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	91	World Health Organization, 14 February 2019
Brazil	74,668	World Health Organization, 6 March 2019
Cambodia	876	World Health Organization, 14 February 2019
Guangdong, China	36	Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 February 2019
Japan	41^{^}	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 5 March 2019
Lao PDR	545	World Health Organization, 14 February 2019
Malaysia	15,469	World Health Organization, 14 February 2019
Mexico	5,503	World Health Organization, 6 March 2019
The Philippines	12,431	World Health Organization, 14 February 2019
Singapore	1,837^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 5 March 2019
Sri Lanka	9,477	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 6 March 2019
Taiwan, China	1”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 6 March 2019
Thailand	9,044	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 6 March 2019
Vietnam	15,540	World Health Organization, 14 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
India	89,974	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 25 November 2018

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.

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 858 and the total number of deaths is 582.

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

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 100 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019, 56 of which came from a hospital-based outbreak in Wadi-ad-Dasawir.

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

The Philippines: Measles [Update]

The Philippines Department of Health has declared outbreak measles cases nationwide. During 1 January – 7 March 2019, a total of 18,553 cases have been reported across the country, including 280 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 March 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 856 and the total number of deaths is 582.

(Source: Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health 10 March 2019)

Europe: Measles [Update]

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the latest measles monitoring showed 881 cases reported by 19 countries in January 2019. Romania, Italy, Poland and France had the highest case counts, with an overall increasing trend in disease activity.

(Source: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control 10 March 2019)

Ireland: Mumps

Ireland health officials reported a surge of mumps cases since the beginning of 2019. 451 cases have been reported in the first 9 weeks this year, compared to 60 cases for the same period in 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 March 2019)

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. Since the beginning of this year, 26,544 cases have been reported across the country, including 10 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 March 2019)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 95 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019, 54 of which came from a hospital-based outbreak in Wadi-ad-Dasawir.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 8 March 2019)

Canada: Measles [Update]

Health officials in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada reported an increase in measles cases, in which 17 cases were reported since February 2019.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 March 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 848 and the total number of deaths is 574.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 7 March 2019)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 94 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019, 53 of which came from a hospital-based outbreak in Wadi-ad-Dasawir.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 7 March 2019)

Southeast Asia: Dengue Fever [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health reported the latest number of cases of dengue fever (DF), and again urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.

From March 1 to 6, the CHP recorded one imported DF case. The patient had been to Vietnam during the incubation period.

As of March 6, 29 cases had been confirmed this year, all of which were imported cases. The cases were mainly imported from Indonesia (seven), Malaysia (seven), Sri Lanka (four) and Thailand (four).

DF remains endemic in some areas of Asia and beyond. The latest figures for 2019 revealed that 9,044 cases had been recorded in Thailand, 15,540 in Vietnam, 1,837 in Singapore (since December 30, 2018) and 41 in Japan. In the Americas, the latest figures indicated that 5,503 cases were filed in Mexico in 2019.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 7 March 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 907 and the total number of deaths is 569.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 7 March 2019)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 92 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019, 53 of which came from a hospital-based outbreak in Wadi-ad-Dasawir.

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

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases. Brooklyn and Queens have reached 133 cases in total as of last week since October 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 March 2019)

Japan: Measles [Update]

In Japan, the outbreak of measles continues. 258 cases have been reported so far this year as of 24 February 2019, being the highest record for the same period of time of the year since 2013.

(Source: Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases 5 March 2019)

Japan: Rubella [Update]

In Japan, 650 rubella cases were reported so far this year as of 24 February 2019. 109 cases were recorded during the week of 18-24 February, being the highest weekly case record this year.

[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: Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases 5 March 2019)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 91 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019, 52 of which came from a hospital-based outbreak in Wadi-ad-Dasawir.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 5 March 2019)

Oman: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is closely monitoring eight additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by Oman from February 12 to 18. 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, among the four male patients and four female patients, aged 30 to 77, five had underlying illnesses, one had exposure to camels, seven had contact with previously confirmed patients, two were health care workers, and two had passed away.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 5 March 2019)