Travel Health Service Year 2019

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 01/01/2019 *

 

Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2019

Source of information and date of report

Australia

1,325

World Health Organization, 5 December 2019

Brazil

2,120,142

World Health Organization, 5 December 2019

Guangdong, China

5,315

Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 November 2019

India

91,457

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 October 2019

Japan

433^

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 3 December 2019

Lao PDR

38,026

World Health Organization, 5 December 2019

Malaysia

119,524

World Health Organization, 5 December 2019

Mexico

251,445

World Health Organization, 5 December 2019

The Philippines

402,694

World Health Organization, 5 December 2019

Singapore

15,139@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 5 December 2019

Sri Lanka

83,365

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 5 December 2019

Taiwan, China

611

Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, 5 December 2019

Thailand

121,696

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 4 December 2019

Vietnam

241,863

World Health Organization, 5 December 2019

* Dengue reporting systems vary by country/area.
@Cumulative cases since 30 December 2018.
^ Cumulative cases since 31 December 2018.



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]

10 December 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,324 and the total number of deaths is 2,206. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]

10 December 2019

Measles activity in Democratic Republic of the Congo remains high. 269,079 cases have been reported this year as of 2 December, including 5,430 deaths. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 December 2019)

 

Samoa: Measles [Update]

10 December 2019

The Samoa government has declared a state of emergency due to measles outbreak. Currently, 4,693 cases have been reported including 70 deaths. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 December 2019)

 

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

9 December 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,320 and the total number of deaths is 2,206. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

9 December 2019

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is closely monitoring 15 additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by Saudi Arabia from October 1 to 31. The CHP 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, of the additional cases, 12 were male patients and three were female patients, with ages from 26 to 94. Among them, three had exposure to camels and consumed camel milk, and two were health care workers who had contact with previously confirmed patients. Twelve had underlying illnesses and six have passed away.

According to the latest information, 2,484 cases have been reported to the WHO (with 857 deaths), including 2,265 in 10 Middle East countries comprising 2,092 in Saudi Arabia, 88 in the United Arab Emirates, 28 in Jordan, 24 in Oman, 19 in Qatar, six in Iran, four Kuwait, two in Lebanon, and one each in Yemen and Bahrain.

For more information on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/26511.html

 

Samoa: Measles [Update]

9 December 2019

The Samoa government has declared a state of emergency due to measles outbreak. Currently, 4,460 cases have been reported including 65 deaths. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 December 2019)

 

Malaysia: Poliomyelitis

9 December 2019

Malaysia health officials have reported one case of poliomyelitis (vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1) from Sabah, the first case since being declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in 2000.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 December 2019)

 

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

6 December 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,318 and the total number of deaths is 2,204. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

Sri Lanka: Dengue Fever [Update]

6 December 2019

Sri Lanka is seeing high activity of dengue fever this year, including capital Colombo. 83,365 cases have been recorded this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 December 2019)

 

Samoa: Measles [Update]

5 December 2019

The Samoa government has declared a state of emergency due to measles outbreak. Currently, 4,217 cases have been reported including 62 deaths. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 December 2019)

 

Tonga: Measles [Update]

5 December 2019

Tonga is currently experiencing measles outbreak. 440 cases have been recorded as of 2 December. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 December 2019)

 

Myanmar: Dengue fever [Update]

5 December 2019

Myanmar is seeing high activity of dengue fever this year. 23,203 cases have been recorded as of 23 November this year. 123 deaths have been recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 December 2019)

 

United Kingdom: Monkeypox

5 December 2019

UK Public Health England reported one case of monkeypox, with the source of infection being during the patient’s visit to Nigeria.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 December 2019)

 

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

4 December 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,313 and the total number of deaths is 2,203. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

Samoa: Measles [Update]

4 December 2019

The Samoa government has declared a state of emergency due to measles outbreak. Currently, 4,052 cases have been reported including 60 deaths. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 December 2019)

 

Thailand: Chikungunya fever [Update]

4 December 2019

Thailand health officials reported continuous Chikungunya fever outbreak activity, especially in southern provinces of Pattani, Ranong, Phuket, Tak and Songkhla. 10,146 cases have been reported in 56 of the 76 provinces as of 24 November this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 December 2019)

 

The Philippines: Dengue fever [Update]

4 December 2019

The Philippines Department of Health has declared a National dengue fever alert on 15 July 2019. As of 16 November, 402,694 dengue cases, including 1,502 deaths have been recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 December 2019)

 

Thailand: Dengue Fever [Update]

4 December 2019

Thailand health officials are reporting active Dengue fever activity within the country. As of 25 November, 119,046 cases have been reported this year, including 126 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 December 2019)

 

Malaysia: Dengue fever [Update]

4 December 2019

Malaysia is seeing dengue fever on rising trend this year. As of 3 December, 120,472 cases have been reported this year, including 164 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 December 2019)