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

333

World Health Organization, 11 April 2019

Brazil

439,432

World Health Organization, 25 April 2019

Cambodia

1,330

World Health Organization, 28 February 2019

Guangdong, China

63

Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 April 2019

Japan

86^

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 23 April 2019

Lao PDR

1,143

World Health Organization, 11 April 2019

Malaysia

36,285

World Health Organization, 11 April 2019

Mexico

10,581

World Health Organization, 25 April 2019

The Philippines

55,976

World Health Organization, 11 April 2019

Singapore

2,699@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 25 April 2019

Sri Lanka

14,621

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 25 April 2019

Taiwan, China

1”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 25 April 2019

Thailand

16,635

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 23 April 2019

Vietnam

48,647

World Health Organization, 11 April 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 1,466, including 1,400 confirmed and 66 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 957.

 

State of Washington, USA: Measles [Update]

Since the identification of an outbreak in January 2019, USA Washington State recorded 71 confirmed cases of measles in Clark County. No new cases were reported in the past six weeks, and Clark County health officials declared the outbreak over on 29 April.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 April 2019)

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. From the beginning of this year to 20 April, 41,640 cases have been reported across the country, including 15 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 April 2019)

 

State of California, USA: Measles [Update]

USA California State has reported measles outbreak. 38 cases have been recorded so far this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 April 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 1,396, including 1,330 confirmed and 66 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 900.

 

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 April 12 to 25, the CHP recorded one imported DF case. The patient had been to Thailand during the incubation period.

As of April 25, 40 cases had been confirmed this year, all of which were imported. The cases were mainly imported from Indonesia (eight), Malaysia (eight) and Thailand (seven).

DF remains endemic in some areas of Asia and beyond. In Guangdong, there were 63 cases in the first three months of this year. The latest figures for 2019 reveal that 16,635 cases had been recorded in Thailand, 55,976 in the Philippines (which was 1.8 times the number of cases reported in the same period in 2018), 36 285 in Malaysia (which was 2.5 times the number of cases reported in the same period in 2018), 2,699 in Singapore (since December 30, 2018), 48,647 in Vietnam (which was 3.5 times the number of cases reported in the same period in 2018) and 86 in Japan. In the Americas, the latest figures indicate that 439,432 and 10,581 cases were filed in Brazil and Mexico respectively in 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 1,373, including 1,307 confirmed and 66 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 890.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 135 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019. Wadi-ad-Dasawir recorded a large outbreak with 61 cases.

 

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases. Rockland County has reached 190 cases since September 2018. Brooklyn and Queens have reached 390 cases in total since October 2018. New York City health commissioner issued an order on 9 April 2019 ordering residents to vaccinate.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 April 2019)

 

Madagascar: Measles [Update]

Since the onset of the outbreak in October 2018, a total of 124,514 measles cases have been reported in Madagascar, including 874 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 23 April 2019)

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles

Measles activity in Democratic Republic of the Congo is in increasing trend. As of 7 April, 56,442 cases have been reported this year, including 1,023 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 23 April 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 1,353, including 1,287 confirmed and 66 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 880.

 

Palau: Dengue Fever [Update]

Dengue fever outbreak has been reported in Palau. A total of 164 cases have been reported since December 1 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 23 April 2019)