Travel Health Service Year 2022

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

Timor-Leste: Dengue Fever [Update]

25 February 2022

As of 23 February, Timor-Leste reported 2,374 cases of Dengue Fever infection.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 February 2022)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]

25 February 2022

As of 22 February, 122 cases of Measles infection with 1 death were reported in the province of Lomami, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 February 2022)

United Kingdom: Lass Fever

24 February 2022

As of 18 February 2022, United Kingdom reported 3 cases of Lass Fever infection with 1 death. The first patient had acquired the infected in Mali later last year and infected two family members after return.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 22 February 2022)

Singapore: Dengue Fever [Update]

22 February 2022

As of 19 February, Singapore's National Environment Agency reported 1,133 cases of Dengue Fever infection.

(Source: Singapore’s National Environment Agency 22 February 2022)

Mauritania: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever

22 February 2022

The Ministry of Health, Mauritania was notified 2 cases of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever infection in recent days from a pastoral region in one of Mauritania’s interior governorates on 13 February.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 February 2022)

Mali: Measles

22 February 2022

So far this year, about 459 cases of Measles have been recorded in Mali.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 February 2022)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles

22 February 2022

So far this year, about 739 cases of Measles have been recorded in Kwango province, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

For more information on measles, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100419.html

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 February 2022)

Ukraine: Dirofilariasis

22 February 2022

Two cases of Dirofilariasis infection have been reported in the Melitopol, Ukraine so far this year.

Dirofilariasis is a disease caused by Dirofilaria worms which are parasites that infect a variety of mammals. Dogs are one of the main natural hosts of Dirofilaria worms. Humans may occasionally acquire the disease from infected natural hosts through mosquito bites. After infection, Dirofilaria larvae migrate through the blood vessels, can get into the heart and pulmonary vessels, into the subcutaneous tissue, sometimes into the eyes or brain. Infection may result in nodules under the skin, conjunctiva or internal organs, urticaria (hives), inflammation of the lymphatic system etc, Dirofilariasis does not transmit from person to person. It is usually treated by surgical removal of the nodules.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 19 February 2022)