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
International (Cruise Ship): Hantavirus
4 May 2026
Three passengers have died and one British national is in intensive care following a suspected
hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship travelling from
Ushuaia,
Argentina, across the
Atlantic Ocean toward
Cape Verde. WHO has confirmed 1 case and 5 suspected cases among the 6 affected individuals; two of the deceased were a Dutch couple aged 70 and 69.
Bangladesh: Measles [Update]
4 May 2026
Bangladesh has reported over 40,000 suspected
measles cases and nearly 300 deaths since the outbreak began on 15 March, with approximately half the fatalities in
Dhaka. Over 1,100 suspected cases were recorded in the past 24 hours alone, driven by a nationwide vaccine stockout in 2024–2025.
Czech Republic: Meningococcal Infection
4 May 2026
The
Czech Republic reported 23 cases of invasive
meningococcal infection in 2025, up from 15 cases in 2024, with 3 deaths. Infant incidence rose sharply to 4.72 per 100,000, and serogroup W exceeded serogroup C for the first time.
Australia: Polio
4 May 2026
Vaccine-derived
poliovirus type 2 was detected in wastewater in
Perth,
Western Australia, in mid-April 2026. No human cases have been reported; health officials assessed the risk as very low and believe the detection is linked to an overseas traveller shedding the virus.
Taiwan: Hantavirus
4 May 2026
Taiwan reported its second
hantavirus case of 2026 — a man in his 70s in
New Taipei City who developed fever and muscle aches in mid-March and was discharged on 30 March. The first case this year was a man in his 70s in
Taipei City in January.
Sri Lanka: Dengue Fever [Update]
4 May 2026
Sri Lanka has reported more than 25,000
dengue fever cases and 12 deaths in 2026 to date, with
Colombo,
Gampaha,
Matara, and
Galle among the most affected districts.
Pakistan: Polio [Update]
4 May 2026
Pakistan reported 2 additional wild
poliovirus cases in
Bannu and
North Waziristan,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bringing the 2026 total to 3 cases. Virus circulation persists in southern KP despite an overall national decline from 74 cases in 2024 to 31 in 2025.
French Guiana: Chikungunya Fever [Update]
4 May 2026
French Guiana has reported 143 confirmed
chikungunya fever cases with a marked increase in the past week (33 cases in Week 16 alone), 38 hospitalisations, and 1 death under investigation. The west coastal sector, particularly
Saint-Laurent du Maroni, accounts for 80% of cases.
Bangladesh: Avian Influenza (H5N1)
4 May 2026
A child in
Chattogram,
Bangladesh, died on 1 February 2026 from confirmed
avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.2.1a, after exposure to sick and dead household poultry. This is
Bangladesh's first confirmed H5N1 case in 2026, following 4 cases reported in 2025.
USA: Legionnaires' Disease
4 May 2026
Two cases of
Legionnaires' disease have been linked to stays at the Wynn
Las Vegas hotel between September 2025 and February 2026. Environmental sampling confirmed Legionella, though remediation has since been completed; health officials are urging past guests to report any illness.
Australia: Diphtheria [Update]
4 May 2026
The
Northern Territory,
Australia, has reported 17 respiratory
diphtheria cases since 23 March 2026 and 60 cutaneous diphtheria cases since May 2025, totalling 77 cases. Health authorities emphasise vaccination as the most important preventive measure.
Guatemala: Measles [Update]
4 May 2026
Guatemala has confirmed 5,297
measles cases and 4 deaths (all in children under one year old) since the outbreak began in December 2025. Cases peaked at 905 per week in March but have since declined by 94% following a vaccination campaign.
Argentina: Chikungunya Fever [Update]
4 May 2026
Argentina has reported 1,538 confirmed and probable
chikungunya fever cases in 2026 with 1 death — a 68-year-old in
Salta. The northwest region is most affected, particularly
Salta,
Tucumán, and
Jujuy provinces.
Tonga: Dengue Fever [Update]
30 April 2026
As of April 29, the
Tonga Ministry of Health reports a total of 42 laboratory-confirmed
dengue fever cases as dengue transmission continues in Tonga following the outbreak declaration earlier in April. The current situation is as follows: 42 confirmed cases with 1 new cases, 1 case currently hospitalized, most affected: ages 11–15 years and no deaths reported.
Brazil: Dengue Fever, Chikungunya Fever and Zika Virus Infection [Update]
30 April 2026
As of April 28th,
Minas Gerais registered 51,031 probable cases of
dengue fever. Of this total, 19,105 cases were confirmed for the disease, and there are 32 deaths under investigation. To date, there are 12 confirmed deaths from dengue fever in the state.
Regarding
Chikungunya Fever, 8,909 probable cases of the disease have been registered, of which 5,108 have been confirmed and two deaths are under investigation. To date, there is one confirmed death from the disease in the state.
Regarding the
Zika virus, to date there are 40 probable cases and eight confirmed cases of the disease in the state. So far, there are no confirmed or suspected deaths.
Vietnam: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease [Update]
30 April 2026
In a follow-up on the
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in
Vietnam, as of April 15th, 2026, the country had recorded over 34,000 cases, including 8 deaths.
Mexico: Rickettsial Disease [Update]
30 April 2026
Officials in the northwestern Mexican state of
Baja California report an unusual increase in
rickettsia cases in 2026. The state's health secretary, José Adrián Medina Amarillas said, “Unusually, so far this year we have 15 positive cases, of which unfortunately six have died, and this has us very worried”.
Japan: Measles [Update]
29 April 2026
Japan has reported 362 confirmed
measles cases as of 22 April 2026, a 336% increase over the same period in 2025.
Tokyo leads with 153 cases, followed by
Kanagawa (36) and
Kagoshima (34).