Travel Health Service Year 2019

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	59	World Health Organization, 31 January 2019
Cambodia	493	World Health Organization, 31 January 2019
Japan	26^{^}	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 5 February 2019
Lao PDR	189	World Health Organization, 31 January 2019
Malaysia	3,127	World Health Organization, 31 January 2019
Mexico	2,446	World Health Organization, 7 February 2019
The Philippines	497	World Health Organization, 31 January 2019
Singapore	1,148^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 7 February 2019
Sri Lanka	6,145	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 7 February 2019
Taiwan, China	1”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 7 February 2019
Thailand	3,968	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 5 February 2019

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

Cumulative reported number of dengue cases between 01/01/2018 and 31/12/2018 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2018	Source of information and date of report
Brazil	265,934	World Health Organization, 7 February 2019
Guangdong, China	3,316	Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 January 2019
India	89,974	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 25 November 2018
Macao, China	5”	Health Bureau of Macau, 6 November 2018
Vietnam	113,850	World Health Organization, 31 January 2019

Remarks:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country/area.
” 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.

The Philippines: Measles [Update]

The Philippines Department of Health has declared outbreak measles in capital Manila and in other regions of Luzon, Central and Western Visayas. During 1 January – 9 February 2019, a total of 4,302 cases have been reported across the country, including 70 deaths.

(Source: The Philippines Department of Health 11 February 2019)

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 816 and the total number of deaths is 513.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 11 February 2019)

Fiji: Leptospirosis

The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services has reported 98 cases of Leptospirosis, including 4 deaths, since the beginning of this year. An outbreak has been declared for the Central Division on 28 January.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 February 2019)

State of Washington, USA: Measles [Update]

Since the identification of an outbreak in January 2019, USA Washington State recorded 53 confirmed cases of measles. In view of the outbreak, Washington State Government declared state of emergency on 25 January 2019.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 February 2019)

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases. Brooklyn has reached 67 cases since October 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 February 2019)

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. From 28 Dec 2018 to 1 Feb 2019, 15,095 cases have been reported across the country, including 6 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 February 2019)

Thailand: Measles

Until 4 February, 613 people have contracted measles in Thailand this year, including 2 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 February 2019)

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 800 and the total number of deaths is 502.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 February 2019)

The Philippines: Measles

The Philippines Department of Health has declared outbreak measles in capital Manila and in other regions of Luzon, Central and Western Visayas. During 1-26 January 2019, Manila National Capital Region recorded 441 cases with 5 deaths, while Calabarzon recorded 575 cases with 9 deaths.

(Source: The Philippines Department of Health 7 February 2019)

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 789 and the total number of deaths is 488.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 6 February 2019)

State of Washington, USA: Measles [Update]

Since the identification of an outbreak in January 2019, USA Washington State recorded 50 confirmed cases of measles. In view of the outbreak, Washington State Government declared state of emergency on 25 January 2019.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 February 2019)

Japan: Rubella [Update]

In Japan, 280 rubella cases were reported so far this year as of Week 4.

[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: Outbreak News Today 5 February 2019)