Travel Health Service Year 2019

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	701	World Health Organization, 4 July 2019
Brazil	1,127,244	World Health Organization, 11 July 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	149^{^}	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 9 July 2019
Lao PDR	8,042	World Health Organization, 4 July 2019
Malaysia	62,421	World Health Organization, 4 July 2019
Mexico	27,259	World Health Organization, 11 July 2019
The Philippines	92,267	World Health Organization, 4 July 2019
Singapore	7,168^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 11 July 2019
Sri Lanka	27,245	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 11 July 2019
Taiwan, China	251	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 11 July 2019
Thailand	44,671	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 10 July 2019
Vietnam	81,132	World Health Organization, 4 July 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.

The Philippines: Dengue Fever

The Philippines Department of Health has declared a National Dengue Fever alert on 15 July 2019. During 1 January – 29 June 2019, a total of 106,630 dengue fever cases have been reported across the country. Most cases are from Western Visayas, CALABARZON, Central Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN and Northern Mindanao.

(Source: The Philippines Department of Health 15 July 2019)

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

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,501. The total number of deaths is 1,665.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 15 July 2019)

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

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,462. The total number of deaths is 1,647.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 12 July 2019)

Southeast Asia: Dengue Fever & Chikungunya Fever [Update]

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

A. Dengue fever

From July 5 to 11, the CHP recorded four imported DF cases. The patients had been to Bangladesh (one case), Malaysia (one case), the Philippines (one case) and Singapore (one case) during the incubation period.

As of July 11, 77 cases had been recorded this year, all of which were imported. The cases were mainly imported from Malaysia (15), Thailand (15) and Indonesia (12).

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. In Guangdong, there were 394 cases (including 26 local cases) in the first six months of this year. In Taiwan, 251 cases (including 46 local cases) have been recorded in 2019 (as of July 11).

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 (https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf).

B. Chikungunya fever

From July 5 to 11, the CHP recorded a cluster of three confirmed CF cases. All the three patients travelled to Thailand together during the incubation period. No other CF cases were detected in Hong Kong in 2019.

(Source: Centre for Health Protection of Department of Health 12 July 2019)

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

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,451. The total number of deaths is 1,646.

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

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]

Measles activity in Democratic Republic of the Congo is in increasing trend. 107,061 cases have been reported this year, including 1,879 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 July 2019)

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

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,437. The total number of deaths is 1,641.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 10 July 2019)

Taiwan, China: Japanese encephalitis [Update]

Taiwan has reached transmission season of Japanese encephalitis. 12 cases have been recorded this year, including 4 cases in Kaohsiung City, 2 cases in Chiayi City, 2 cases in Pingtung County, 1 case in Taichung City, 1 case in Chiayi County, 1 case in Changhua County and 1 case in Hsinchu County. A fatal case was recorded in Kaohsiung City.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 July 2019)

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

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 2,428. The total number of deaths is 1,641.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 9 July 2019)

Venezuela: Diphtheria [Update]

Venezuela continues to report diphtheria cases since the start of an outbreak in July 2016. 324 cases have been reported this year, including 15 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 July 2019)