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	429	World Health Organization, 9 May 2019
Brazil	586,569	World Health Organization, 30 May 2019
Cambodia	1,330	World Health Organization, 28 February 2019
Guangdong, China	105	Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 May 2019
Japan	116^{^}	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 28 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, 30 May 2019
The Philippines	67,106	World Health Organization, 9 May 2019
Singapore	4,182^@	Singapore National Environment Agency, 30 May 2019
Sri Lanka	18,741	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 30 May 2019
Taiwan, China	4”	CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 30 May 2019
Thailand	23,622	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 28 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 2,008. The total number of deaths is 1,339.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 3 June 2019)

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases. As of 29 May 2019, Brooklyn and Queens have reached 550 cases in total since September 2018. As of 2 June 2019, Rockland County has reached 255 cases since September 2018.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 3 June 2019)

State of California, USA: Measles [Update]

USA California State has reported measles outbreak. As of 29 May 2019, 47 cases have been recorded so far this year.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 3 June 2019)

Malaysia: Rabies [Update]

The Malaysian Ministry of Health announced that the latest rabies epidemic in Sarawak since July 2017 has reached 18 confirmed cases, including 17 deaths. The latest fatal case was recorded last week.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 June 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 1,974. The total number of deaths is 1,323.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 31 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 1,945. The total number of deaths is 1,302.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 30 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 1,926. The total number of deaths is 1,287.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 29 May 2019)

State of New York, USA: Measles [Update]

USA New York State continues to report measles cases. As of 29 May 2019, Brooklyn and Queens have reached 550 cases in total since September 2018. As of 28 May 2019, Rockland County has reached 254 cases since September 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 May 2019)

Palau: Dengue Fever [Update]

Dengue fever outbreak has been reported in Palau. A total of 196 cases have been reported since December 1 2018.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 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 1,920. The total number of deaths is 1,281.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 28 May 2019)