Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News(5 May 2015 - 11 May 2015)
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 01/01/2015 *
|
Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2015 |
Source of information and date of report |
Australia |
831 |
World Health Organization, 5 May 2015 |
Brazil |
460,502 |
World Health Organization, 30 April 2015 |
Cambodia |
342 |
World Health Organization, 5 May 2015 |
Guangdong
Taiwan |
22
179 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 26 April 2015
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 8 May 2015 |
India |
2,482 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 March 2015 |
Japan |
74 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 7 May 2015 |
Lao PDR |
202 |
World Health Organization, 5 May 2015 |
Malaysia |
38,517 |
World Health Organization, 5 May 2015 |
Mexico |
17,622 |
World Health Organization, 30 April 2015 |
Philippines |
19,946 |
World Health Organization, 5 May 2015 |
Singapore |
2,817 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 7 May 2015 |
Sri Lanka |
13,171 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 6 May 2015 |
Thailand |
9,765 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 8 May 2015 |
Vietnam |
9,727 |
World Health Organization, 5 May 2015 |
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.
Burkina Faso: Avian Influenza, poultry
An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1
avian influenza has been confirmed in a poultry farm in Tangora of
Burkina Faso.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10 May 2015)
Malawi: Cholera
The
cholera outbreak continues in Chikwawa district of
Malawi and the number of cases has increased to 281.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10 May 2015)
USA: Avian Influenza, poultry
Iowa officials of
USA announced that 2 more farms that hold a total of 4 million chickens tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N2
avian influenza virus.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10 May 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (May 10) received notification of four additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) with onset of symptoms between March 27 and April 12 from the National Health and Family Planning Commission, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 10 May 2015)
Liberia: Measles
Measles has claimed the lives of 11 children in north-western Gbarpolu County in northern
Liberia.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 May 2015)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
The Department of Health (DH) is today (May 9) 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
Iran respectively, and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 9 May 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The World Health Organization declares Liberia free of Ebola virus transmission on 9 May 2015.
(Source: World Health Organization 9 May 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 12,492 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,904 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 8 May 2015)
Panama: Hantavirus infection
A 79-year-old patient, resident of Los Hatillos in Pese, Panama, is hospitalised due to
hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
(Source: ProMED-mail 8 May 2015)
Niger: Meningococcal meningitis [Update]
An outbreak of
meningococcal meningitis has been reported in
Niger since January 2015 and as of 3 May, 252 people died out of a total of 3304 cases.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 May 2015)
Guinea: Anthrax
A new outbreak of
anthrax has been reported in the prefecture of Koubia in
Guinea. Two people of the family who ate meat from an infected animal developed the disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 7 May 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,592 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,387 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 7 May 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 10,564 including 4,716 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 7 May 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 12,470 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,904 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 7 May 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (May 6) closely monitoring an additional human case of
avian influenza A(H7N9) in Anhui, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 6 May 2015)
Worldwide: Poliomyelitis [Update]
World Health Organization (WHO) has updated the temporary recommendations regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus. States currently exporting wild
poliovirus, i.e.
Pakistan and
Afghanistan should ensure all residents and long-term visitors (of over 4 weeks) to receive a dose of polio vaccine between 4 weeks to 12 months prior to international travel. For those undertaking urgent travel (within 4 weeks) who have not received a dose of polio vaccine in the previous 4 weeks to 12 months, receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure as this will provide benefit, particularly for frequent travellers. Travellers are provided with an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis to record their polio vaccination and serve as proof of vaccination.
WHO also encourages residents and long-term visitors (of over 4 weeks) of those infected countries which are not exporting wild poliovirus, i.e. Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Somalia and Iraq to have polio vaccination 4 weeks to 12 months prior to international travel. For those undertaking urgent travel (within 4 weeks) should be encouraged to receive a dose at least by the time of departure. Travellers who receive such vaccination have access to an appropriate document to record their polio vaccination status.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 May 2015)
USA: Avian Influenza, poultry
Officials in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin of USA reported on 5 May 2015 a total of 14 more confirmed or probable H5N2
avian influenza outbreaks on turkey and chicken farms.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 May 2015)
Nepal: Chickenpox
Three patients who took shelter after the earthquake developed
chickenpox and additional cases were identified in Kathmandu,
Nepal.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 May 2015)
Australia: Pertussis
So far this year, 115
pertussis cases have been reported in the
Australian Capitol Territory, compared with 49 for the same period in 2014.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 May 2015)
Kenya: Cholera
At least 30 people have been admitted to a hospital in Nairobi,
Kenya after they contracted
cholera. Most of them are from Laini Saba in the Kibera slum.
(Source: ProMED-mail 5 May 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,591 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,385 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 4 May 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 12,426 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,902 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 4 May 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health is closely monitoring an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in the Mainland, and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. According to the Health and Family Planning Commission of Jiangxi Province, the patient is a 39-year-old woman who is hospitalised for treatment in critical condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 2 May 2015)
Denmark: Listeriosis
Five cases of
Listeriosis were reported in April in
Denmark.
(Source: ProMED-mail 29 April 2015)