Travel Health Service Year 2023

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

Take precautions against Mpox (also known as monkeypox) when travelling abroad

Mpox (also known as monkeypox) is a zoonotic disease caused by Mpox virus. Often found in tropical forest regions of Central and West Africa. It is mainly transmitted by contact with infected animals, human-to-human transmission is limited. Incubation period is mainly from 6 to 13 days, symptoms are similar with Smallpox infection, but less severe.

Since 6 May 2022, multiple outbreaks were reported in Europe and North America countries, and many patient are self-identified as bisexual or men who have sex with men. Travellers planning to travel in these areas should avoid contact with infected person. Travellers returning from these areas shall notify the doctor to seek medical treatment and inform the travel situation if feeling unwell.

For more information on Mpox, including the latest situation in overseas countries or places, please visit the World Health Organization and Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpages at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/monkeypox#tab=tab_1
https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/105683.html

Uganda: Cholera

7 August 2023

An outbreak of Cholera was officially confirmed on 25 July 2023 in Sigulu Island, Namayingo District, Eastern Uganda. Out of four suspected cases reported from the area, three were confirmed by culture for Vibrio cholerae infection.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 August 2023)

Republic of Congo: Cholera and Typhoid Fever

7 August 2023

From 28 June to 29 July 2023, a cumulative total of 1,689 cases with 37 deaths (case fatality ratio 2.2%) have been reported from five departments (Niari, Pointe Noire, Bouenza, Kouilou, and Brazzaville) in the Republic of Congo. Based on clinical diagnosis and laboratory investigations, the cases have been disaggregated according to disease conditions as follows: shigellosis (919 cases), Typhoid Fever (705 cases), and Cholera (65 cases).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 August 2023)

North Macedonia: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever

7 August 2023

The Institute of Public Health of North Macedonia reported of a confirmed case of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in a 27-year-old woman from the village of Kuchica, municipality of Karbinci, Štip.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 August 2023)

Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]

7 August 2023

Bangladesh may see record numbers of Dengue cases in the current 2023 outbreak. Through August 6, 66,732 total dengue cases have been reported nationwide. However, the record for number of dengue deaths in a single year has already been squashed. With 10 additional deaths reported today brings the total to 313 - far eclipsing the record of 281 last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 August 2023)

Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]

7 August 2023

Health officials in the Davao Region of the Philippines (DOH-11) is reporting an increase in Dengue cases in the region. From the beginning of the year through July, 8,681 dengue cases with 28 deaths have been reported in the Davao Region.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 August 2023)

South Korea: Malaria [Update]

7 August 2023

Recently, a total of 417 cases of Malaria were reported in South Korea as of July 29, a 2.2-fold increase compared to the same period last year (190 cases). By region, patients occurred in the order of Gyeonggi (62.4%), Incheon (15.1%), Seoul (12.5%), and Gangwon (3.8%). Ganghwa-gun) and Gangwon-gun (Cheorwon-gun).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 August 2023)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria: Poliomyelitis [Update]

7 August 2023

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported 10 new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1), according to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

The 10 cases, 9 from Tanganyika province and 1 from Haut Katanga province, bring the total number of cVDPV1 cases reported in the country this year to 46. DRC also reported 4 new cases involving circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), 2 each from Haut Lomami and Lualaba provinces, bringing the 2023 total to 61 cases.

Nigeria also reported a new cVDPV2 case this week, from Kebbi province, and has now reported 19 this year.

(Source: CIDRAP 5 August 2023)

Taiwan: Dengue Fever [Update]

4 August 2023

In Taiwan, as of July 31 this year, a total of 845 local Dengue Fever cases have been reported, including 691 cases in Tainan City, 115 cases in Yunlin County, 32 cases in Kaohsiung City. The number of cases is the highest in the same period in the past 10 years.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 August 2023)

Costa Rica: Hepatitis [Update]

3 August 2023

The Costa Rica Ministry of Health reports a 212 percent increase in total hepatitis cases through July 8 this year compared to the same period in 2022.

1,009 hepatitis cases were reported during this period in 2023 compared to 323 cases reported in 2022.

Of the total cases reported in 2023, 838 correspond to hepatitis A, which is the most common among Costa Ricans. For its part, hepatitis B registered a total of 101 cases. Likewise, a total of 70 unclassified cases of hepatitis are recorded.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 August 2023)

Bolivia: Rabies

3 August 2023

In Bolivia, so far this year, 92 cases of canine rabies have been reported in the national territory. This is four times what was reported during the same period in 2022.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 August 2023)

Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]

3 August 2023

Pakistan detects second wild poliovirus case of 2023, virus transmission remains restricted in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 2 August 2023)

Afghanistan: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) [Update]

1 August 2023

Since the beginning of the year, Afghanistan has reported 667 Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) cases, including 70 deaths (10%CFR).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 July 2023)

Thailand: Dengue Fever [Update]

1 August 2023

Thailand health authorities were warning that the number of Dengue Fever cases in the country this year could be the highest in three years.

Through the week of July 29, Thailand has reported 46,855 total dengue fever cases, including 41 deaths.

This number has exceeded 46,679 total dengue cases and 32 deaths all of 2022.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 31 July 2023)

Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]

1 August 2023

The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) has reported 80,318 total Dengue Fever cases through July 15 this year. In addition, 299 dengue deaths have been reported to date.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 31 July 2023)

Philippines: Leptospirosis [Update]

1 August 2023

The Philippines Department of Health (DOH) reports a total of 2,079 cases and 225 deaths due to Leptospirosis nationwide from the beginning of the year through July 15.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 31 July 2023)

USA: Vibrio Vulnificus Infection [Update]

1 August 2023

North Carolina's health department on July 28 warned residents about the risk from exposure to saltwater or brackish water in people who have wounds or cuts, following three Vibrio vulnificus deaths in July. Two of the people had scratches that were exposed to brackish water in North Carolina, and the third was exposed in another East Coast state. The third patient had eaten seafood that he or she had caught.

(Source: CIDRAP 1 August 2023)