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

South Sudan: Yellow Fever

14 April 2020

South Sudan reported 2 cases of yellow fever in Central Equatoria state.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 13 April 2020)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

14 April 2020

Saudi Arabia reported 18 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in February 2020. In the WHO latest monthly update, since 2012, it has received reports of 2,538 MERS-CoV cases, 871 of them fatal.

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

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 April 2020)

Nigeria: Measles

14 April 2020

25 children were infected with measles in north Nigeria. The affected areas have had a history of rejecting routine immunization.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 April 2020)

Mainland China: Avian Influenza, Human [update]

9 April 2020

Mainland China reported a new case of human infection with avian influenza A (H9N2) virus. The case was a 3-year-old girl from Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, who had a history of environmental exposure to domestic poultry before onset of symptom.

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: Outbreak News Today 8 April 2020)

Ethiopia: Yellow Fever

9 April 2020

A yellow fever outbreak was reported in Gurage zone in Ethiopia, affecting 85 people so far, including 4 fatal cases.

(Source: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy 7 April 2020)