Current Travel Health News

For more information, please visit the World Health Organization webpage.

Following an incident occurred at a nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan on 12 March 2011, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for Fukushima Prefecture and 3 more prefectures (Miyagi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture) to Black on 12 March and 15 March respectively. Residents in Hong Kong or Japan are urged to avoid all travel to Fukushima Prefecture, Miyagi Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture. Those already in Japan should pay attention to the announcement of local government and take practicable measures to attend to their personal safety.

For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.

(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 12 and 15 March 2011)

As widespread violent clashes occurred in many cities across Syria, including Daraa, Latakia, Damascus, Baniyas, Aleppo, Homs and Hama, resulting in serious casualties, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has raised the Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) for Syria to Black. Residents are urged to avoid all travel to the country. Those already there should attend to their personal safety and avoid protests and large gatherings of people.

For more information, please visit the OTA webpage.

(Source: Security Bureau, Government of Hong Kong SAR 26 April 2011)

Cambodia announced one new case of human H5N1 Avian Influenza infection. The case was a 5-year-old girl from Pea Raing district, Prey Veng Province. She developed symptoms on 11 April and died on 16 April. There had been reports of poultry die off in her village. Of the 15 cases confirmed to date in Cambodia, 13 had been fatal.

(Source: World Health Organization 21 April 2011)

Egypt announced two new cases of human H5N1 Avian Influenza infection. The two cases were a 29-year-old male from Fayoum Governorate Wadi Elrian area and an 18-month-old boy from Fayoum Governorate, Sennores District respectively. The first case died on 7 April while the child was stable. Of the 143 cases confirmed to date in Egypt, 47 had been fatal.

(Source: World Health Organisation 21 April 2011)

In Bangladesh, an outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza which killed some birds was reported in a poultry farm in Kashada village under Shivalaya upazila. A total of 6 000 birds were culled.

(Source: ProMED-mail 20 April 2011)

Cote d'Ivoire reported an outbreak of Poliomyelitis caused by wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) with three new cases reported with onset of paralysis on 27 January, 24 February and 27 February this year. Genetic sequencing of the isolated viruses showed that they were linked to WPV3 last detected in mid-2008 in northern Nigeria. WHO recommends that travellers to Cote d'Ivoire should be fully protected by vaccination.

(Source: World Health Organization 21 April 2011)

In Bolivia, 11 341 probable cases of Dengue Fever were reported in the first 3 months of this year. The departments of Santa Cruz, Beni and La Paz were seriously affected. In Paraguay, 26 792 cases of Dengue Fever were reported in the country so far this year.

(Source: ProMED-mail 19 April 2011)

In Maldives, more than 300 cases of Dengue Fever with at least 5 deaths were reported in the country in the first 2 months of this year.

(Source: ProMED-mail 19 April 2011)

Outbreaks of Measles continued in European countries. In France, 3 749 cases were reported in the first two months of this year and the virus had been exported to other European countries which included Denmark, Germany, Italy, Romania, the Russian Federation and Belgium. Spain also reported more than 400 cases in Andalusia in the first two months of this year and the outbreaks in Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey continued.

(Source: ProMED-mail 18 April 2011)

In Thailand, more than 2 000 people were infected with Malaria in the past three months.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 April 2011)

Following the hostage taking incident in the Philippines which had caused casualties, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 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)