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
Chile: Syphilis
24 August 2026
Syphilis remains a significant public health issue in
Chile, and in 2025, it reached its highest epidemiological level of the last decade. According to the Abridged Annual Epidemiological Report: Syphilis, Chile 2025, from the Ministry of Health’s Department of Epidemiology, shows that the country reached a historic high of 11,155 diagnoses that year, with a national notification rate of 55.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
USA: Measles [Update]
24 August 2026
The Center for Outbreak Response Innovation, John Hopkins University reports 2842 confirmed/probable
measles cases in the
US. The top 5 states are: South Carolina (671), Utah (518), Pennsylvania (371), Texas (190) and Virginia (177).
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Disease [Update]
24 August 2026
According to the
Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health, since the
Ebola outbreak was declared on 15 May and through August 20, 2026, a total of 5,375 confirmed cases and 2,557 deaths have been reported in the DRC, representing a case fatality rate of 47.6%. Over the past 24 hours, 85 new confirmed cases of Ebola disease—including 18 community deaths—were reported in the provinces of Ituri (63 cases), North Kivu (17), and Haut-Uélé (5).
Sweden: Measles
24 August 2026
The Sweden Public Health Agency, or Folkhalsomyndigheten, reports the
measles outbreak linked to the Urkult festival in
Region Västernorrland continues to grow. As of August 21, 27 cases have been reported.
Spain: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]
24 August 2026
In a follow-up report from Spain, the Junta de Castilla y León, through the General Directorate of Public Health, has confirmed a third locally acquired case of
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in
Salamanca.
Pakistan: Rabies
24 August 2026
Officials in
Karachi, Pakistan reported an additional human
rabies death this week in a man from Qayyumabad, a suburb of the city, bringing the total human rabies deaths this year in Karachi to 18.
Philippines: Leptospirosis [Update]
24 August 2026
Health officials in
Quezon City, Philippines report a significant spike in
leptospirosis cases, 52 cases in one week. According to the Quezon City Epidemiology and Surveillance Division, 213 total cases have been reported through August 20 this year, up from 161 cases reported one week ago.
USA: Avian influenza
24 August 2026
In a follow-up on a report last week, a second case of
influenza A (H1N2) variant virus was reported in
Michigan, according to a CDC update.
USA: West Nile Virus Infection [Update]
24 August 2026
Sri Lanka: Dengue Fever [Update]
24 August 2026
Sri Lanka health officials are reporting a downward trend in
dengue fever cases over the past recent weeks. During the current week, the 33rd, 2628 suspected dengue cases were reported across all 26 districts, compared to 3254 cases in the previous week, reflecting 19.2% decrease.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
24 August 2026
Florida state health officials reported 16 additional locally acquired
dengue fever cases in the week ending August 15, bringing the state total for the year to 23.
USA: Vibrio vulnificus Infection [Update]
24 August 2026
The
Florida Department of Health reported two additional
Vibrio vulnificus cases and one additional death in the past week, bringing the totals to 17 cases and 3 deaths.
USA: Equine Encephalitis
20 August 2026
Michigan state health officials of the
USA report the confirmation of a locally acquired case of
Eastern Equine Encephalitis in a Roscommon County resident.
USA: Naegleria fowleri
20 August 2026
Louisiana state health officials of the
USA report a confirmed
Naegleria fowleri infection in a Louisiana resident. The resident most likely acquired the infection while swimming in Lake Claiborne, located in Claiborne Parish, shortly before illness.
Myanmar: Cholera
20 August 2026
Health authorities in
Myanmar report a
cholera outbreak in the most populous city of
Yangon. Since August 9, 500 people have been hospitalized for severe diarrhea, with 149 people testing positive for cholera using rapid tests. Nine cases have been formally confirmed as Vibrio cholerae by the National Health Laboratory, according to officials.
Philippines: Leptospirosis [Update]
20 August 2026
The
Manila City Health Department of
Philippines reports 156
leptospirosis cases since the beginning of the year, and the concerns are heightened as persistent rains brought by the southwest monsoon create flooding.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Disease [Update]
20 August 2026
The number of confirmed
Ebola Disease cases reported in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo since the outbreak started in May has eclipsed the 5,000 mark with 5,021, in six provinces and 55 health zones, according to the World Health Organization. 2,378 confirmed deaths were also reported.
Greece: West Nile Virus Infection [Update]
20 August 2026
According to the National Public Health Organization (EODY) of
Greece, since the beginning of the 2026 period, until August 12, a total of one hundred and ten (110) domestic cases of
West Nile virus infection have been diagnosed and reported in Greece.
Philippines: Dengue fever [Update]
20 August 2026
Zamboanga City of
Philippines is facing a
Dengue Fever outbreak, where the number of cases continues to rise, reaching 1,609 as of August 8, 2026. According to the local government, the death toll from the mosquito-borne disease remains at 12.
Canada: Legionnaires' disease
20 August 2026
Toronto health officials of
Canada report investigating an outbreak of
Legionnaires’ disease in an approximately one-kilometre radius of the intersection of Bathurst Street and Dupont Street. To date, six confirmed cases have been identified among people who live, work or have visited the area.