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

150

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 23 October 2018

Lao PDR

4,435

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Macao SAR, China

4”

Health Bureau of Macau, 16 October 2018

Malaysia

51,337

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Mexico

48,926

World Health Organization, 25 October 2018

Philippines

69,088

World Health Organization, 13 September 2018

Singapore

2,319@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 25 October 2018

Sri Lanka

40,671

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 23 October 2018

Taiwan, China

157”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 23 October 2018

Thailand

67,968

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 24 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’s update on Ebola Virus Disease, the number of cases has now reached 274. The total number of deaths is 139.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 29 October 2018)

 

Afghanistan: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever [Update]

Afghanistan recorded 455 cases of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in 2018 so far, with 56 deaths. Recent drought has made disease widespread easier in which farmers carry infected livestock with them when travelling.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 25 October 2018)

 

USA: Syphilis

Alaska health officials recorded the largest syphilis outbreak in 40 years, in which 75 cases have been reported in 2018 so far.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 25 October 2018)

 

Kenya: Anthrax

Tharaka-Nikti County in East Kenya recorded 9 cases of suspected anthrax, in which one patient died. The patients were said to have come into contact with meat of a sick cow prior to onset of illness.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 24 October 2018)

 

France: Dengue fever

6 local dengue fever transmission cases have been reported in southern ,France since early September, 5 from Saint-Laurent-du-Var and 1 from Montpellier.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 October 2018)

 

USA: Hepatitis A infection [Update]

As of mid-October this year, Kentucky State health officials reported 2,159 cases of acute hepatitis A infection since August 2017, with statewide outbreak declared in November 2017.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 October 2018)

 

Switzerland: Tick-borne encephalitis

Switzerland health authorities have recorded a record-breaking 334 cases of tick-borne encephalitis this year. Plans to widen the net for vaccinations are being developed.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 23 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 244. The total number of deaths is 155.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 23 October 2018)

 

Japan: Rubella [Update]

As of October 17,Japanese health officials reported a total of 1,289 rubella cases this year with 914 cases reported in the past six weeks. The cumulative incidence in 2018 was highest in Chiba (37.6 cases per million population), followed by Tokyo (32 cases per million population) and Kanagawa (17.9 cases per million population).

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

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health advises pregnant women and women preparing for pregnancy who are non-immune to rubella 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.

Press release issued by The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health on 23 October 2018: https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201810/23/P2018102300850.htm

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) 23 October 2018)