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.
Detailed information on the latest Dengue fever situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, can be found at the Centre for Health Protection’s website: https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf
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
Costa Rica: Dengue Fever [Update]
11 December 2023
11 December 2023
Philippines: Leptospirosis [Update]
11 December 2023
Malawi, Uganda and Zambia: Anthrax [Update]
11 December 2023
Last month, the Malawi Ministry of Health reported one confirmed case and no deaths of Anthrax from Mzimba South district, Northern region.
Uganda health officials confirmed an human anthrax outbreak in Kyotera district, central Uganda. Cumulatively, 38 cases (6 confirmed; 32 suspected) and 16 deaths of anthrax have been reported from Kween (5 cases; 0 deaths) and Kyotera (33; 16) districts.
Zambia reported 71 new suspected cases and no new deaths of human anthrax from seven provinces since November 10, according to African CDC data. Cumulatively, 775 cases (25 confirmed; 730 suspected) and four deaths of cutaneous anthrax have been reported this year from nine of 10 provinces in Zambia.
11 December 2023
Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria: Poliomyelitis [Update]
11 December 2023
Three countries reported new Polio cases this week, including Pakistan, which recorded another wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case, according to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
Elsewhere, two African nations reported more vaccine-derived polio cases. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reported 7 more circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) cases from two different provinces, raising that total to 90 for the year. Also, the country reported one more case involving circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), pushing that total to 109.
Nigeria reported 12 more cVDPV2 cases, 5 each from Kebbi and Sokoto and 2 from Kaduna, raising the country's total to 55.
11 December 2023
Bangladesh, Brazil, Philippines and Burkina Faso: Dengue Fever [Update]
5 December 2023
Bangladesh has reported a country record of 313,706 total Dengue Fever cases through December 3, including a global high for 2023 in deaths with 1,632.
In Brazil through November 4, 2,909,404 total dengue cases, including 1,331,036 laboratory confirmed cases. 1,011 deaths have been recorded to date.
As of 28 October 2023, a total of 167,355 dengue cases have been reported in the Philippines, including 575 deaths.
Cumulatively, Burkina Faso has recorded 176,841 total cases, including 17,125 confirmed, 49,808 probable and 109,908 suspected. 511 deaths have been reported.
Afghanistan, Iraq and Mauritania: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever [Update]
5 December 2023
From the beginning of the year through November 18, the total number of reported suspected Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases and associated deaths in Afghanistan are 1,219 and 114, respectively (CFR 9.4%).
In Iraq, the Ministry of Health reports over 545 confirmed cases of CCHF in Iraq during the current year of 2023, including 70 deaths.
Two CCHF cases were confirmed in Mauritania since the beginning of 2023.
Mainland China: Mpox (monkeypox) [Update]
5 December 2023
5 December 2023