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

810

World Health Organization, 1 August 2019

Brazil

1,345,994

World Health Organization, 8 August 2019

Guangdong, China

394

Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 12 July 2019

India

5,504

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

Japan

182^

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 6 August 2019

Lao PDR

15,657

World Health Organization, 1 August 2019

Malaysia

75,913

World Health Organization, 1 August 2019

Mexico

39,770

World Health Organization, 8 August 2019

The Philippines

130,463

World Health Organization, 1 August 2019

Singapore

9,600@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 8 August 2019

Sri Lanka

36,427

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 8 August 2019

Taiwan, China

359

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 8 August 2019

Thailand

64,159

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 6 August 2019

Vietnam

115,186

World Health Organization, 1 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]

13 August 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,831, including four cases from North Kivu capital Goma. The total number of deaths is 1,888, including two cases from Goma. 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

 

Bangladesh: Dengue fever [Update]

13 August 2019

Bangladesh is seeing the largest outbreak of dengue fever cases in history since July this year. 41,178 cases have been recorded this year, including 40 deaths. For more information on Dengue fever, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/38847.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 August 2019)

 

Marshall Islands: Dengue fever

13 August 2019

Marshall Islands is experiencing outbreak of dengue fever. 100 cases have been recorded this year. The local government has issued State of Health Emergency. For more information on Dengue fever, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/38847.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 August 2019)

 

Japan: Rubella [Update]

13 August 2019

Japan's rubella outbreak remains active. 2,039 cases were reported so far this year as of end of July, with cases focused in Kanto region. For more information on rubella, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/101027.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 August 2019)

 

Malaysia: Rabies [Update]

12 August 2019

The Malaysian Ministry of Health announced that the latest rabies epidemic in Sarawak since July 2017 has reached 20 confirmed cases, including 19 deaths. The latest fatal case was recorded on 7 August this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 August 2019)

 

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

12 August 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,793, including four cases from North Kivu capital Goma. The total number of deaths is 1,867, including two cases from Goma. 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

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

12 August 2019

Ukraine continues to report measles activity. 56,861 cases have been reported across the country this year, including 18 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 August 2019)

 

Southeast Asia: Dengue Fever [Update]

12 August 2019

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

From August 2 to 8, the CHP recorded six imported DF cases. The patients had been to Cambodia (two cases), the Philippines (two cases), Malaysia (one case) and Thailand (one case) during the incubation period.

As of August 8, 105 cases had been recorded this year, as compared with 56 cases recorded in the same period last year. All the cases recorded in 2019 were imported, mainly from Thailand (19), Cambodia (18) and Malaysia (18).

The CHP has been closely monitoring the latest DF situation in neighbouring and overseas areas. DF is endemic in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. According to the World Health Organization, some Asian countries are experiencing unusually high numbers of DF cases for this time of year. Detailed information on the latest DF situation in Hong Kong as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas this year has been uploaded to the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf)

 

Guatemala: Dengue Fever

9 August 2019

Guatemala is seeing a significant increase in dengue fever this year. 9,943 cases have been recorded this year. 27 deaths have been recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 August 2019)

 

The Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]

9 August 2019

The Philippines Department of Health has declared a National Dengue Fever alert on 15 July 2019. During 1 January – 20 July 2019, a total of 146,062 dengue fever cases have been reported across the country. Most cases are from Western Visayas, CALABARZON, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and SOCCSKSARGEN.

(Source: The Philippines Department of Health 8 August 2019)

 

Maldives: Dengue Fever

9 August 2019

The number of dengue fever cases in Maldives is on the rise. 353-555 cases have been reported in each month this year. 454 new cases have been reported in July, which is 101 more cases than June, and higher than the same period in 2016-2018. As of 6 August 2019, more than 3,300 cases have been reported, higher than the number of cases combined in 1998-2017.

(Source: Taiwan Centers for Disease Control 8 August 2019)

 

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

8 August 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,781, including four cases from North Kivu capital Goma. The total number of deaths is 1,866, including two cases from Goma. 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

 

Vietnam: Dengue fever [Update]

8 August 2019

Vietnam is seeing dengue fever epidemic this year. 115,186 cases have been recorded this year, which is over 3 times compared to the same period last year. 12 deaths have been recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 August 2019)

 

Malaysia: Dengue fever

8 August 2019

Malaysia is seeing dengue fever on rising trend this year. 81,120 cases have been recorded this year. 113 deaths have been recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 August 2019)

 

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

7 August 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,774, including four cases from North Kivu capital Goma. The total number of deaths is 1,849, including two cases from Goma. 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

 

The Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]

7 August 2019

The Philippines government has declared national dengue fever epidemic. 146,062 cases have been recorded this year, which is nearly two times the number of cases compared with the same period last year. 622 deaths have been reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 August 2019)

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]

7 August 2019

Measles activity in Democratic Republic of the Congo remains high. 137,154 cases have been reported this year, including 2,581 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 August 2019)

 

Yemen: Cholera [Update]

7 August 2019

Yemen continues to report high numbers of cholera cases. Over 1.8 million cases and over 3,500 deaths were reported since the outbreak started in October 2016.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 August 2019)

 

13 August 2019