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.
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
France: Brucellosis
26 June 2023
Between January 1 and December 31, 2022, 40 new cases of
Brucellosis were declared in 2022 in 12
French regions, including 10 (25%) in Ile-de-France and 8 (20%) in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
USA: Cyclosporiasis [Update]
26 June 2023
As of June 20, 2023, a total of 210 laboratory-confirmed cases of Cyclosporiasis in people who had not traveled outside the United States during the 14 days before they got sick have been reported from 23 jurisdictions. 30 hospitalizations have been reported and no deaths.
Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]
26 June 2023
Bangladesh health officials have reported some 2,000
Dengue hospitalizations over the past week. After reporting 399 additional dengue hospitalizations Saturday, the total for the country since the beginning of the year has reached 7,238, up from 5,231 one week ago. Three additional dengue fatalities bring the country total to 45.
Bolivia: Yellow Fever [Update]
26 June 2023
Bolivian health authorities have reported a second case of
Yellow Fever in the Santa Cruz region. The patient is a 21-year-old man, referred from the municipality of San Ignacio de Velasco, who was not vaccinated against the disease.
Afghanistan: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]
26 June 2023
In the week ending June 17, a total of 35 new cases of
Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever and no new associated death were reported in
Afghanistan, bringing the total number of cases to 359. Cumulatively, since January 2023, 11 deaths (CFR = 3.1%) were reported.
Vietnam: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease [Update]
26 June 2023
According to
Vietnam health officials, more than 2,000 new cases of
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in the southern region have been reported, an increase of 23% compared to the previous year during the same period last year. There have been 5 confirmed deaths due to Enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain and 2 other deaths.
Iraq: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]
26 June 2023
The
Iraqi Ministry of Health reported that more than 250 cases of
Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) and more than 35 deaths have been recorded in all governorates of the country, since the beginning of 2023.
Israel: Mpox (monkeypox)
26 June 2023
The
Israel Ministry of Health report a man in his 50s was diagnosed with
Mpox after several months in which no case of Mpox was diagnosed in Israel. His clinical condition is good.
Ethiopia: Cholera
23 June 2023
As of 20 June 2023, 11,407
Cholera cases – of whom 22 per cent are children under five – were reported in
Ethiopia, including 156 associated deaths.
USA: Hantavirus
23 June 2023
New Mexico state health officials report six
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) cases, including two deaths since the beginning of 2023.
Taiwan: Dengue Fever and Japanese Encephalitis [Update]
23 June 2023
As of June 19, 17 local cases of
Dengue Fever have been reported in
Taiwan, all of whom live in Tainan City. In addition, 3 new confirmed cases of
Japanese Encephalitis have been confirmed in Taiwan, with 2 cases in Gangshan District, Kaohsiung City and 1 case in Xigang District, Tainan City.
Nigeria: Measles
21 June 2023
From February to May 2023,
Measles outbreaks in north-east
Nigeria claimed the lives of more than 50 children. Borno State was the most affected, recording over 5,000 suspected cases.
USA: Malaria
21 June 2023
According to the Florida Department of Health, second local transmission case of
Malaria was reported in Sarasota County.
Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]
21 June 2023
Bangladesh health authorities reported more than 300 Dengue Fever cases and two deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total cases in the country through June 19 this year to 5,231 and 36 deaths.
This is a more than 2,200 case increase since last reported on June 10. And with 11 days left in the month, officials have reported 3,209 cases in June to date.
Peru: Dengue Fever [Update]
21 June 2023
Peru health officials report 146,586 Dengue cases through June 10 this year, a 241 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022 (42,959). This is the worst dengue outbreak the country has ever experienced.
Since the beginning of the year, Peru has reported 246 dengue fatalities (187 confirmed and 59 under investigation), significantly higher than the 60 reported last year at this time.
Panama: Hantavirus [Update]
21 June 2023
The province of Los Santos in
Panama registered 11 cases of
Hantavirus so far in 2023.
Thailand: Chikungunya fever
21 June 2023
Thailand health officials report 485
Chikungunya cases through the first week of June, a 282 percent increase compared to the period in 2022 when 127 cases were reported.
Philippines: Japanese Encephalitis
21 June 2023
Health officials in Iloilo province, in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines report 14 laboratory-confirmed cases of Japanese Encephalitis, including four deaths, from Jan. 1 to June 3 this year.
Nine belong to the 4 to 10 age group, two each for the 11 to 20, and 21 to 30, and one was less than a year old.
Laos: Dengue Fever
21 June 2023
Laos health authorities report 4,869 total
Dengue Fever cases from the beginning of the year through June 18. Oudomxay province in northwest Laos has seen the most cases with 1,021, while the capital city of Vientiane has reported 378 cases.
Taiwan: Dengue Fever [Update]
21 June 2023
The
Taiwan CDC reports there are now eight local
Dengue Fever cases, all in Tainan City.
Vietnam: Anthrax [Update]
21 June 2023
Since the beginning of June, three
Anthrax cases have been reported in Sin Ho district, Lai Chau province in northwestern
Vietnam.
Thailand: Dengue Fever [Update]
21 June 2023
Thailand Health officials report there have so far been 21,457 cases of
Dengue Fever since the beginning of this year, which is many times higher than the previous year when 4,407 cases were reported during the same period. 19 deaths have been reported so far, many of which were among older people with underlying health conditions.