Travel Health Service Year 2014

Travel Health News Digest (09 December 2014 - 15 December 2014)

Take precautions against dengue fever when travelling abroad

Dengue fever is now endemic in more than 100 countries in Africa, the Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. This includes various popular tourist destinations for Hong Kong people including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.

Travellers planning to travel in these areas should take precautions against the disease.

Cumulative reported number of dengue cases since 01/01/2014 *

	Cumulative reported no. of cases since 01/01/2014	Source of information and date of report
Australia	1,371	World Health Organization, 2 December 2014
Brazil	547,612	World Health Organization, 8 December 2014
Cambodia	3,377	World Health Organization, 2 December 2014
Guangdong Taiwan	45,129 15,215	Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 8 December 2014 CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 15 December 2014
India	30,583	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 29 November 2014
Japan	328	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 9 December 2014
Lao PDR	1,666	World Health Organization, 2 December 2014
Malaysia	93,402	World Health Organization, 2 December 2014
Mexico	113,907	World Health Organization, 8 December 2014
New Caledonia	316	World Health Organization, 4 November 2014
Philippines	90,503	World Health Organization, 2 December 2014
Singapore	17,753	Singapore National Environment Agency, 12 December 2014
Sri Lanka	43,059	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 12 December 2014
Thailand	37,153	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 9 December 2014
Vietnam	17,766	World Health Organization, 2 December 2014

Remark:
* Dengue reporting systems vary by country.

Travellers should stay vigilant against dengue fever and adopt the following personal preventive measures against mosquito bite:

*	Always wear loose, light-coloured long-sleeved tops and trousers;
*	Stay in air-conditioned residence or places with mosquito screens;
*	If mosquito screen or air-conditioning is absent, aerosol insecticide and bed nets are advised;
*	Use insect repellents containing DEET on exposed skin and clothing;
*	Use insect repellents containing DEET apart from applying sunscreen while staying in beaches;
*	Re-apply insect repellents according to instructions during the trip;
*	Carry a portable bed nets and apply permethrin on it as well as to clothes if travelling to rural areas where dengue fever is prevalent.

Travellers returning from areas where dengue fever is prevalent should seek medical advice as soon as possible if they feel unwell and provide travel details to their doctors.

Brazil: West Nile Fever

On 9 December 2014, the Brazil Ministry of Health reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) of the first case of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection. A patient in the state of Piauí had encephalitis and the infection was confirmed on 28 November 2014, Twenty-two other persons in the area were all tested negative.

(Source: World Health Organization 12 December 2014)

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,339 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,454 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 11 December 2014)

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 8,014 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,857 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 11 December 2014)

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia is 7,765 including 3,222 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 11 December 2014)

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