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, 29 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	177	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 28 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, 29 November 2018
Philippines	106,386	World Health Organization, 8 November 2018
Singapore	2,742^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 29 November 2018
Sri Lanka	44,461	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 29 November 2018
Taiwan, China	182”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 29 November 2018
Thailand	76,936	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 28 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.

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 444 and the total number of deaths is 260.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 3 December 2018)

Dominican Republic: Malaria [Update]

Dominican Republic has recorded 438 cases of malaria to date, compared to 360 cases at the same period in 2017.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 3 December 2018)

Iceland: Norovirus infection

Icelandic health officials reported 44 cases of norovirus infection linked to a restaurant in early November, with the source of infection linked to tainted oysters.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 2 December 2018)

Japan: Syphilis [Update]

Japanese health officials reported 6,096 cases of syphilis this year, the first time the number exceeded 6,000 since 1970.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 2 December 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 23 to 29, the CHP recorded eight imported dengue fever cases. The patients had been to the Philippines (two cases, including one case epidemiologically linked to a case from last week) and Cambodia (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 30 November 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 426 and the total number of deaths is 245.

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

Japan: Rubella [Update]

In Japan, more than 100 additional rubella cases were reported in the latest week (week 46), bringing the total to 2,186. Tokyo also leads this number with 763 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 28 November 2018)

Europe: Measles [Update]

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the latest measles monitoring showed 234 cases reported by 15 countries in September 2018. Italy, Slovakia, Germany and the United Kingdom had the highest case counts but with a decreasing trend.

Link to report:
https://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/monthly-measles-and-rubella-monitoring-report-november-2018

(Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control 28 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 422. The total number of deaths is 242.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 28 November 2018)

Israel: Measles [Update]

According to the Israel Ministry of Health, the recent surge of measles cases has brought the total number of to 2,040 this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 November 2018)

USA: Measles

As of 28 November 2018, 83 cases of measles have been reported in Rockland County, New York State of USA.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 November 2018)

The Philippines: Measles

As of 28 November 2018, 17,298 cases of measles have been reported in The Philippines this year, compared to 3,706 cases at the same period last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 November 2018)

Madagascar: Measles

As of 18 November 2018, 3,239 cases of measles have been reported in Madagascar since an outbreak started in mid-October, spreading from capital Antananarivo to other parts of the country.

(Source: Pro-MED Mail 28 November 2018)

Malaysia: Rabies [Update]

The Malaysian Ministry of Health announced one additional human rabies case in Sarawak. This is the 14th human case since the end of June 2017.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 27 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 421. The total number of deaths is 241.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 27 November 2018)

India: Zika Virus Infection

India is currently experiencing its largest Zika virus disease outbreak, with most cases reported from Jaipur. By the end of October, 147 cases had been reported in Jaipur.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 27 November 2018)