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

Nigeria: Diphtheria [Update]

14 July 2023

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported a total of 439 suspected cases of Diphtheria were reported from Kano (420), FCT (17), Osun (1) and Lagos (1) states in June 2023. Cumulatively from May 2022 to June 2023, a total of 2,455 suspected cases were reported from 24 states.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 July 2023)

USA: Syphilis

14 July 2023

Houston health officials are reporting a Syphilis outbreak responsible for a 128 percent increase in cases among women and a nine-fold rise in congenital syphilis in Houston and Harris County.

Statistics from the department indicate new infections rose from 1,845 in 2019 to 2,905 in 2022, a 57 percent increase. Cases among women totaled 674 cases in 2022, up from 295 cases in 2019. Congenital syphilis soared from 16 cases in 2016 to 151 cases in 2021, the latest year for which statistics are available.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 July 2023)

Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]

14 July 2023

For several days in a row, Bangladesh health officials have reported in excess of 1,000 Dengue cases daily, including 1,239 cases on July 13, as the rise in dengue cases take an “alarming turn”.

The case tally has risen to 17,382 total cases since the beginning of the year, including more than 9,400 cases in July to date alone. In addition, the death toll has risen to 93 with the addition of 5 deaths on July 13.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 July 2023)

Peru: Dengue Fever [Update]

14 July 2023

Through July 8, Peru health officials reported 197,461 total Dengue Fever cases in the country’s largest ever outbreak. The death toll has risen to 339, for a 0.2% Case Fatality rate (CFR).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 July 2023)

USA: West Nile Virus

14 July 2023

Ten states in USA have reported 36 human West Nile virus (WNV) cases this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its latest update, which notes that levels of the mosquito-borne illness rise in the summer and continue into fall and can fluctuate by year. Arizona has the most cases, with 25 reported to date. So far, 23 neuroinvasive infections have been reported.

(Source: CIDRAP 13 July 2023)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]

12 July 2023

A total of 3,327 cases of Measles including 132 deaths have been recorded since the first week of 2023 to date in Kasai province. A total of 2,118 cases of measles have been recorded in the space of 6 months in the province of Lualaba, in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 July 2023)

Peru: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

12 July 2023

Between epidemiological week (EW) No. 1 to EW 24 of this year, 37 outbreaks of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) with a cumulative 193 cases have been reported in Peru.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 July 2023)

Taiwan: Dengue Fever [Update]

12 July 2023

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that according to their statistics, there were 125 new local cases of Dengue Fever in Taiwan last week (July 4 to July 10, 2023). As of July 10 this year, there have been a total of 298 local cases in Taiwan, including 267 in Tainan City, 19 in Yunlin County, 11 in Kaohsiung City, and 1 in Pingtung County. The number of cases has reached the highest since the same period in 2017.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 July 2023)

Pakistan: Cholera

11 July 2023

Pakistani officials reported a total of 75 lab-confirmed Cholera cases in Sindh so far in 2023, including 55 lab-confirmed cases in Karachi. Four cholera deaths have been reported from Karachi to date.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 July 2023)

Indonesia: Anthrax

11 July 2023

Health officials report a new case of Anthrax occurred in Dukuh Jati, Indonesia due to consuming beef that suddenly died and had been buried. As a result, three people died from May to June 2023. Of the three cases that died, one case was sampled and diagnosed with suspected anthrax.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 July 2023)