Travel Health Service Year 2015

Current Travel Health News

Travel Health News

Travel Health News Digest (6 Janauary 2015 - 12 Janauary 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 01/01/2014 *

 

Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2014

Source of information and date of report

Australia

1,434

World Health Organization, 29 December 2014

Brazil

572,308

World Health Organization, 5 January 2015

Cambodia

3,543

World Health Organization, 29 December 2014

Guangdong

Taiwan

45,171

15,732

Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 15 December 2014
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 9 Janauary 2015

India

36,486

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2014

Japan

340

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 6 January 2015

Lao PDR

1,695

World Health Organization, 29 December 2014

Malaysia

103,610

World Health Organization, 29 December 2014

Mexico

123,890

World Health Organization, 5 January 2015

Philippines

90,503

World Health Organization, 29 December 2014

Sri Lanka

47,195

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 7 January 2015

Thailand

39,157

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 24 December 2014

Vietnam

17,766

World Health Organization, 29 December 2014
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

Taiwan

15

CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 9 January 2015

Singapore

182

Singapore National Environment Agency, 8 January 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.

 

Taiwan: Avian Influenza, poultry

New type of H5N2 and H5N8 avian influenza virus was isolated in ducks and geese farm of southern Taiwan. However, no avian to human transmission was reported.

(Source: Centers for Disease Control, R.O.C. (Taiwan) 11 January 2015)

 

Cote D'Ivoire: Cholera

There was increasing number of cases in Cote D'Ivoire and eight new cases of cholera have been confirmed on 7 January 2015 in Bas-Sassandra District.

(Source: ProMED-mail 10 January 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,793 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,797 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 9 January 2015)

 

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia is 8,263 including 3,515 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 9 January 2015)

 

Japan: Avian Influenza, poultry

Highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza virus was found in a hooded crane in Kagoshima, Japan.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 9 January 2015)

 

Germany: Avian Influenza, poultry

Highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza virus was found in white stork in the Zoo of Rostock, Germany.

(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 9 January 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,776 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,786 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 8 January 2015)

 

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia is 8,166 including 3,496 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 8 January 2015)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 10,030 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,977 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 8 January 2015)

 

 

Zimbabwe : Anthrax

At least 10 people were hospitalized from anthrax in Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe. They were hospitalized after they ate contaminated meat and were receiving treatment at a local hospital.

(Source: ProMED-mail 8 January 2015)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (January 7) closely monitoring an additional human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Zhaoqing notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel.

According to the GDHFPC, the male patient, aged 56 with underlying illnesses, was hospitalised for management in critical condition.

To date, 458 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities, respectively in Zhejiang (141 cases), Guangdong (115 cases), Jiangsu (59 cases), Shanghai (42 cases), Hunan (24 cases), Fujian (23 cases), Anhui (17 cases), Jiangxi (eight cases), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (eight cases), Beijing (five cases), Shandong (five 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 7 January 2015)

 

USA : Measles

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) of USA has been notified of seven confirmed cases of measles in patients from California. All confirmed cases reported visiting Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park in Orange County, California sometime between December 15 and December 20, 2014. Three additional California residents are also suspected to have measles and are under investigation.

(Source: California Department of Public Health 7 January 2015)

 

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Jordan: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

The Department of Health (DH) is today (January 6) closely monitoring additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (three cases, including one death) and Jordan (one case), and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel. To date, 945 laboratory-confirmed MERS cases have been reported to the WHO globally, including at least 348 deaths.

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 6 January 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,775 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,781 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 06 January 2015)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 9,780 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,943 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 06 January 2015)

 

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia is 8,157 including 3,496 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 06 January 2015)

 

Mali: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Mali is 8 including 6 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 06 January 2015)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (January 5) closely monitoring an additional human case of  Avian Influenza A(H7N9) in Shenzhen notified by the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province (GDHFPC), and again urged the public to maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene both locally and during travel. The female patient aged 6 was hospitalised for isolation and management in stable condition.

To date, 456 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) have been reported by the Mainland health authorities, respectively in Zhejiang (141 cases), Guangdong (113 cases), Jiangsu (59 cases), Shanghai (42 cases), Hunan (24 cases), Fujian (23 cases), Anhui (17 cases), Jiangxi (eight cases), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (eight cases), Beijing (five cases), Shandong (five 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 5 January 2015)