Travel Health Service Year 2015

Current Travel Health News

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	1000	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Brazil	1,021,004	World Health Organization, 29 June 2015
Cambodia	1,119	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Guangdong Taiwan	30 295	Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 26 May 2015 CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 10 July 2015
India	5,874	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 June 2015
Japan	112	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 7 July 2015
Lao PDR	304	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Malaysia	53,823	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Mexico	37,025	World Health Organization, 29 June 2015
Philippines	28,600	World Health Organization, 1 July 2015
Singapore	4,512	Singapore National Environment Agency, 9 July 2015
Sri Lanka	16,611	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 9 July 2015
Thailand	28,577	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 8 July 2015
Vietnam	14,474	World Health Organization, 1 July 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: Japanese encephalitis

Taiwan health officials reported an additional 5 cases of Japanese encephalitis during the past week. The 5 new cases include one case each in New Taipei City, Miaoli County, Chiayi County, Tainan City and Kaohsiung City.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 July 2015)

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) has been notified by the National Health and Family Planning Commission of a confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) affecting a 37-year-old woman in Yunnan province. The patient, presented with fever and cough with sputum since July 6, was admitted to a local hospital on July 9 and died on July 10.

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 11 July 2015)

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,751 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,505 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 July 2015)

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia after 9 May 2015 is 6, including 1 death.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 July 2015)

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 13,177 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,941 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 10 July 2015)

Taiwan: Japanese encephalitis

On 7 July 2015, a case of Japanese encephalitis was reported in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The patient lived near a pigeon house.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 July 2015)

Russia: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

As of 2 July 2015, 61 cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever have been recorded in the Rostov region, Russia.

(Source: ProMED-mail 9 July 2015)

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,744 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,505 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 9 July 2015)

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia after 9 May 2015 is 6, including 1 death.

(Source: World Health Organization 9 July 2015)

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 13,169 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,941 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 9 July 2015)

The Philippines: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome

On 6 July 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of the Philippines notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.