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

1,150

World Health Organization, 24 October 2019

Brazil

2,070,170

World Health Organization, 31 October 2019

Guangdong, China

3,435

Health Commission of Guangdong Province, 15 October 2019

India

50,903

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 30 September 2019

Japan

389^

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 29 October 2019

Lao PDR

33,728

World Health Organization, 24 October 2019

Malaysia

104,746

World Health Organization, 24 October 2019

Mexico

181,625

World Health Organization, 31 October 2019

The Philippines

348,893

World Health Organization, 24 October 2019

Singapore

13,524@

Singapore National Environment Agency, 31 October 2019

Sri Lanka

61,155

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 30 October 2019

Taiwan, China

549

Taiwan Centers for Disease Control, 31 October 2019

Thailand

108,005

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 30 October 2019

Vietnam

124,751

World Health Organization, 24 October 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.


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

5 November 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,274 and the total number of deaths is 2,185. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

Malaysia: Dengue fever [Update]

5 November 2019

Malaysia is seeing dengue fever on rising trend this year. 110,868 cases have been recorded this year, over half of which are from Selangor State, followed by Kuala Lumpur and Johor State. 154 deaths have been recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 November 2019)

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]

5 November 2019

Measles activity in Democratic Republic of the Congo remains high. 222,939 cases have been reported this year, including 4,435 deaths. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 November 2019)

 

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

4 November 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,273 and the total number of deaths is 2,183. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

Bangladesh: Dengue fever [Update]

4 November 2019

Bangladesh is seeing the largest outbreak of dengue fever cases in history since July this year. 96,646 cases have been recorded this year, including 107 deaths registered officially.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 November 2019)

 

New Zealand: Measles [Update]

4 November 2019

New Zealand national measles outbreak continues, with 1,969 cases reported so far in 2019. Auckland health officials are officially reported 1,591 confirmed cases. New Zealand Ministry of Health advises travelers to Auckland to receive vaccinations against measles at least two weeks before departure. For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 2 November 2019)
(Source: New Zealand Ministry of Health 4 November 2019)

 

Southeast Asia: Dengue Fever [Update]

4 November 2019

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

From October 25 to 31, the CHP recorded two imported DF cases. The patients had respectively been to India and Myanmar during the incubation period.

As of October 31, 176 cases had been recorded this year, as compared with 135 cases recorded in the same period last year. All the cases in 2019 were imported, mainly from Thailand (32), Malaysia (25) and the Philippines (23).

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. According to the World Health Organization, some Asian countries are experiencing unusually high numbers of DF cases for this time of year. The numbers of cases in several countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam have been much higher than the numbers for the same period in 2018.

According to the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, Guangdong is still in the epidemic season of DF. As of September 30, 3,435 cases have been recorded in Guangdong this year, which was significantly higher than that in the same period last year (1,389 cases). The numbers of cases recorded in July, August and September were 402, 1 209 and 1 430 respectively. In Taiwan, as of October 31, 549 cases (including 99 local cases) have been recorded in 2019.

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 (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf). Members of the public should stay vigilant and carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures.

 

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

1 November 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,272 and the total number of deaths is 2,183. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

United Arab Emirates: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

1 November 2019

United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported its first confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome infection since May 2018. A total of 88 cases have been recorded, including 12 deaths. For more information on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/26511.html

 

France: Zika Virus Infection

1 November 2019

France has recorded three local cases of Zika virus infection in Var department, with onset of symptoms within August this year and subsequent recovery. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control rates the risk for the local population to contract the disease as low.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 31 October 2019)

 

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

31 October 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,269 and the total number of deaths is 2,182. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html

 

The Philippines: Dengue fever [Update]

31 October 2019

The Philippines Department of Health has declared a National dengue fever alert on 15 July 2019. As of 12 October, 360,646 dengue cases, including 1,373 deaths have been recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 October 2019)

 

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

30 October 2019

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of the Congo continues. The total number of cases has reached 3,268 and the total number of deaths is 2,181. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on 17 July 2019. For more information on Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/34199.html