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	630	World Health Organization, 8 November 2018
Brazil	218,337	World Health Organization, 22 November 2018
Cambodia	8,046	World Health Organization, 8 November 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	175	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 20 November 2018
Lao PDR	5,497	World Health Organization, 8 November 2018
Macao, China	5”	Health Bureau of Macau, 6 November 2018
Malaysia	61,254	World Health Organization, 8 November 2018
Mexico	66,644	World Health Organization, 22 November 2018
Philippines	106,386	World Health Organization, 8 November 2018
Singapore	2,634^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 22 November 2018
Sri Lanka	43,484	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 21 November 2018
Taiwan, China	178”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 22 November 2018
Thailand	75,349	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 21 November 2018
Vietnam	77,355	World Health Organization, 8 November 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.

Europe: Measles [Update]

Europe continues to report measles cases. In Portugal, the number of confirmed measles cases in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley region has risen to 15, including two children.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 November 2018)

Madagascar: Plague [Update]

Madagascar health officials have reported 46 human plague cases since Aug. 1. Of this total, 14 have died.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 November 2018)

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

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s update on Ebola Virus Disease, the number of cases has now reached 419. The total number of deaths is 240.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 26 November 2018)

Namibia: Anthrax [Update]

According to the Namibia health officials, as of 21 November 2018, an anthrax outbreak of 52 cases was reported in Kunene region. The patients had either handled carcasses of dead goat or consumed the meat.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 November 2018)

Nigeria: Lassa fever [Update]

As of 18 November, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed 562 new cases of Lassa fever this year, including 161 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 November 2018)

Mainland China: Dengue Fever [Update]

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 November 16 to 22, the CHP recorded eight imported dengue fever cases. The patients had been to Guangdong in Mainland China (four cases), Malaysia (one case), the Philippines (one case), Thailand (one case) and Vietnam (one case) during the incubation period.

DF remains endemic in some areas in Asia and beyond. In Guangdong, there were 2 752 cases in the first 10 months of this year.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 23 November 2018)

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

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s update on Ebola Virus Disease, the number of cases has now reached 403. The total number of deaths is 231.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 24 November 2018)

Nigeria: Yellow fever

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is reporting a suspected outbreak of yellow fever in Edo State. On 21 November 2018, 9 cases were tested positive for yellow fever.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 November 2018)

Mainland, China: Avian influenza [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) received notification of an additional human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in Jiangsu from the National Health Commission on 23 November 2018, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

The case involved a 10-year-old girl from Suzhou in Jiangsu. She developed symptoms on October 29 and was hospitalised on November 3. She is now in a serious condition.

From 2014 to date, 23 human cases of avian influenza A(H5N6) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities.

Press release issued by CHP on 23 November 2018:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201811/23/P2018112300411.htm

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 23 November 2018)

Canada: Escherchia Coli

As of 21 November this year, the Public Health Agency of Canada has recorded 19 cases E. Coli O157:H7 from Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick since the beginning of the outbreak last month. Epidemiologic evidence indicates romaine lettuce as the likely source of the outbreak.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 22 November 2018)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring four additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including one death, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between October 16 and 30, 2018, and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit.

According to the WHO, all the four male patients, aged 53 to 74, had underlying illnesses and two of them had contact with camels and consumed camel milk.

Press release issued on 21 November 2018: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201811/21/P2018112100545.htm

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 21 November 2018)

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

According to the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s update on Ebola Virus Disease, the number of cases has now reached 386. The total number of deaths is 219.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 21 November 2018)

USA: Escherchia Coli

Since October this year, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded E. Coli O157:H7 outbreak from 11 states. Epidemiologic evidence indicates romaine lettuce as a likely source of the outbreak.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 November 2018)

USA: Dengue fever

USA Florida health authorities confirmed earlier this month the first locally transmitted case of dengue fever, recorded in Dade County.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 November 2018)

Japan: Rubella [Update]

As of 20 November Japanese health officials reported a total of 2,032 rubella cases this year.

[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 20 November 2018)