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
Mexico: Measles [Update]
2 February 2026
The
Mexico Ministry of Health continues to report probable and confirmed
measles cases during the first month of 2026. As of January 30, 2026, 4,158 cumulative probable measles cases and 1,479 confirmed cases have been reported from 32 Mexican states.
USA: Measles [Update]
2 February 2026
For the second time in two days, The
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reports investigating a confirmed case of
measles linked to an international traveler. According to health authorities, this traveler arrived on Viva Aerobus Flight #518 at the
Tom Bradley International Airport (TBIT) Terminal B, gate 201A on January 26.
Taiwan: Hantavirus
2 February 2026
The
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced Friday the first case of
Hantavirus syndrome in Taiwan this year. The case is a man in his 70s from northern Taiwan (
Taipei's Da'an District) with a history of chronic illness. He had no history of overseas travel during the incubation period.
Suriname: Chikungunya Fever [Update]
2 February 2026
In a follow-up on the chikungunya outbreak in
Suriname, on the northeastern coast of South America, Suriname Health Minister André Misiekaba reports 134 cases of the mosquito-borne
chikungunya virus, including one death.
USA: Measles [Update]
2 February 2026
Health officials in
Los Angeles County have confirmed a case of
measles in a resident who recently traveled internationally. This is the first confirmed case of measles in 2026 among
Los Angeles County residents or visitors.
French Guiana: Chikungunya Fever
2 February 2026
The Regional Health Agency of
French Guiana informs the public of the detection of a first locally acquired case of
chikungunya in the territory. This is a person who had not traveled in the 15 days preceding the onset of the first symptoms and who tested positive on January 21. This is an isolated case.
USA: Chickenpox [Update]
2 February 2026
Philadelphia city health officials report a small but notable increase in reported, unvaccinated varicella (
chickenpox) cases among children compared with activity since 2020 with outbreaks at 2 schools.
USA: Measles [Update]
2 February 2026
According to the CDC, as of January 22, 2026, 416 confirmed
measles cases were reported in the United States in 2026. Among these, 413 measles cases were reported by 14 jurisdictions and a total of 3 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States.
Japan: Measles
2 February 2026
During the period from the 1st to the 3
rd epidemiological week of 2026, a total of 4
measles cases were reported in
Japan, including two imported cases, one domestic case and one unknown.
Brazil: Dengue Fever
29 January 2026
In 2026,
Mato Grosso do Sul has already registered 577 probable cases of
dengue, with 23 of them confirmed, according to the State Health Secretariat.
Mali: Dengue Fever
29 January 2026
In 2026 to date, a total of 131 cases (28 confirmed; 103 suspected) and no deaths of
dengue fever were reported in
Mali. In 2025, Mali saw 4,033 total dengue cases and no deaths.
Mexico: Rickettsial Disease
29 January 2026
The State Health Secretariat confirmed the first case of
rickettsiosis in
Chihuahua in 2026.
Colombia: Yellow Fever
29 January 2026
Health authorities in
Colombia have reinforced the health alert for
yellow fever following the confirmation of ten deaths among the 13 cases reported in the country so far in 2026, according to the latest official bulletin as of January 26.
Ethiopia: Marburg Virus Disease [Update]
29 January 2026
Liberia: Mpox
29 January 2026
According to the Africa CDC,
Liberia has reported 1,451 confirmed
mpox cases and six deaths in 2025. As of January 17, Liberia has seen four confirmed cases to date in 2026.
India: Nipah Virus Infection [Update]
29 January 2026
Following confirmation of the
Nipah virus cases, the Government of
India, in close coordination with the Government of West Bengal, initiated prompt and comprehensive public health measures in accordance with established protocols. A total of 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases have been identified, traced, monitored, and tested. All traced contacts have been found asymptomatic and have tested negative for Nipah Virus Disease.