Travel Health Service Year 2025

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

India: Typhoid Fever

5 January 2025

Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India has reported over 100 typhoid fever cases linked to contaminated drinking water following ongoing drainage repair work. Dozens of patients have been admitted to the pediatric ward at Civil Hospital, with cases increasing over the past three days.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 January 2026)

USA: Pertussis

5 January 2025

Florida has reported 1,510 pertussis cases in 2025, a 113% increase compared to 2024. The most affected counties include Miami-Dade (146 cases), Lee (118 cases), Polk (98 cases), and Pinellas (98 cases).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 January 2026)

Vietnam: Meningococcal Infection

5 January 2025

Vietnam has recorded 95 meningococcal infection cases since early 2025, with several deaths reported in Bac Ninh and Ho Chi Minh City. Health authorities warn that without treatment, the mortality rate can reach 50% within 24-48 hours.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 December 2025)

Mexico: Measles

5 January 2025

Mexico has confirmed 6,050 measles cases with 24 deaths through December 26, 2025. The most affected state is Chihuahua with 4,481 cases, followed by Jalisco (516 cases) and Guerrero (237 cases). Approximately 91% of confirmed cases had no vaccination history.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 December 2025)

USA: Measles [Update]

5 January 2025

The measles outbreak in Upstate South Carolina has risen to 176 cases with 287 people in quarantine. Utah has also reported 156 cases as of December 30, with 90% of cases requiring hospitalization. Nationally, the United States has recorded 2,065 confirmed measles cases in 44 states for 2025, including 3 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 December 2025)

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

30 December 2025

Since the beginning of 2025 and as of 21 December 2025, a total of 19 cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS- CoV), including four deaths have been reported to WHO globally. Of the 19 cases, 17 were reported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Between 4 June and 21 December 2025, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of KSA reported a total of seven cases of MERS-CoV infection, including two deaths. In addition, at the beginning of December 2025, the National IHR Focal Point (IHR NFP) for France also reported two MERS-CoV travel – associated cases; involving individuals with recent travel to countries in the Arabian Peninsula.

(Source: World Health Organization 24 December 2025)