Travel Health Service Year 2014

Current Travel Health News

Travel Health News

Travel Health News Digest (17 June 2014 - 23 June 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

872

World Health Organization, 3 June 2014

Brazil

483,516

World Health Organization, 12 June 2014

Cambodia

482

World Health Organization, 3 June 2014

Guangdong

Taiwan

11

133

Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 13 June 2014
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 23 June 2014

India

2,687

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 May 2014

Lao PDR

640

World Health Organization, 3 June 2014

Malaysia

33,456

World Health Organization, 3 June 2014

Mexico

25,862

World Health Organization, 12 June 2014

New Caledonia

286

World Health Organization, 3 June 2014

Philippines

21,690

World Health Organization, 3 June 2014

Singapore

7,857

Singapore National Environment Agency, 20 June 2014

Sri Lanka

15,184

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 20 June 2014

Thailand

8,922

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 18 June 2014

Vietnam

3,820

World Health Organization, 3 June 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.

 

India: Rabies

A 45-year-old woman in Priyadarshininagar in old Sangavi of India died from rabies .

 (Source: ProMED-mail 22 June 2014)

 

Nigeria: Lassa Fever

An outbreak of Lassa fever has killed 4 persons, just as 11 others are affected by the disease in Jos-North, Jos-South, and Bassa Local Government Areas of Plateau State, Nigeria.

(Source: ProMED-mail 21 June 2014)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update] 

As of 16 June 2014, the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 398 clinical cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 264 deaths. Cases have been reported from Kouroussa, Boffa, Télimélé, Boke. Dubreka, Conakry, Guekedou, Macenta, Kissidougou, Dabola and Djingaraye.

(Source: World Health Organization 18 June 2014)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update] 

As of 17 June 2014, Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 97 clinical cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 49 deaths.  Cases have been reported from Kono, Western, Kailahun, Kenema, Bo, Port Loko and Freetown.

(Source: World Health Organization 18 June 2014)

 

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update] 

As of 16 June 2014, the total number of clinical Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported inLiberia is 33 including 24 deaths. Cases have been reported from Lofa, Montserrado, Margibi and Nimba.

(Source: World Health Organization 18 June 2014)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) received notification from the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province of an additional human case of avian influenza A (H7N9) affecting a man aged 42 who died in Jiangmen as of yesterday (June 17).

A total of 434 cases were confirmed in the Mainland, including Zhejiang (138 cases), Guangdong (109 cases), Jiangsu (56 cases), Shanghai (41 cases), Hunan (23 cases), Fujian (22 cases), Anhui (17 cases), Jiangxi (eight cases), Shandong (five cases), Beijing (four cases), Henan (four cases), Guangxi (three cases), Jilin (two cases), Guizhou (one case) and Hebei (one case).

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 18 June 2014)

 

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

The Department of Health (DH) is today (June 17) closely monitoring two additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel.

 According to the WHO, the cases include:

* A male truck driver aged 36 with underlying illnesses reported to have possible contact with animals as he delivered hay to a mixed animal market; and

* An asymptomatic male security guard aged 33 detected through screening of contacts of previously confirmed patients. He had frequent travel to Jeddah.

     Besides, 38 additional deaths were reported by the KSA among laboratory confirmed MERS cases earlier reported.

     To date, 701 laboratory confirmed MERS cases have been reported to the WHO globally, including at least 249 deaths.

Travellers, apart from avoiding contact with animals, especially camels, or visits to farms, barns or markets with camels, they should not drink raw milk, or consume food which may be contaminated by animal secretions or products, unless they have been properly cooked, washed or peeled.

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 17 June 2014)

 

India: Japanese Encephalitis

On 16 June 2014, officials in India announced 15 more children died in Bihar of suspected Japanese Encephalitis. The total of number of death increased to 92.

(Source: ProMED-mail 16 June 2014)

 

South Sudan: Cholera [Update]

As of 14 June 2014, Ministry of Health of South Sudan announced that 1720 cholera cases including 37 deaths have been reported since the start of the outbreak.

(Source: ProMED-mail 16 June 2014)