Current Travel Health News

Several cases of Mumps were reported in Bermuda in August this year. There were only a total of 8 confirmed cases of Mumps reported on the island over the past 10 years.

(Source: ProMED-mail 23 August 2011)

Bulgaria's southern city of Plovdiv recorded a total of 144 cases of hepatitis in August 2011. Most of the cases were Hepatitis A infection.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 August 2011)

As of 20 August 2011, the Ministry of Health of Singapore has reported 3 735 cases of Dengue Fever and 14 cases of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever this year.

(Source: Ministry of Health, Singapore 24 August 2011)

In Chile, 2 confirmed cases of Hantavirus infection were reported in the mountain area of Chubut. One of those infected was a resident of more than 50 years in the El Turbio area. The other case involved a youth of 23-year-old in the Lagos Tres area of the Rio Pico locale.

(Source: ProMED-mail 22 August 2011)

In China, four patients in Xinjiang were diagnosed with Poliomyelitis in July after being polio-free for 11 years. Two of them recovered and were discharged from hospital, and the other two who remained hospitalized were in stable condition.

(Source: ProMED-mail 27 August 2011)

Between 16 July and 21 August 2011, 31 human cases of neuroinvasive West Nile Virus infection were reported from 4 regions in Greece. Of these, 17 occurred in districts that had not been affected in 2010.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 August 2011)

As of 19 August 2011, there were 21 West Nile Virus infection cases in this year in Russia. Most of the cases came from Volgograd city. Fifteen people were still in hospitals.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 August 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)

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)

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