Current Travel Health News

Egypt announced one new case of human infection with H5N1 Avian Influenza. The patient was a 10-year-old boy from Giza governorate. He developed symptoms on 5 January and was hospitalized on 8 January. He is in a stable condition. Of the 120 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 40 have been fatal.

(Source: World Health Organisation 13 January 2011)

In India, 4 391 people were tested positive for Malaria in Mumbai in December last year.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 January 2011)

Cambodia reported 12 347 cases and 37 deaths of Dengue Fever in 2010. The number of cases increased by 6 per cent when compared with 11 652 cases in 2009.

(Source: ProMED-mail 11 January 2011)

The Ministry of Health of New Zealand warned passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Auckland last week to watch for symptoms of Measles after one passenger was found to have measles. Emirates flight EK406 departed Dubai on 3 Jan 2011 flying via Melbourne to Auckland on 4 Jan 2011. A passenger who disembarked in Melbourne has been confirmed as a case of measles.

(Source: ProMED-mail 11 January 2011)

Some areas in Queensland, Australia have suffered the worst floods after heavy rain in December and January. Ipswich and Brisbane were affected by large-scale flooding on 12 January.

(Source: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom 15 January 2011)

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)