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.
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
Philippines: Chikungunya fever [Update]
8 October 2026
According to the
Philippines Department of Health, from the beginning of the year through September 26, 1,313
chikungunya fever cases were reported. This is a 79 percent increase compared to the 733 cases reported during the same period last year.
USA: Rabies [Update]
8 October 2026
The
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reports investigating a
rabies-positive raccoon found in the Westlake Village area of Los Angeles County.
USA: Measles [Update]
8 October 2026
The
Allegheny County Health Department, has identified an Allegheny County resident who has tested positive for
measles. The individual, an unvaccinated minor under 18 years old, is recovering at home.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Disease [Update]
8 October 2026
According to the report, the cumulative number of confirmed
Ebola Disease cases in the seven provinces of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo is 8,665. Of these, 890 patients are in isolation or hospitalized. The cumulative number of recoveries is 2,259, while the number of deaths among confirmed cases has reached 4,178. The overall case fatality rate is 48.2%, and the overall contact tracing rate is 80.4%.
Kenya: Ebola Disease
8 October 2026
The
Kenya Ministry of Health reports the first imported case of Bundibugyo
Ebola Disease in a Kenyan citizen who has been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the past seven years. The man fell ill around a month ago and had been treated in the DRC, Health Minister Aden Duale told reporters, before travelling overland to the Ugandan capital Kampala and then flying to Nairobi on October 3.
USA: Measles [Update]
6 October 2026
As of October 3, there have been seven confirmed cases in
New York City and 101 in
New York State outside of
New York City (Rest of State) for 108 total cases this year. A State Disaster Emergency was declared.
The
Pennsylvania Department of Health announced that 1,004
measles cases have been confirmed across 39 counties in
Pennsylvania so far in 2026.
Wisconsin health officials have reported 220 confirmed and 6 probable cases in the outbreak in
Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, and Vernon Counties.
Russia: Plague
6 October 2026
A 28-year old female lab technician at the
Irkutsk Research Anti-Plague Institute of
Siberia,
Russia, died of double pneumonia (infection in both lungs) late last week. Government officials in
Russia have not confirmed that the woman died from pneumonic
plague, but several media reports suggest she died after an accident involving a broken vial containing a live sample of plague. Now, a rumored 200 people are suspected to be under quarantine
(Source: CIDRAP 6 October 2026)
Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]
6 October 2026
Pakistan health officials report the sixth
polio case of 2026 in a seven-year-old male from
Union Council Ghundi-A, in Tehsil Jamrud, Khyber District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Taiwan: Dengue Fever [Update]
6 October 2026
The
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control announced on October 1, 2026, that
Changhua County had one new locally transmitted
dengue fever case.
Italy: West Nile Virus Infection [Update]
6 October 2026
The national surveillance system of
Italy recorded 727 confirmed cases of
West Nile virus infection in humans as of September 29, up 27 cases in the past week.
Indonesia: Anthrax
6 October 2026
The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of
Indonesia reports an
anthrax case has been reported in
Dadapayu Village, Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta.
USA: West Nile Virus Infection [Update]
6 October 2026
New Jersey health officials reported the states first confirmed
West Nile virus death of the year.
Brazil: Dengue Fever [Update]
6 October 2026
Health authorities have confirmed 58,683 cases of
dengue fever throughout the state of
São Paulo since the beginning of this year. They have also recorded 42 deaths, a number that could rise as 30 deaths are under investigation.
Philippines: Leptospirosis [Update]
6 October 2026
The
Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division recorded 1,037 cases of
leptospirosis from January 1 to October 1, 2026.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Disease [Update]
6 October 2026
On October 2, 66 new confirmed cases of
Ebola Disease—including 22 community deaths—were reported across four provinces:
North Kivu (33 cases)
, Ituri (28 cases)
, Haut-Uélé (3 cases), and
Tshopo (2 cases). In addition, 16 deaths were recorded (10 in
Ituri, 5 in
North Kivu, and 1 in
Haut-Uélé), bringing the total number of confirmed deaths for the period in question to 38.
Côte d’Ivoire: Yellow Fever
6 October 2026
Cumulatively, from the beginning of the year through August 23, a total of 14
yellow fever cases has been confirmed. Confirmed cases have been reported from eight health districts across the country:
Agboville (1),
Bouna (1),
Danané (1),
Doropo (5),
Jacqueville (1),
San Pedro (2),
Téhini (2),
Toulepleu (1).
Morocco: Diphtheria
6 October 2026
The
Morocco Ministry of Health and Social Protection reported the detection of two small family clusters of
diphtheria in the
Souss-Massa region. The first is located in the prefecture of
Agadir Ida-Outanane, and the second in the province of
Chtouka Aït Baha. Only one case has been confirmed by laboratory testing so far. Eight other cases are under investigation and awaiting biological confirmation. Among them are two deaths.
Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]
6 October 2026
Six more people died of
dengue, and 1,608 new patients were hospitalised across the country in the past 24 hours. The dengue death toll has risen to 256 in the country this year.
Senegal: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]
6 October 2026
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
6 October 2026
According to the latest data from the
Florida Department of Health, an additional 62 autochthonous
dengue fever cases were reported in the state the week ending September 26. This brings the total to 252 this year to date.
Chinese Mainland: Avian Influenza [Update]
6 October 2026
China reported two additional human infections with
avian influenza A(H9N2) virus, from 18 to 24 September 2026.