Travel Health Service Year 2020

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. 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

The Americas: Dengue fever

5 October 2020

According to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), 2,028,233 total dengue fever cases have been reported in the Americas, including 753 deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the following 20 countries in the region are reporting higher-than-usual numbers of dengue cases: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin and Turks and Caicos Islands.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 October 2020)

 

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

3 October 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported continue spread of Ebola virus disease in Democratic Republic of the Congo. This brings the outbreak total to 125 cases and 50 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 September 2020)

 

Vietnam: Diphtheria

3 October 2020

Since the beginning of this year, National health authorities in Vietnam reported 198 Diphtheria cases, 172 cases have been reported in the Central Highland region, 22 cases in Central provinces and four cases in southern provinces. Four deaths have been reported. Most of the cases occurred in remote disadvantaged areas that are home to ethnic groups, and they are usually unwilling to receive vaccination.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 2 October 2020)

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Monkeypox

3 October 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports a total of 4,594 suspected cases of Monkeypox including 171 deaths in Democratic Republic of the Congo through 13 September this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 October 2020)

 

Mongolia: Plague [Update]

30 September 2020

Mongolia’s National Center for Zoonotic Diseases reported a confirmed case of bubonic Plague in western Mongolia’s Khovd province. The patient is a 25-year-old female who was found to have eaten marmot meat. So far, 17 out of all the 21 Mongolian provinces are now at risk of the bubonic plague, local authority urging the public to avoid eating marmot meat.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 September 2020)

 

Chad: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

30 September 2020

Chad health officials reported that 30,220 cases of Chikungunya Fever have been reported since the declaration of the outbreak in August 2020.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 September 2020)

 

Taiwan: Dengue Fever [Update]

30 September 2020

As of 26 September, Taiwan reported 96 Dengue infection including 59 imported cases.

(Source: Taiwan Centers for Disease Control 30 September 2020)

 

Singapore: Dengue Fever [Update]

30 September 2020

As of 19 September Singapore’s National Environment Agency reported 29,615 Dengue cases.

(Source: Singapore’s National Environment Agency 30 September 2020)