018)

Thailand: Measles

More than 300 people have contracted measles in Yala Province, Thailand, since the outbreak began in September.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 14 October 2018)

Spain: Dengue Fever

Spain reported the first local case of dengue fever. Two people living in the Region of Murcia contracted dengue fever and none of them had a history of travel.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 October 2018)

Mainland China: Dengue Fever

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.
From October 5 to 11, the CHP recorded 10 imported dengue fever cases. The patients had been to Mainland China (nine) and the Philippines (one) during the incubation period. Dengue fever remains endemic in some areas in Asia and beyond.

(Source:Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 12 October 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health’s update on the Ebola Virus Disease, the number of outbreak cases has now reached 194. The total number of deaths is 122. It is recorded that the virus has spread within a school.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 11 October 2018)

Japan: Rubella

Japanese health officials reported an additional 134 rubella cases the last week of September, bringing the total cases this year to 952. Tokyo alone has accounted for over 300 cases this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 October 2018)

Japan: Syphilis

Japanese health officials reported 5,081 cases of syphilis this year. With 5,534 cases reported last year, the first time in four decades that over 5,000 cases were reported annually, this marks the second year in a row that more than 5,000 cases were reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 October 2018)

USA: Legionnaires’ disease

A cluster of Legionnaires’ disease in New York City was reported by the state Health Department, with a total of 16 cases and 1 death.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 11 October 2018)

Bolivia: Hantavirus infection

Local health authorities in capital La Paz confirmed 10 cases of Hantavirus infection this week, including 1 death.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 11 October 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health’s update on the Ebola Virus Disease, the number of outbreak cases has now reached 188. The total number of deaths is 118.

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

USA: Enterovirus infection

State of Colorado health officials reported 41 cases of enterovirus A71 infections associated with neurologic illness in children this year. As part of the outbreak, 14 cases of acute flaccid poliomyelitis were also reported, 11 of which were tested positive for enterovirus A71.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 October 2018)

Japan: Rubella

777 cases of rubella were reported in Japan this year, more than 8 times last year's reported number, with recent rise in cases mainly in Kanto region. Majority of patients have no or unknown history of rubella vaccination.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 9 October 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health’s update on the Ebola Virus Disease, the number of confirmed outbreak cases has now reached 146. In addition, there are another 35 probable cases reported. The total number of deaths is 115.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 9 October 2018)

USA: Typhus

California health officials have reported 12 cases of flea-borne typhus in Los Angeles and Pasadena this year, which is double in amount compared with past years.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 October 2018)

Tunisia: West Nile Virus infection

Tunisia Ministry of Health has reported 11 cases of West Nile Virus infection, including one death.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 October 2018)