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

429

World Health Organization, 9 May 2019

Brazil

586,569

World Health Organization, 16 May 2019

Cambodia

1,330

World Health Organization, 28 February 2019

Guangdong, China

105

Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 May 2019

Japan

99^

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 14 May 2019

Lao PDR

2,405

World Health Organization, 9 May 2019

Malaysia

43,065

World Health Organization, 9 May 2019

Mexico

12,900

World Health Organization, 16 May 2019

The Philippines

67,106

World Health Organization, 9 May 2019

Singapore

3,455@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 16 May 2019

Sri Lanka

17,076

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 16 May 2019

Taiwan, China

1”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 16 May 2019

Thailand

20,733

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 14 May 2019

Vietnam

57,880

World Health Organization, 9 May 2019

* Dengue reporting systems vary by country/area.
@Cumulative cases since 30 December 2018.
^ Cumulative cases since 31 December 2018.
” 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 total number of cases has reached 1,826. The total number of deaths is 1,209.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded one additional case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to 140 this year.

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. 49,288 cases have been reported across the country this year as of 18 May, including 17 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 May 2019)

 

Taiwan, China: Japanese encephalitis

Taiwan has recorded the first case of Japanese encephalitis this year. The case involved a 60-year-old man in Kaohsiung with disease onset on 1 May. He had no recent foreign travel while having been to natural recreational areas with pig houses, meat markets and paddy fields nearby during the incubation period.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 May 2019)

 

Reunion Island: Dengue Fever [Update]

The dengue fever outbreak on Reunion Island continues in 2019. 10,000 cases have been reported since the beginning of the year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 May 2019)

 

New Zealand: Measles [Update]

New Zealand national measles outbreak continues, with 142 cases reported so far in 2019. Auckland health officials are officially reported 60 confirmed cases.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 May 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 1,777. The total number of deaths is 1,177.

 

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, and again urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.

From May 10 to 16, the CHP recorded three imported DF cases. The patients had been to Cambodia (one case), Indonesia (one case) and Malaysia (one case) during the incubation period.

As of May 16, 48 cases had been confirmed this year, all of which were imported. The cases were mainly imported from Indonesia (10), Malaysia (10) and Thailand (eight).

 

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 1,760. The total number of deaths is 1,161.

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. 47,383 cases have been reported across the country this year as of 11 May, including 16 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 May 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 1,739. The total number of deaths is 1,147.

 

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases at high level. New York City health authorities reported an additional 32 confirmed measles cases during the past week, bringing the outbreak total to 498 cases in Brooklyn and Queens since September 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 May 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 1,720. The total number of deaths is 1,136.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 139 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019. Wadi-ad-Dasawir recorded a large outbreak with 61 cases. Khafji recorded a new outbreak with 13 cases, 6 of which were fatal.