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
Argentina: Chikungunya Fever
14 April 2026
In a follow-up on the
chikungunya outbreak in Argentina, health authorities report a total of 433 chikungunya cases—357 are autochthonous, while only 76 have a history of travel (imported cases) to Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Cuba.
Nigeria: Lassa Fever [Update]
14 April 2026
Nigeria health officials continue to report increasing and geographically spreading
Lassa fever cases in 2026. From the beginning of the year through the end of March, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reports 663 confirmed Lassa fever cases with a quarter of them resulting in death (167). The 167 deaths is a 35 percent increase in deaths as compared to the same period in 2025 (122).
Senegal: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever [Update]
14 April 2026
During the week ending April 4,
Senegal health authorities reported an additional
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever case. The case is a 28-year-old female from
Dioffor area in
Fatick region in southwest Senegal.
Uganda: Anthrax [Update]
14 April 2026
Health officials in
Uganda report an
anthrax outbreak in the western Ugandan district of
Kitagwenda. Out of the 10 suspected cases, three have tested positive for the dangerous bacterial infection.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Cholera [Update]
14 April 2026
According to data from the
South Kivu Provincial Health Division, 4,607 cases of
cholera were reported in South Kivu in the first quarter of 2026, including 67 deaths in the province.
Costa Rica: Chikungunya Fever [Update]
14 April 2026
Costa Rica health officials report the confirmation of the third positive case of
chikungunya in the country during 2026.
USA: Pertussis [Update]
14 April 2026
The
Pennsylvania Department of Health reports that since March, they have seen an increase in
pertussis cases in
Bedford and
Fulton counties in the southwest of the state. As of April 9, there were eight confirmed cases and one probable case linked to a school and a church in Bedford County. Additionally, there were two cases in Bedford County and one case in Fulton County with unknown exposure sources.
Philippines: Measles and Rubella [Update]
14 April 2026
Philippines health officials report a significant increase in
measles and
rubella cases during the first three months of the year compared to the same period in 2025. According to Department of Health statistics, 1,627 cases were recorded from the beginning of 2026 to March 21, a 45 percent increase compared to the 1,121 cases reported during the same period last year.
Guam: Pertussis [Update]
14 April 2026
The
Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services reported two new laboratory confirmed
Bordetella pertussis (pertussis) reports this week, bringing the total number of confirmed cases for 2026 to nine.
Pakistan: Mpox
14 April 2026
According to
Sindh Health Minister, a total of 14
mpox cases have been confirmed across the province this year—12 in
Khairpur and two in
Karachi.
Brazil: Chikungunya Fever
14 April 2026
According to an epidemiological bulletin from the State Health Department Friday,
Mato Grosso do Sul state has already registered 4,281 probable cases of
chikungunya, with 2,102 confirmed, through April 4.
USA: West Nile Virus Infection
14 April 2026
The
Shelby County Health Department reported one human case of
West Nile Virus has been reported in the county so far during 2026.
USA: Plague
14 April 2026
Health officials in
Apache County, Arizona, report a confirmed case of human
plague in a county resident. The individual was treated and has recovered.
Hong Kong: Hepatitis A [Update]
14 April 2026
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) announced that the number of new
hepatitis A cases has decreased since last month's announcement of a cluster of hepatitis A infections involving men who have sex with men (MSM) and the provision of two doses of hepatitis A vaccine for MSM. The CHP recorded seven and eight cases of hepatitis A infection in February and March respectively, which are fewer than in January (15 cases). The CHP's epidemiological investigations showed that all eight cases recorded in March involved males, aged between 28 and 61. Two of them self-identified as MSM.
Japan: Measles [Update]
14 April 2026
Officials with the
Japan Institute for Health Security recorded 30 additional
measles during the last week of March, bringing the total cases for the year to date to 197.