Current Travel Health News

The investigation into the undiagnosed illnesses in Cambodia concluded that a severe form of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease was the cause in the majority of the cases reported. A total of 78 cases mostly under the age of 3 were identified; of them, 54 had died. Laboratory samples were available for 31 patients and majority of them were tested positive for Enterovirus 71. Steroid use in the treatment of a significant number of cases had also been shown to worsen the condition of patients with Enterovirus 71.

(Source: World Health Organization 13 July 2012)

As of 7 July 2012, more new cases of Legionnaires' Disease associated with the outbreak at Diamante Beach hotel in Calpe, Spain occurred. This new cluster of cases all became ill in June and early July 2012. This brings the total number of cases associated with this hotel to 39 since the outbreak was first reported in November 2011 (35 travel related cases and 4 hotel staff); of them, 6 people had died.

The hotel had been subject to an extensive environmental investigation since the start of this outbreak and was recently closed again as a precautionary measure on 3 July, 2012. However, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control advises that unless the source of contamination can be identified and eliminated, risk of exposure in the future cannot be ruled out.

(Source: NaTHNaC 11 July 2012)

There was Cholera outbreak in Cuba, which had killed at least 15 people and affected hundreds more.

(Source: ProMED-mail 7 July 2012)

The Ministry of Health of China reported that at least 240 persons, mainly children younger than 5 years old, had died from Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease from January to May 2012. As China has entered a peak season of the epidemic, the peak will last until October.

(Source: ProMED-mail 7 July 2012)

Viet Nam had reported 27 Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease deaths out of around 50 000 infections so far in this year, and all the fatalities were caused by the Enterovirus 71. The statistics also shows that Enterovirus 71 has caused around 80 % of the infections in this year.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 July 2012)

As of 12 July, there had been 131 children, all under 4 years of age, diagnosed with Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in Buriram of Thailand in this year. No death was reported.

(Source: ProMED-mail 14 July 2012)

There had been 87 persons lost their lives out of the 855 Lassa Fever (a serious disease in Africa) cases reported in Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 July 2012)

There was Japanese Encephalitis outbreak in Assam's Sivasagar district, India with at least 22 people died of the disease and 28 people were currently undergoing treatment.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 July 2012)

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.