Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (11 October 2010)
Philippines: Black Travel Alert
Following the hostage taking incident in the Philippines which had caused casualties, the Hong Kong SAR Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for the Philippines to Black. Hong Kong residents are urged to avoid all travel to the Philippines. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and stay alert.
For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.
(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 20 September 2010)
In view of a recent shooting incident involving tourists in New Dehli, India, the Hong Kong SAR Government issued an amber Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for India on 20 September. Those who plan to visit the country or already there should monitor the situation and exercise caution.
For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.
(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 20 September 2010)
Mainland (Guangdong): Chikungunya Fever [Update]
As of 5 October 2010, the Department of Health of Guangdong Province in Mainland has confirmed 38 cases of Chikungunya Fever in the city of Dongguan. Meanwhile, another 166 suspected cases are still waiting for test results. Most of the cases presented with symptoms of fever, muscle pain and rash. All the patients are in stable condition and there are no severe cases and deaths reported so far.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China 6 October 2010)
(Editor's notes: Travellers to Chikungunya-endemic areas should avoid visiting mosquito-infested places, and take the precautionary measures against mosquito bite by wearing long sleeved clothing and trousers, applying insect repellents containing DEET on the exposed parts of the body, and using mosquito screens or nets in rooms which are not air-conditioned. Travellers returning from these areas and develop symptoms of the disease should seek medical consultation immediately.)
Delhi, India, reported 96 more Dengue Fever cases, bringing the total number of cases to 3 297 with 5 deaths.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 October 2010)
(Editor's notes: Travellers to dengue-endemic areas should take the precautionary measures against mosquito bite by wearing long sleeved clothing and trousers, applying insect repellents containing DEET on the exposed parts of the body, and using mosquito screens or nets in rooms which are not air-conditioned. Travellers returning from these areas and develop symptoms of the disease should seek medical consultation immediately.)
Vietnam: Dengue Fever [Update]
The government of Vietnam is urging the public health agencies to strengthen measures to contain the spread of Dengue Fever. A total of 55 430 cases with 42 deaths have been reported across the country since the beginning of this year. Dengue fever is peaking in Ho Chi Minh City where 300 hospitalized cases are recorded every week. Meanwhile, dengue cases have spread to all 29 districts of Hanoi.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 October 2010)
Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 18 September, Philippines recorded 90 771 cases of Dengue Fever which is about 124% higher compared to the same period last year. The death toll from dengue fever has reached 611 so far this year. Moreover, a total of 8 708 dengue cases with 63 deaths have been reported in Central Visayas region so far this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 October 2010)
Thailand: Dengue Fever [Update]
In Thailand, a total of 93 857 Dengue Fever cases with 110 deaths were reported nationwide as of 2 October 2010.
(Source: Ministry of Public Health, Thailand 5 October 2010 )
Taiwan has confirmed 116 more cases of Dengue Fever in the recent week, bringing the total number of cases to 663 so far this year.
(Source: Centres for Disease Control, Taiwan 4 October 2010)
Senegal (Imported from Gambia): Yellow Fever
On 20 September 2010, the Ministry of Health in Senegal reported 2 suspected cases of Yellow Fever in Thies region. The first case was a 27-year-old fisherman working in Gambia who had no history of yellow fever vaccination. The patient was hospitalized and confirmed with the disease. The second suspected case was also a fisherman from Gambia.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 October 2010)
The current wave of Cholera outbreaks affecting Central Africa started a few months ago. As of 3 October 2010, 40 468 cases of cholera with 1 879 deaths have been reported in 4 countries - Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria.
(Source: World Health Organization 8 October 2010)
USA reported a woman in Lake County, Oregon State has been diagnosed with bubonic Plague. It is the first diagnosis of plague in Oregon in 15 years. The patient fell ill at the end of August 2010. Authorities are now trying to determine the source of the infection.
(Source: ProMED-mail 4 October 2010)
In Canada, 87 cases of Tuberculosis have been reported in Nunavut territory so far this year, of which 80 cases were in the Baffin region. This is the worst outbreak ever reported in the territory.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2010)
In Sierra Leone, a total of 152 cases of Lassa Fever and 45 deaths due to the disease were reported in the first 9 months of this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2010)
As of 5 October 2010, 39 cases of Poliomyelitis have been reported in India. This figure was only one-tenth of the figure reported in the same period last year. In addition, there was 1 new case reported in Maharashtra in the past week, bringing the total number of cases to 5 so far this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2010)
In Pakistan, there were 10 new cases of Poliomyelitis reported in the past week, taking the total number of cases to 69 cases so far this year which exceeded the same period last year by 7 cases.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 October 2010)
In Afghanistan, a total of 18 cases of Poliomyelitis have been confirmed so far this year. The latest victim is a 13-month-old boy from Kunduz Province, and this is the first reported case in the province in almost a decade. He was infected in Pakistan, from where his family returned to Kunduz Province earlier this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 October 2010)
Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo: Poliomyelitis [Update]
Angola is experiencing a persistent outbreak of Poliomyelitis and 24 cases have been reported so far this year. It is the only expanding outbreak in all of Africa, spreading both within Angola and into the Democratic Republic of Congo where 15 polio cases have reported so far this year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 October 2010)