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

943

World Health Organization, 29 August 2019

Brazil

1,748,473

World Health Organization, 5 September 2019

Guangdong, China

796

Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 14 August 2019

India

5,504

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 26 May 2019

Japan

262^

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 3 September 2019

Lao PDR

24,758

World Health Organization, 29 August 2019

Malaysia

85,270

World Health Organization, 29 August 2019

Mexico

63,911

World Health Organization, 5 September 2019

The Philippines

208,917

World Health Organization, 29 August 2019

Singapore

11,406@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 5 September 2019

Sri Lanka

44,094

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 5 September 2019

Taiwan, China

447

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 5 September 2019

Thailand

81,500

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 4 September 2019

Vietnam

124,751

World Health Organization, 29 August 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 September 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,081 and the total number of deaths is 2,064. 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

 

USA: Measles [Update]

10 September 2019

The United States have reported 1,241 cases of measles across 31 states from the beginning of this year to 5 September 2019, with more than 75% of the cases being linked to outbreaks in New York. 130 cases were hospitalized, and 65 cases reported having complications including pneumonia and encephalitis. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

 

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

9 September 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,069 and the total number of deaths is 2,052. 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

 

Thailand: Streptococcus suis

6 September 2019

The Thailand Department of Disease Control has reported 265 Streptococcus suis cases this year through 17 August 2019, including 23 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 September 2019)

 

Thailand: Dengue Fever [Update]

6 September 2019

Thailand health officials are reporting Dengue fever at high levels. Up until 2 September 2019, 55,206 cases have been reported this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 September 2019)

 

New Zealand: Measles [Update]

6 September 2019

New Zealand national measles outbreak continues, with 1051 cases reported up until 5 September 2019. The bulk of the cases have been reported in the Auckland area, namely Waitemata, Auckland and Counties Manukau. New Zealand Ministry of Health advises travelers to Auckland to receive vaccinations against measles at least two weeks before departure. 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 5 September 2019)
(Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health 31 August 2019)

 

Palau: Dengue Fever [Update]

5 September 2019

Dengue fever outbreak has been reported in Palau. A total of 570 cases have been reported since December 2018, including 2 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 September 2019)

 

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

5 September 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,049 and the total number of deaths is 2,045. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. Besides, one patient from Democratic Republic of the Congo died of the disease in Uganda. 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

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

4 September 2019

Ukraine continues to report measles activity. From the beginning of the year to 23 August 2019, 57,482 cases have been reported. 40 measles death have been reported since the outbreak started in the summer of 2017. 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 September 2019)

 

Kenya: Leishmaniasis

4 September 2019

Kenya is reporting an outbreak of leishmaniasis this year. From the beginning of the year to 25 August 2019, 2,314 cases have been reported, including 28 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 September 2019)

 

USA: Measles [Update]

4 September 2019

The United States have reported 1,234 cases of measles across 31 states from the beginning of this year to 29 August 2019, with more than 75% of the cases being linked to outbreaks in New York. 125 cases were hospitalized, and 65 cases reported having complications including pneumonia and encephalitis. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

 

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

4 September 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,043 and the total number of deaths is 2,035. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. Besides, one patient from Democratic Republic of the Congo died of the disease in Uganda. 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