Travel Health Service Year 2020

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. 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.

For more information on dengue fever, including the latest situation in neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage at https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/38847.html

Mainland China: Avian Influenza, Human [update]

12 May 2020

Mainland China reported a new case of human infection with avian influenza A (H9N2) virus. The case was a 5-year-old girl from Hunan Province, who had been exposed to slaughtered poultry that were brought home from a live-bird market.

For more information on avian influenza, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/24244.html

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 11 May 2020)

Vietnam: Avian Influenza, poultry [Update]

12 May 2020

Vietnam reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N6 and H5N1 avian influenza.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 11 May 2020)

Nigeria: Lassa fever [Update]

11 May 2020

After declaring the emergency phase of the 2020 Lassa fever outbreak over, Nigeria reported 5 cases of Lassa fever, including 2 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 May 2020)

Pakistan: Rabies

11 May 2020

So far this year, Pakistan recorded 7 human cases of rabies.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 May 2020)

USA: West Nile Virus infection

11 May 2020

The first local case of West Nile Virus infection was reported in Miami, USA this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 May 2020)

Singapore: Dengue Fever [Update]

11 May 2020

Till 6 May 2020, around 6,800 cases of dengue fever have been reported in Singapore.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 May 2020)

Afghanistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]

11 May 2020

Afghanistan reported 6 additional cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1), bringing the total number to 11 this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 May 2020)

Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]

11 May 2020

Two additional wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases were reported in Pakistan. This brings the total number of cases in 2020 to 43.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 May 2020)

Taiwan: Hantavirus infection

8 May 2020

So far this year, four cases of Hantavirus infection were reported in Taiwan.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 May 2020)

Indonesia: Dengue fever

8 May 2020

The Health Ministry of Indonesia has reported 39,860 cases of dengue fever in the first three months of the year, a 15.7 percent rise compared with the same period last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 May 2020)

Burundi: Measles

8 May 2020

The World Health Organization reported a measles outbreak in Burundi, which started in a refugee transit camp where people arrived from measles-affected provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 May 2020)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

6 May 2020

Saudi Arabia reported 15 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in March 2020, including 5 deaths.

For more information on MERS, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/26511.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 May 2020)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Plague

6 May 2020

So far this year, a total of 20 suspected bubonic plague cases with 7 deaths were reported in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 May 2020)