Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (23 September 2014 - 29 September 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 |
1,219 |
World Health Organization, 9 September 2014 |
Brazil |
511,080 |
World Health Organization, 22 September 2014 |
Cambodia |
1,927 |
World Health Organization, 9 September 2014 |
Guangdong
Taiwan |
10,743
3,178 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 28 September 2014
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 29 September 2014 |
India |
5,218 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 July 2014 |
Japan |
247 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 17 September 2014 |
Lao PDR |
1,331 |
World Health Organization, 9 September 2014 |
Malaysia |
70,337 |
World Health Organization, 9 September 2014 |
Mexico |
61,378 |
World Health Organization, 22 September 2014 |
New Caledonia |
105 |
World Health Organization, 9 September 2014 |
Philippines |
45,591 |
World Health Organization, 9 September 2014 |
Singapore |
15,379 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 26 September 2014 |
Sri Lanka |
30,918 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 25 September 2014 |
Thailand |
25,376 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand,24 September 2014 |
Vietnam |
12,868 |
World Health Organization, 9 September 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 28 September a total of 10,743 cases of
dengue fever had been recorded in Guangdong,
Mainland this year. Guangzhou alone reported 9,055 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 1124 cases, Zhongshan 192 cases, Jiangmen 129 cases, Zhuhai 87 cases, Dongguan 41 cases, Yangjiang 22 cases, Shenzhen 21 cases, Qingyuan 17 cases, Maoming 12 cases, Zhaoqing 11 cases, Shantou 11 cases, Zhanjiang 5 cases, Yunfu 5 cases, Shaoguan 3 cases, Jieyang 2 cases, Shanwei 2 cases, Chaozhou 2 cases, Huizhou 1 case and Heyuan 1 case.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 28 September 2014)
USA: Enterovirus Infection [Update]
From mid-August to 26
September 2014, a total of 277 people from 40 states and the District of Columbia of the
United States of America were confirmed to have respiratory illness caused by EV-D68. The 40 states are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
(Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention 26 September 2014)
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 26 September a total of 9,161 cases of
dengue fever had been recorded in Guangdong,
Mainland this year. Guangzhou alone reported 7,747 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 950 cases, Zhongshan 164 cases, Jiangmen 112 cases, Zhuhai 77 cases, Dongguan 35 cases, Shenzhen 21 cases, Qingyuan 15 cases, Yangjiang 14 cases, Maoming 6 cases, Zhaoqing 5 cases, Shantou 4 cases, Zhanjiang 2 cases, Jieyang 2 cases, Shanwei 2 cases, Yunfu 2 cases, Huizhou one case, Heyuan one case, and Chaozhou one case.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 26 September 2014)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 1,074 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 648 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 26 September 2014)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 2,021 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 605 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 26 September 2014)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 3,458 including 1,830 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 26 September 2014)
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 25 September a total of 8,273 cases of
dengue fever had been recorded in Guangdong,
Mainland this year, in which 8,241 cases were indigenous and 32 cases were imported. Guangzhou alone reported 6,986 cases. The numbers of cases in other places in Guangdong are as follows: Foshan 883 cases, Zhongshan 153 cases, Jiangmen 97 cases, Zhuhai 64 cases, Dongguan 35 cases, Shenzhen 16 cases, Qingyuan 11 cases, Yangjiang 8 cases, Zhaoqing 4 cases, Shantou 4 cases, Maoming 3 cases, Jieyang 2 cases, Shanwei 2 cases, Yunfu 2 cases. For Zhanjiang, Huizhou and Heyuan, each reported one case respectively.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 25 September 2014)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 1022 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 635deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 24 September 2014)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 1940 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 597 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 24 September 2014)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 3280 including 1677 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 24 September 2014)
USA: Enterovirus Infection [Update]
From mid-August to 24 September 2014, a total of 220 people from 32 states of the United States of America were confirmed to have respiratory illness caused by EV-D68. The 32 states are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
(Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention 24 September 2014)
Mainland: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of September 22 a total of 6,089 cases of
dengue fever had been recorded in Guangdong,
Mainland this year, in which 6,057 cases were indigenous and 32 cases were imported. Guangzhou alone reported 5,190 cases.
(Source: Department of Health of Guangdong Province 22 September 2014)
Japan: Dengue Fever [Update]
As of 22 September 2014,
Japan reported 142 local cases of
dengue fever. Most of the cases have been to Yoyogi Park and surrounding areas in Tokyo.
(Source: National Institute of Infectious Diseases 22 September 2014)
USA: Enterovirus Infection [Update]
From mid-August to 22 September 2014, a total of 175 people from 27 states of the United States of America were confirmed to have respiratory illness caused by EV-D68. The 27 states are Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
(Source: Centres for Disease Control and Prevention 22 September 2014)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 1008 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 632 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 22 September 2014)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 1813 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 593 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 22 September 2014)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 3022 including 1578 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 22 September 2014)
Nigeria: Ebola virus disease [Update]
(Source: World Health Organization 22 September 2014)
Senegal: Ebola virus disease [Update]
(Source: World Health Organization 22 September 2014)
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Equateur province of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo is 68 including 41 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 22 September 2014)
Taiwan: Dengue Fever[Update]
As of 22 September 2014,
Taiwan reported 2,429 local case of
dengue fever, in which Kaohsiung City alone reported 2,357 cases.
(Source: Centers for Disease Control, R.O.C. (Taiwan) 22 September 2014)