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

203

World Health Organization, 14 March 2019

Brazil

185,934

World Health Organization, 28 March 2019

Cambodia

1,330

World Health Organization, 28 February 2019

Guangdong, China

52

Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 March 2019

Japan

61^

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 26 March 2019

Lao PDR

978

World Health Organization, 14 March 2019

Malaysia

26,545

World Health Organization, 14 March 2019

Mexico

8,090

World Health Organization, 28 March 2019

The Philippines

36,664

World Health Organization, 14 March 2019

Singapore

2,195@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 28 March 2019

Sri Lanka

12,084

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 28 March 2019

Taiwan, China

1”

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 28 March 2019

Thailand

12,545

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 27 March 2019

Vietnam

38,122

World Health Organization, 14 March 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 1,082, including 1,016 confirmed and 66 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 676.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 114 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019. Wadi-ad-Dasawir recorded 57 cases which were mostly associated with hospital-based outbreak.

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. From the beginning of this year to 28 March, 35,002 cases have been reported across the country, including 14 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 April 2019)

 

Mayotte: Measles

Mayotte has reported measles activity this year among circulation of the disease in the Indian Ocean zone. Since the beginning of this year, 17 cases have been reported in the region.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 April 2019)

 

State of California, USA: Measles

USA California State has reported measles outbreak. 16 cases have been recorded this year as of 27 March, 11 of which are from two outbreaks linked to patients with international travel.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 31 March 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 1,059, including 993 confirmed and 66 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 660.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 113 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019. Wadi-ad-Dasawir recorded 57 cases which were mostly associated with hospital-based outbreak.

 

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 1,044, including 978 confirmed and 66 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 652.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 111 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019. Wadi-ad-Dasawir recorded 57 cases which were mostly associated with hospital-based outbreak.

 

New Zealand: Measles [Update]

New Zealand health officials have declared measles outbreak recently. 10 cases have been confirmed in Auckland this year. Meanwhile, 30 cases have been confirmed in Canterbury.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 March 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 1,029, including 964 confirmed and 65 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 639.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health (MOH) recorded 109 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome since the beginning of 2019. Wadi-ad-Dasawir recorded 57 cases which were mostly associated with hospital-based outbreak.

 

Mainland, China: Avian Influenza [Update]

2 human cases of avian influenza A (H9N2) have been reported in China this year. The latest case involved a 9-year-old boy from Jiangsu Province who developed symptoms on 15 March, and was likely exposed after contact with live poultry.

 

State of Michigan, USA: Measles [Update]

USA Michigan State has reported measles outbreak. 22 cases have been recorded since 13 March 2019, 21 from Oakland County and one from Wayne County.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 27 March 2019)

 

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases. Rockland County has reached 153 cases since September 2018. A county wide State of Emergency has been issued by health officials of the county. Brooklyn and Queens have reached 214 cases in total since October 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 27 March 2019)

 

The Philippines: Measles [Update]

The Philippines Department of Health has declared outbreak measles cases nationwide. During 1 January – 21 March 2019, a total of 23,563 cases have been reported across the country, including 338 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 March 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 1,022, including 957 confirmed and 65 probable cases. The total number of deaths is 639.

 

State of Michigan, USA: Measles

USA Michigan State has reported measles outbreak in Oakland County. At least 18 cases have been recorded since 13 March 2019 which began with a foreign traveller visiting the county.

 

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases. Rockland County has reached 153 cases since September 2018. A county wide State of Emergency has been issued by health officials of the county.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 March 2019)

 

Ukraine: Measles [Update]

Ukraine continues to report measles at high levels. From the beginning of this year to 21 March, 32,939 cases have been reported across the country, including 14 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 March 2019)