Travel Health Service Year 2018

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

532

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Brazil

203,157

World Health Organization, 18 October 2018

Cambodia

6,097

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Guangdong, China

1,389

Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 October 2018

India

40,868

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 September 2018

Japan

145

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 16 October 2018

Lao PDR

4,435

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Macao SAR, China

4”

Health Bureau of Macau, 29 September 2018

Malaysia

51,337

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Mexico

44,048

World Health Organization, 18 October 2018

Philippines

69,088

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Singapore

2,252@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 18 October 2018

Sri Lanka

40,271

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 18 October 2018

Taiwan, China

153”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 16 October 2018

Thailand

66,372

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 17 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]

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health’s update on Ebola Virus Disease, the number of outbreak cases has now reached 237. The total number of deaths is 153.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 22 October 2018)

 

Bolivia: Hantavirus infection [Update]

Local health authorities in La Asunta,Bolivia confirmed 19 cases of Hantavirus infection in the latest outbreak within military camps, bringing the total number of cases to 40 this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 22 October 2018)

 

The Philippines: Leptospirosis

The Pangasinan Provincial Health Office of the Philippines reported 372 cases of leptospirosis with 47 deaths as of 24 September 2018, a 231 percent rise compared to the same time last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 October 2018)

 

Papua New Guinea: Poliomyelitis [Update]

3 more cases of poliomyelitis infection were reported last week in Papua New Guinea, bringing the year total number of cases to 18.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 October 2018)

 

Greece: West Nile Virus Infection [Update]

306 cases of West Nile Virus infections have been recorded in Greece since the start of 2018, including 41 deaths.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 20 October 2018))

 

Venezuela: Malaria

Venezuelan health officials recorded more than 650,000 cases of malaria this year, due to increase in medication shortages and lack of supplies to hospitals.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 20 October 2018))

 

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

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health’s update on Ebola Virus Disease, the number of outbreak cases has now reached 223. The total number of deaths is 144.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 18 October 2018)

 

Somalia: Cholera

The Ministry of Health of Somalia has reported 6,464 cases of cholera with 43 deaths since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2017.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 18 October 2018)

 

Afghanistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]

Afghanistan has recorded 16 cases of poliomyelitis so far this year.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 18 October 2018)

 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Virus Disease [Statement of the International Health Regulations and Emergency Committee]

Regarding the recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease at the Democratic Republic of the Congo , it was the view of the Committee that a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) should not be declared at this time. But the Committee remains deeply concerned by the outbreak and emphasized that response activities need to be intensified and ongoing vigilance is critical.

(Source: World Health Organization 17 October 2018)

 

Bangladesh: Dengue fever

Since the beginning of the year through October 15, Bangladesh has reported 7,450 dengue fever cases and at least 17 fatalities.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 October 2018)

 

Japan: Rubella [Update]

As of October 10, Japanese health officials reported a total of 1,103 rubella cases this year. Tokyo alone has accounted for over 350 cases.

[Editor Note: In recent month, 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, Japan 16 October 2018)