Current 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Taiwan: Dengue Fever [Update]
30 September 2020
As of 26 September,
Taiwan reported 96
Dengue infection including 59 imported cases.
Singapore: Dengue Fever [Update]
30 September 2020
As of 19 September
Singapore’s National Environment Agency reported 29,615
Dengue cases.