Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (18 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 6 October 2010, the Department of Health of Guangdong Province in Mainland has confirmed 42 cases of Chikungunya Fever in the city of Dongguan. Meanwhile, another 178 suspected cases are still waiting for test results. All the patients are in stable condition and there are no severe cases and deaths reported so far.
(Source: Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China 8 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.)
Indonesia: Avian Influenza, human [Update]
Indonesia has reported 2 new human cases of H5N1 Avian Influenza as of the end of September 2010. The first case was a 35-year-old male who lived in West Jakarta. He developed fever on 16 August, later his condition worsened with severe pneumonia symptoms, and died on 27 August. The second case was a 40-year-old female from West Java. She became sick on 9 September, was hospitalized on 12 September and finally died on 17 September.
(Source: ProMED-mail 17 October 2010)
India: Dengue Fever, Japanese Encephalitis and Malaria [Update]
Delhi, India, reported 79 new cases of Dengue Fever on 8 October 2010. The total number of dengue cases mounted to 3 938 with 7 deaths so far this year.
In the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh State, the death toll from Japanese Encephalitis and other encephalitis has reached 414 so far this year, following the death of 4 more patients in the last day.
In addition, an outbreak of Malaria affecting more than 600 people was reported in Fatehabad district of Haryana while 237 dengue cases and 348 cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in various parts of the state.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 and 14 October 2010)
(Editor's notes: Travellers to the affected 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.)
Australia: Dengue Fever [Update]
In Australia, 13 Dengue Fever cases were reported in Cairns, north Queensland as of 24 September 2010.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 October 2010)
Germany (Imported from Croatia): Dengue Fever
In Germany, one imported case of Dengue Fever was reported in the country. The victim was a 72-year-old male and he fell sick after visiting Croatia. Croatia was not an endemic area for Dengue Fever.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 October 2010)
Honduras: Dengue Fever [Update]
In Honduras, 64 228 cases of Dengue Fever with 74 deaths have been reported in the country so far this year. Half of the patients were from the Central District while 44 deaths lived in the capital.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 October 2010)
Malaysia: Dengue fever [Update]
In Malaysia, 3 157 cases of Dengue Fever with 10 deaths were reported in Johor in the first 9 months of this year. The number of dengue cases has increased by more than 60% compared to the same period last year.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 October 2010)
Pakistan: Dengue Fever and Malaria
As of 11 October this year, at least 533 confirmed cases of Dengue Fever were reported in Pakistan. Most of the cases and 5 deaths were reported from Sindh province.
In addition, nearly 300 000 suspected Malaria cases, including some confirmed cases of a severe form of the disease have been recorded in flood-affected areas since the end of July 2010, with the overall incidence slightly above the average seasonal outbreak. Balochistan province has recorded the largest number of consultations for suspected malaria, while an increasing number of cases are also being reported in Punjab and Sindh provinces.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 and 13 October 2010)
(Editor's notes: Travellers to the affected areas in Pakistan should be on the alert for possible health hazards and take the following precautionary measures to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, as well as waterborne diseases.)
Indonesia: Rabies, human [Update]
The human death toll from Rabies in Bali, Indonesia has exceeded 100, and may now be higher than 130.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 October 2010)
(Editor's notes: Travellers should avoid contact with animals. Immunisation (both pre-exposure and post-exposure), combined with thorough wound cleaning, is the most reliable methods of preventing rabies. Travellers visiting Bali with prolonged stay or anticipated contact with animals should seek medical consultation for pre-travel health advice and pre-exposure rabies vaccination if indicated.)
In the USA, public health officials caution residents to stay clear of wild animals, even dead ones, and to make sure all pets are vaccinated against Rabies. Bats, raccoon, skunk and cat were found positive of rabies respectively in New York, South Dakota, Massachusetts, California, Georgia, Texas, North Carolina and Florida.
(Source: ProMED-mail 16 October 2010)
An outbreak of Measles which began in July this year was reported in some parts of Ethiopia. The areas affected included the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples region (779 cases and 6 deaths), Oromia region (38 cases) and Addis Ababa (6 cases).
(Source: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom 14 October 2010)