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

Ethiopia: Dengue Fever and Malaria [Update]

19 June 2023

In the week up to 6 June, 410 new Dengue Fever cases have been reported in Afar region, Ethiopia. The total number of cases has raised to 3,800 since the outbreak early April.

Malaria incidents have recorded an additional 3,153 cases in the same week, and an 8 per cent increase from the previous week across 43 woredas. Since the beginning of 2023, some 66,978 malaria cases have been confirmed in Afar.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 14 June 2023)

USA: Cyclosporiasis

19 June 2023

Colorado state health officials report investigating an outbreak of Cyclospora on the Western Slope. As of June 15, there have been 62 cases reported in Colorado since May 1, 2023. Currently, officials have identified approximately 45 people who are likely associated with the outbreak who dined at the same restaurant, Tacos del GNAR, in Ridgway.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 18 June 2023)

Sri Lanka: Dengue Fever [Update]

19 June 2023

Since the beginning of 2023, the National Dengue Control Unit in Sri Lanka has reported 44,540 total Dengue cases. Around 50 per cent of cases have been reported from the Western province.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 June 2023)

Costa Rica: Dengue Fever [Update]

19 June 2023

The Costa Rica Ministry of Health reports a 28% increase in Dengue cases compared to the same date last year, that is, for epidemiological week 21, which covers from May 21 to 27, a total of 2,070 cases while for the same week last year there were 1,490 cases.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 14 June 2023)

Peru: Dengue Fever [Update]

19 June 2023

Health officials in Peru reported an additional 15,000 Dengue Fever cases in the past week. This brings the total cases to 130,826 through June 3 this year. During the same period last year, officials reported 41,824, a nearly 213 percent increase. An additional 35 dengue fatalities were reported, bringing the total to 201, with 141 confirmed.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 June 2023)

Afghanistan: Measles

19 June 2023

According to the WHO, since Jan 2023, a total of 15,509 Measles cases were reported in Afghanistan, of which 11,041 (71.2%) were children under 5 years of age. 1,523 cases were lab confirmed and 44 deaths have been reported to date.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 June 2023)

Afghanistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]

19 June 2023

The WHO reported two new lab confirmed cases of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Afghanistan, including one death in Kabul during the week ending June 10. This brings the total CCHF cases to 111 since the beginning of the year, while the death toll has reached six cases from 13 provinces.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 16 June 2023)

South Korea: Malaria

19 June 2023

From January 1 – June 10, the number of Malaria patients in South Korea totaled 173, an increase of 120 (3.3 times) compared to the previous year (53). 137 cases are considered domestic, while 36 cases are classified as imported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 15 June 2023)

Taiwan: Dengue Fever and Japanese Encephalitis [Update]

19 June 2023

The Taiwan CDC announced Tuesday the first local case of Dengue Fever in the region in 2023. The patient is a woman in her 40s living in Rende District, Tainan City.

In addition, a new confirmed case of Japanese Encephalitis has been reported in Taiwan. The case is a man in his 50s from Ji’an Township, Hualien County. He is currently being hospitalized for treatment. There have been 3 confirmed cases in Taiwan so far this year– 2 in Kaohsiung City and 1 in Hualien County.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 14 June 2023)

Thailand: Dengue Fever [Update]

19 June 2023

Health authorities in Thailand reported 19,503 total Dengue Fever cases through June 7. This is an increase of 475 percent compared with the 3386 cases reported during the same period in 2022. In addition, 17 deaths have been reported to date. Last year at this time, three dengue deaths were reported in Thailand.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 June 2023)

Japan: Syphilis and Measles [Update]

19 June 2023

Japan is seeing the record spread of syphilis this year, reporting a some 20 percent increase from 2022. Through June 7, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) reports 6,108 Syphilis cases, which include 1,543 in Tokyo and 834 cases in Osaka.

Japanese experts are calling on people to get vaccinated against measles, citing concerns about a possible outbreak as travel between Japan and abroad is becoming active again after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Through June 7, 14 Measles cases have been reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 13 June 2023)

Mainland China: Avian Influenza [Update]

19 June 2023

China has reported another H9N2 Avian Flu case, which involves a 7-month-old boy from Jiangxi province. The boy's symptoms began on May 1. His illness marks the mainland's third H9N2 case in the past 6 months. The two earlier cases involved young children from Jiangxi and the Hunan provinces.

