Travel Health Service Year 2024

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 wer e 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

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles

3 April 2025

A total of 1,061 cases of Measles have been recorded in South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since January 2025.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 April 2025)

Reunion: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

3 April 2025

The Agence Regionale de Sante La Reunion reported an additional 5,832 confirmed Chikungunya cases the week ending March 23, bringing the epidemic total to 20,242 cases and two deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 April 2025)

Fiji: Dengue Fever and Leptospirosis [Update]

3 April 2025

The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services has reported 3,671 Dengue cases, and three deaths nationally through March 9.

The Ministry of Health says there have also been 610 Leptospirosis laboratory confirmed cases from January 1st to March 23rd 2025. Seven deaths have been reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 2 April 2025)

Philippines: Typhoid Fever [Update]

3 April 2025

Data in Philippines showed that from Jan. 1 to March 22, some 27 cases of Typhoid Fever were reported. This is up by 145.5 percent compared to the 11 cases during the same period last year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 2 April 2025)

India: Avian Influenza

3 April 2025

Indian media outlets are reporting that a 2-year-old girl in Andhra Pradesh state has died from H5N1 avian flu.

(Source: CIDRAP 3 April 2025)

USA: Measles [Update]

3 April 2025

Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma today reported more Measles cases in a large outbreak centered in West Texas, as other states reported new illnesses as well, some with known links to international travel.

(Source: CIDRAP 2 April 2025)

Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]

1 April 2025

The Philippines Department of Health reported approximately 14,000 dengue cases in the past two weeks. 76,425 dengue cases were recorded since 1 January 2025.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 March 2025)

Angola: Cholera [Update]

1 April 2025

Health officials in Angola report a total of 8543 cholera cases, including 329 deaths, as of 23 March 2025.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 March 2025)

Libya: Leishmaniasis

1 April 2025

Health practitioners in Sirte reported 38 cases of leishmaniasis cases in the past 3 months.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 March 2025)

Venezuela: Oropouche Fever

1 April 2025

5 confirmed cases of Oropouche Fever were reported by Venezuelan health officials.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 March 2025)

Ethiopia: Malaria [Update]

1 April 2025

Ethiopian health officials report a total of 909,146 malaria cases and 34 deaths as of 8 February 2025.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 March 2025)

Japan: Syphilis [Update]

1 April 2025

Japanese health officials report 2,672 syphilis cases in 2025 as of 19 March, including 700 cases in Tokyo.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 March 2025)

Uganda: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]

1 April 2025

The Uganda Ministry of Health reported a Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever case in Kyegegwa district in the western part of the country, the second confirmed case in the country in 2025.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 April 2025)

Uganda: Mpox [Update]

1 April 2025

The Uganda Ministry of Health reported an additional 509 laboratory confirmed mpox cases in the past few weeks, bringing the total to 2,989 cases in 2025 so far. The outbreak remains largely concentrated around the capital, Kampala.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 April 2025)

Czech Republic: Hepatitis A

1 April 2025

As of 28 March 2025, health officials in Czechia recorded 320 cases of hepatitis A in 2025 so far.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 April 2025)

Panama: Dengue Fever [Update]

1 April 2025

The Panama Ministry of Health reports a total of 3,208 dengue cases in 2025, as of 8 March 2025.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 1 April 2025)