Current Travel Health News
Current Travel Health News
Take precautions against dengue fever when travelling abroadDengue 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
4 January 2024
3 January 2024
Through December 24, the Africa CDC reported a total of 263,721 suspected, probable and confirmed Dengue cases in 15 African Union member state countries—Angola, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sudan and Togo.
Burkina Faso, landlocked country in West Africa, accounted for the majority (88%) of the continent’s cases and deaths—231,661 and 688, respectively.
Since early August, Burkina Faso has been facing an unprecedented dengue outbreak, mostly concentrated in the country’s two major cities: Bobo Dioulasso and Ouagadougou.
3 January 2024
Thailand: Dengue Fever, Chikungunya Fever and Zika Virus Infection
3 January 2024
In 2023, Thailand reported increases in Dengue Fever. 153,734 total cases were reported this year, a 231 percent increase compared to the 46,679 cases reported in 2022. Deaths were also up from 32 last year to 168 in 2023.
Thailand saw a 290 percent increase in Zika virus infections in 2023—from 190 last year to 742 in 2023.
While not nearly as dramatic as dengue fever or Zika virus, Thailand also reported a slight increase in Chikungunya cases—1371 in 2023 compared to 1311 in 2022.