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
Malaysia: Rabies
28 September 2026
The Kedah State Health Department of
Malaysia has reported its first human
rabies case since 1998. A 31-year-old man from Kubang Pasu District of Kedah state in northwestern Malaysia has died from rabies, according to state health officials.
Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 September 2026
According to the Directorate General of Health Services in Dhaka of
Bangladesh, 2,158 additional
dengue fever cases were reported in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 73,694 cases in 2026. The death toll increasedb to 225 this year with 6 additional deaths being reported.
Brazil: Chikungunya Fever [Update]
28 September 2026
In total,
Brazil has reported 66,592
chikungunya fever cases so far, including 53 fatalities. In addition to Bahia state (10,364 cases), the following states have reported in excess of 10,000 cases - Mina Gerais (15,671), Mato Grosso do Sul (12,104) and Goias (11,605).
Hong Kong: Hepatitis E
28 September 2026
Hong Kong health officials report investigating a case of human infection of rat
Hepatitis E virus. This is the third case of human infection of rat HEV recorded so far this year.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Disease [Update]
28 September 2026
Seventy (70) new confirmed cases of
Ebola Disease —including 11 community deaths—were recorded over the past 24 hours in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since the start of the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 7,890 confirmed cases—including 3,799 deaths—have been reported, representing a case-fatality rate of 48.1%.
Mauritius: Chikungunya fever [Update]
28 September 2026
During the week ending September 19, the
Mauritius Ministry of Health reported six additional confirmed
chikungunya fever cases and no deaths. Since the beginning of the year (the start of the outbreak), 6,928 confirmed cases have been reported from the two islands - Mauritius (6.826) and Rodrigues (102).
Mexico: Measles [Update]
28 September 2026
The
Mexico Ministry of Health now reports 13,016 confirmed
measles cases in 2026 and nearly 20,000 since the outbreak began in January 2025. Regarding fatalities, a total of 49 deaths have been confirmed for the 2025–2026 period.
USA: Vibrio vulnificus infection [Update]
28 September 2026
The Florida Department of Health of the
USA reports two additional
Vibrio vulnificus cases and one additional death in the past week. The total cases and deaths to date are 23 and 5, respectively.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 September 2026
Florida health officials of the
USA reported an additional 38 locally acquired
dengue fever cases during the week ending September 19. The total cases now stands at 190 from six counties - Hillsborough (170), Miami-Dade (7), Orange (3), Palm Beach, Pasco (2), and Pinellas (7).
USA: Measles [Update]
24 September 2026
Pennsylvania state health officials of the
USA report as of September 23, the total of 835
measles cases have been confirmed across 39 counties in Pennsylvania so far in 2026.
USA: Hepatitis A
24 September 2026
Federal officials and public health officials in the
USA are investigating a multistate
hepatitis A outbreak potentially linked to imported frozen clams. As of September 17, 2026, 37 illnesses have been identified as being associated with the outbreak from four states - New York (27), Pennsylvania (4), Massachusetts (3) and Minnesota (3).
USA: Powassan Virus [Update]
24 September 2026
Health authorities in Rhode Island of the
USA report a confirmed case of the tick-borne
Powassan virus disease detected in a Rhode Island resident. This is Rhode Island’s third case of Powassan in 2026. In 2026, 42 total Powassan cases have been reported in the United States this year from 11 states, with 39 being neuroinvasive disease.
Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]
24 September 2026
The Department of Health Bicol Center for Health Development of the
Philippines has declared a Code Blue alert across the region on September 18, 2026 following a 19% increase in
dengue fever cases. According to the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, a total of 2,167 dengue cases have been recorded from January 1, 2026 to September 5, 2026, marking a 19% rise compared to the same period last year.
USA: Mumps
24 September 2026
San Diego County health officials of the
USA report a
mumps outbreak at San Diego State University. As of Sept. 18, five confirmed and probable cases have been identified, all among student athletes on a single team.
Hong Kong: Chikungunya Fever
24 September 2026
The
Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health report a locally acquired case of
chikungunya fever. Taking into account the above case, Hong Kong has recorded three confirmed CF cases this year to date, including one local case and two imported cases.
South Africa: Mpox
24 September 2026
The
South Africa Department of Health reports a rapid increase in laboratory-confirmed
mpox cases in the past few weeks. As of 17 September 2026, the country has recorded 18 confirmed and one probable case. The majority (15) of these cases were reported in the Western Cape, City of Cape Town in particular, 3 in Gauteng and 1 in KwaZulu-Natal.
USA: Legionnaires’ disease
24 September 2026
In Illinois of the
USA, the City of Evanston’s Health and Human Services has been made aware of two cases of
Legionnaires’ disease in individuals who are linked to the Hilton Garden Inn North Shore/Evanston.
Philippines: Leptospirosis [Update]
24 September 2026
The
Philippines Department of Health reports that from the beginning of the year through September 12, 10,083
Leptospirosis cases have been reported. Concerning fatalities, a total of 524 deaths were reported during this period, representing a case fatality rate of 5.2%.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola Disease [Update]
24 September 2026
As of September 19, 2026, a total of 58 new confirmed cases of
Ebola Disease were reported in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, including 13 community deaths. Since the start of the epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a cumulative total of 7,672 confirmed cases, including 3,699 deaths, has been recorded, representing a case fatality rate of 48.2%.