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	731	World Health Organization, 6 December 2018
Brazil	228,042	World Health Organization, 12 December 2018
Cambodia	8,844	World Health Organization, 6 December 2018
Guangdong, China	2,752	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 November 2018
India	40,868	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 September 2018
Japan	185	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 11 December 2018
Lao PDR	5,914	World Health Organization, 6 December 2018
Macao, China	5”	Health Bureau of Macau, 6 November 2018
Malaysia	68,603	World Health Organization, 6 December 2018
Mexico	72,197	World Health Organization, 12 December 2018
Philippines	106,386	World Health Organization, 6 December 2018
Singapore	2,946^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 12 December 2018
Sri Lanka	46,751	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 12 December 2018
Taiwan, China	183”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 12 December 2018
Thailand	80,065	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 12 December 2018
Vietnam	113,850	World Health Organization, 6 December 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]

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The number of cases has reached 539 and the total number of deaths is 315.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 17 December 2018)

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. From the beginning of this year to 8 December, 44,937 cases have been reported across the country, including 15 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 December 2018)

Oman: Dengue fever

Oman health authorities confirmed at least 3 local cases of dengue fever this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 December 2018)

Brazil: Chagas disease

Brazil state of Tocantins reported 14 confirmed cases of Chagas disease, with the source of infection identified as contaminated juice from palm tree.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 December 2018)

South Africa: Malaria

Malaria cases in South Africa are increasing as expected during the summer months. As at the end of October 2018, more than 16,000 cases with 110 deaths have been reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 December 2018)

Philippines: Dengue fever

Philippines health officials have reported an increase in dengue fever cases year-to-date in 2018. There were 179,540 dengue fever cases nationally.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 14 December 2018)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The number of cases has reached 521 and the total number of deaths is 306.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 14 December 2018)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The number of cases has reached 515 and the total number of deaths is 303.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 13 December 2018)

Tunisia: West Nile Virus infection [Update]

Tunisia Ministry of Health has reported 377 cases of West Nile Virus infection this year, including 2 deaths.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 December 2018)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The number of cases has reached 505 and the total number of deaths is 298.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 12 December 2018)

Thailand: Chikungunya fever [Update]

Thailand health officials report 2,143 people have been diagnosed with Chikungunya fever in southern provinces this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 December 2018)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The number of cases has reached 500 and the total number of deaths is 289.

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

Japan: Rubella [Update]

In Japan, 118 additional rubella cases were reported in the latest week (week 48), bringing the total to 2,454. Tokyo also leads this number with 834 cases reported year-to-date.

[Editor Note: In recent months, there is a significant increase of rubella cases in Japan.

Pregnant women and women preparing for pregnancy who are non-immune to rubella are advised not to travel to areas with ongoing rubella outbreaks.

Members of the public should review their vaccination history and past medical history at least two weeks before departure. People may be considered as non-immune to rubella if they did not have rubella infection confirmed by laboratory test before and had not been vaccinated against rubella. For those who had not been vaccinated, with unknown vaccination history or unknown immunity against rubella, they (especially pregnant women and children aged under one year who are not due for the first dose of Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) combined vaccine in Hong Kong) are advised to consult doctor for advice.]

(Source: National Institute of Infectious Diseases 11 December 2018)

Malaysia: Rabies [Update]

The Malaysian Ministry of Health announced that the latest rabies outbreak in Sarawak has 16 confirmed cases, including 15 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 December 2018)