Travel Health Service Year 2021

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

Nigeria: Cholera [Update]

26 June 2021

As of 11 July, 19,305 suspected Cholera cases with 479 deaths have been reported in Nigeria.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 25 July 2021)

Philippines: Leptospirosis

26 June 2021

As of 19 June, 589 cases of Leptospirosis have been reported in the Philippines, a 13 percent rise compared to the same period last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 July 2021)

Singapore: Dengue Fever [Update]

23 July 2021

As of 22 July, Singapore’s National Environment Agency reported 3,623 cases of Dengue infection.

(Source: Singapore’s National Environment Agency 22 July 2021)

Sweden: Vibrio vulnificus

23 July 2021

The Swedish Public Health Agency stated that a total of 13 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection were recorded in July. These cases come from the coastal areas of Götaland and Sviland. As in previous years, most of the cases are over 65 years old. Although Vibrio vulnificus cannot penetrate the skin, it can cause infection if it comes in contact with the wound and may also lead to blood poisoning.

In the extreme hot summers of 2014 and 2018, there were many cases in Sweden, most of the cases were being infected when swimming in the Baltic Sea.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 22 July 2021)

Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]

22 July 2021

As of 26 June, a total of 31,321 Dengue cases with 112 deaths were reported in Philippine, the total number of cases is 44% lower compared to the same period last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 July 2021)

Nigeria: Monkeypox

22 July 2021

Nigeria continues to report Monkeypox since an outbreak in September 2017. So far, 466 suspected cases have been reported. Among these case, 18 cases were documented during the first six months of 2021.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 July 2021)