Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (21 October 2014 - 27 October 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 |
1,294 |
World Health Organization, 21 October 2014 |
Brazil |
534,787 |
World Health Organization, 7 October 2014 |
Cambodia |
2,757 |
World Health Organization, 21 October 2014 |
Guangdong
Taiwan |
40,948
7,546 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 26 October 2014
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 27 October 2014 |
India |
13,911 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 29 September 2014 |
Japan |
312 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 21 October 2014 |
Lao PDR |
1,561 |
World Health Organization, 21 October 2014 |
Malaysia |
80,578 |
World Health Organization, 21 October 2014 |
Mexico |
67,997 |
World Health Organization, 7 October 2014 |
New Caledonia |
105 |
World Health Organization, 21 October 2014 |
Philippines |
67,781 |
World Health Organization, 21 October 2014 |
Singapore |
16,549 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 24 October 2014 |
Sri Lanka |
33,927 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 23 October 2014 |
Thailand |
29,925 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 21 October 2014 |
Vietnam |
14,381 |
World Health Organization, 21 October 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.
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 26 October, a total of 40,948 cases of
Dengue Fever had been recorded in Guangdong, Mainland this year. Guangzhou alone reported 34,186 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 3,358 cases, Zhongshan 591 cases, Jiangmen 484 cases, Zhuhai 429 cases, Shenzhen 329 cases, Dongguan 246 cases, Zhaoqing 262 cases, Qingyuan 235 cases, Yangjiang 215 cases, Zhanjiang 184 cases, Shantou 153 cases, Jieyang 59 cases, Maoming 67 cases, Chaozhou 75 cases, Heyuan 26 cases, Huizhou 23 cases, Yunfu 8 cases, Shaoguan 12 cases and Shanwei 6 cases.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 26 October 2014)
Turkey: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
The Department of Health (DH) is closely monitoring the first case of
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by Turkey, and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel. According to the WHO, the male Turkish patient aged 42 worked in Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). He developed symptoms on September 25 and sought medical care in the KSA until his condition deteriorated and he returned to Hatay, Turkey by direct flight on October 6. He was then hospitalised and subsequently died on October 11. Investigations on the patient's flight contacts, cabin crew, healthcare and other contacts are underway. To date, 883 laboratory-confirmed MERS cases have been reported to the WHO globally, including at least 319 deaths.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 25 October 2014)
USA: Vibrio vulnificus infection
St Lucie County, Florida,
USA reported the fifth fatal case of
Vibrio vulnificus infection.
(Source: ProMED-mail 25 October 2014)
India: Anthrax
At least 7 people have died of suspected
anthrax in the past 2 months at Tungri Tola basti in Jharkhand state of
India.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 October 2014)
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 25 October, a total of 40,733 cases of
Dengue Fever had been recorded in Guangdong, Mainland this year. Guangzhou alone reported 34,044 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 3,341 cases, Zhongshan 585 cases, Jiangmen 478 cases, Zhuhai 426 cases, Shenzhen 322 cases, Dongguan 241 cases, Zhaoqing 259 cases, Qingyuan 225 cases, Yangjiang 211 cases, Zhanjiang 178 cases, Shantou 152 cases, Jieyang 58 cases, Maoming 67 cases, Chaozhou 73 cases, Heyuan 26 cases, Huizhou 22 cases, Yunfu 8 cases, Shaoguan 11 cases and Shanwei 6 cases.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 25 October 2014)
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 23 October, a total of 39,919 cases of
Dengue Fever had been recorded in Guangdong, Mainland this year. Guangzhou alone reported 33,385 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 3,289 cases, Zhongshan 578 cases, Jiangmen 463 cases, Zhuhai 413 cases, Shenzhen 311 cases, Zhaoqing 252 cases, Dongguan 243 cases, Qingyuan 216 cases, Yangjiang 203 cases, Zhanjiang 168 cases, Shantou 142 cases, Chaozhou 70 cases, Maoming 62 cases, Jieyang 56 cases, Heyuan 22 cases, Huizhou 21 cases, Shaoguan 10 cases , Yunfu 9 cases and Shanwei 6 cases.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 23 October 2014)
France: Chikungunya Fever
On 21 October 2014, WHO was notified of 4 cases of
chikungunya locally-acquired infection in Montpellier,
France. This is the first time that locally-acquired transmission of chikungunya has been detected in France since 2010.
(Source: World Health Organization 23 October 2014)
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 22 October, a total of 39,420 cases of
Dengue Fever had been recorded in Guangdong, Mainland this year. Guangzhou alone reported 33,006 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 3,253 cases, Zhongshan 568 cases, Jiangmen 459 cases, Zhuhai 410 cases, Shenzhen 294 cases, Zhaoqing 245 cases, Dongguan 236 cases, Qingyuan 205 cases, Yangjiang 196 cases, Zhanjiang 165 cases, Shantou 137 cases, Chaozhou 65 cases, Maoming 60 cases, Jieyang 53 cases, Heyuan 24 cases, Huizhou 19 cases, Shaoguan 10 cases , Yunfu 9 cases and Shanwei 6 cases.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 22 October 2014)
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 21 October, a total of 38,753 cases of
Dengue Fever had been recorded in Guangdong, Mainland this year. Guangzhou alone reported 32,479 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 3,224 cases, Zhongshan 554 cases, Jiangmen 450 cases, Zhuhai 402 cases, Shenzhen 289 cases, Zhaoqing 237 cases, Dongguan 231 cases, Yangjiang 193 cases, Qingyuan 185 cases, Zhanjiang 160 cases, Shantou 126 cases, Chaozhou 58 cases, Maoming 52 cases, Jieyang 46 cases, Heyuan 26 cases, Huizhou 18 cases, Shaoguan 9 cases , Yunfu 8 cases and Shanwei 6 cases.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 21 October 2014)
India: Scrub Typhus
In the past 30 days, 275 people from Rajasthan State of
India contracted
Scrub Typhus. 9 people died.
(Source: ProMED-mail 20 October 2014)