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	162	World Health Organization, 29 March 2018
Brazil	90,858	World Health Organization, 17 May 2018
Cambodia	247	World Health Organization, 29 March 2018
Guangdong	17	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 May 2018
India	5,613	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 29 April 2018
Japan	34	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 15 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	7,470	World Health Organization, 17 May 2018
Philippines	15,599	World Health Organization, 29 March 2018
Singapore	979^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 17 May 2018
Sri Lanka	18,695	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 17 May 2018
Taiwan	0”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 17 May 2018
Thailand	10,446	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 17 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.

Taiwan: Japanese Encephalitis

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control reported this year’s first Japanese encephalitis case confirmed in an over 50-year-old male who resides in Pingtung County. Transmission of Japanese encephalitis in Taiwan occurs annually between May and October and it usually peaks between June and July.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 May 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

As of 16 May 2018, a cumulative total of 45 Ebola virus disease cases including 25 deaths have been reported from three health zones in Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Source: ProMed-mail 20 May 2018)

Romania, France, Greece and Italy: Measles

Measles cases continue to increase in a number of European countries. The highest number of cases to date in 2018 were in Romania (2 712), France (2 173), Greece (1 948) and Italy (805) respectively. Twenty two deaths have also been reported by these countries in 2018.

(Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control 18 May 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

From 4 April through 15 May 2018, a cumulative total of 44 Ebola virus disease cases including 23 deaths have been reported from three health zones in Equateur Province. A new confirmed case has been reported in Mbandaka, a city of nearly 1.2 million people in Equateur Province in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Source: World Health Organization 17 May 2018)

Somalia: Poliomyelitis

In Somalia, a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 3 (cVDPV3) has been confirmed, following isolation of this virus from four environmental samples collected between 8-22 March from two environmental sites in Banadir Province.

(Source: World Health Organization 17 May 2018)

France: Measles

The number of measles cases in France has increased significantly since November 2017. As of 13 May 2018, 2231 cases have been reported. About 48% of cases are reported in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 May 2018)

Japan: Measles [Update]

In Japan, Okinawa Prefecture and Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture respectively reported 3 new cases of measles on May 14. As of May 11, Okinawa Prefecture has recorded 495 suspected measles cases and 97 confirmed cases. As of May 14, Aichi Prefecture has reported 24 measles cases.

(Source: Centers for Disease Control, R.O.C (Taiwan)15 May 2018)

Yemen: Diphtheria [Update]

A total of 1,725 suspected cases of diphtheria have been recorded in 20 of Yemen's 23 provinces according to The World Health Organization on 12 May 2018. There have been 91 associated deaths reported in Yemen’s diphtheria outbreak.

(Source: ProMED-mail 15 May 2018)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Update]

As of 13 May 2018, 41 cases have been reported in the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of Congo, including 20 deaths. Bikoro Health Zone reported the highest number of cases (n=31).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 May 2018)