(Source: CIDRAP 14 June 2023)

Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Nigeria: Poliomyelitis [Update]

19 June 2023

Four African countries reported more polio cases this week, all involving vaccine-derived types, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) said yesterday in its latest weekly update. Ivory Coast reported a circulating vaccine-derived Poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) case from Bounkani, its second of the year. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) reported 6 more cVDPV2 cases, as well as 10 more infections from circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1). Mali reported its first two cVDPV2 cases of the year, and Nigeria reported 4 more cases involving the strain, all from Zamfara, bringing its 2023 total to 10.

(Source: CIDRAP 17 June 2023)

Indonesia: Rabies [Update]

13 June 2023

The U.S. Embassy Jakarta, Indonesia issued a health alert today concerning Rabies in the country. 11 human deaths have been reported, mainly localized in the Timor Tengah Selatan (TTS) area of East Nusa Tenggara/NTT.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 June 2023)

Mainland China: Mpox (Monkeypox)

13 June 2023

Two Mpox (Monkeypox) infections were reported in Guangzhou. The two patients, both male, one 43-year-old and another 29-year-old, are currently under quarantine and are showing mild symptoms. Only a few days prior, two Mpox cases were detected in Beijing on June 10. According to the health authorities, one infection was an imported case, while the other was a close contact of the imported case.

(Source: Global Times 11 June 2023)

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]

13 June 2023

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Measles situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has seen an increasing trend in 2023 in terms of the number of reported cases and deaths, as well as the geographical distribution. From the beginning of the year through May 7, 99,176 suspected measles cases and 1,239 deaths were reported.

This is a 93 percent increase in cases compared to the number during the same period in 2022 (51374). 746 measles deaths were also reported during this time last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 June 2023)

Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]

13 June 2023

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka, Bangladesh reported an additional 156 patients were admitted to hospitals due to Dengue Fever in the country during the past 24 hours (148 in Dhaka and 8 outside of Dhaka).

This brings the country total to 3,021 cases, about a 1,000 case increase in the past 10 days.

An additional dengue related death was also reported, bringing the annual total to 22 deaths year to date.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 June 2023)

Peru: Leptospirosis [Update]

13 June 2023

The Peru Ministry of Health reports 6833 cumulative Leptospirosis cases through May 27 this year. This is a 188% increase compared to the same period in 2022 (2372). So far, five deaths have been reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 June 2023)

Sri Lanka: Dengue Fever [Update]

13 June 2023

The Sri Lanka National Dengue Control Unit reported today that the country has reported 42,184 Dengue Fever cases, including 22 deaths through June 9.

This is a 1955% increase compared to the 2052 cases reported during the same period in 2022.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 June 2023)

Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad: Poliomyelitis [Update]

13 June 2023

Three countries reported new polio cases this week, according to the latest weekly update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Afghanistan reported one more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case, bringing its total for the year to four, all in Nangarhar province. In Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Chad reported more circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases, lifting their totals for the year to 35 and 8, respectively.

(Source: CIDRAP 10 June 2023)

South America, Central America and the Caribbean: Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika [Update]

13 June 2023

High-magnitude outbreaks involving the mosquito-borne viruses affected South American countries in the initial months of 2023, and with the onset of rainier months in Central America and the Caribbean in the latter half of this year, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is urging countries to review their response plans and adjust for possible outbreaks of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Dengue activity in the Americas region is outpacing 2022 activity by 12%. Chikungunya activity is also tracking higher this year compared with 2022. Though Zika cases were up in 2022, levels this year are down 59% compared to the same period last year.

(Source: CIDRAP 13 June 2023)

Equatorial Guinea: Marburg Virus Disease [Update]

13 June 2023

On 8 June 2023, after two consecutive incubation periods (42 days) without a new confirmed case reported, the Ministry of Health of Equatorial Guinea declared the end of the Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak, as per the WHO recommendations. A total of 17 confirmed and 23 probable cases were reported from five districts in four provinces; 12 of the 17 confirmed cases died and all of the probable cases were reported deaths.

(Source: WHO 9 June 2023)