Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News (10 March 2015 - 16 March 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 |
Vietnam |
31,848 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
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 |
244 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
Brazil |
67,006 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
Cambodia |
174 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
Guangdong
Taiwan |
6
136 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 15 February 2015
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 13 March 2015 |
India |
1,938 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 Februray 2015 |
Japan |
30 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 3 March 2015 |
Lao PDR |
53 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
Malaysia |
18,351 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
Mexico |
5,655 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
Philippines |
3,575 |
World Health Organization, 24 February 2015 |
Singapore |
1,972 |
Singapore National Environment Agency,12 March 2015 |
Sri Lanka |
10,284 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka,12 March 2015 |
Thailand |
4,347 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 11 March 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.
Malaysia: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
An outbreak of
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease has been declared in Sarawak,
Malaysia and most of the cases occurred in Kuching, Miri and Sibu.
(Source: ProMED-mail 15 March 2015)
Kenya: Cholera
Outbreaks of
cholera were reported in Migori, Homa Bay and Kisii counties of
Kenya in January 2015 and have claimed 30 lives and affected 1500 people.
(Source: ProMED-mail 15 March 2015)
Democratic Republic of Congo: Cholera
A
cholera outbreak in the
Democratic Republic of Congo has infected 1500 people and caused 35 deaths in less than 2 months.
(Source: ProMED-mail 15 March 2015)
Australia: Ross River Virus [Update]
Since 1 January 2015, more than 2835 people in Queensland, Australia have contracted Ross River fever.
(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2015)
USA: Salmonella infection
An outbreak of
Salmonella infection was reported in northwestern Texas of
USA affecting at least 78 people.
(Source: ProMED-mail 14 March 2015)
Netherlands: Avian Influenza, poultry
An outbreak of low pathogenic H7N7
avian influenza virus infection was reported in a farm of Gelderland,
Netherlands.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 13 March 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,331 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,192 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 13 March 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 9,482 including 4,241 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 13 March 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,696 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,663 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 13 March 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health today (March 13) received notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of a human case of
avian influenza A(H5N1) affecting a man aged 46 in Sichuan. According to the information provided by NHFPC, the patient is a poultry worker who lived in Suining. He developed a cough and chest discomfort on February 18. He attended a local hospital on February 21 and passed away on February 27. His specimen, which was tested by the relevant authority, was positive for avian influenza A(H5N1).
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 13 March 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,330 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,187 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 12 March 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,677 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,655 deaths.
Moreover, the United Kingdom military healthcare worker with Ebola has now been medically evaculated from Sierra Leone and back to London for treatment.
(Source: World Health Organization & Public Health England 12 March 2015)
USA: Avian Influenza, poultry
The Missouri Department of Agriculture reported the second confirmed case of H5N2
avian influenza in a turkey farm in Missouri,
USA and the facility housed 21,000 turkeys.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 March 2015)
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
Between 26 February and 2 March 2015, the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified World Health Organization of 18 additional cases of
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 5 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 11 March 2015)
Caribbean and America: Chikungunya Fever[Update]
WHO Pan-American Health Organization has reported nearly 50,000 new cases of
Chikungunya fever in the Pan-American region. Since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2013, there have been 183 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 5 March 2015)
Qatar: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
(Source: World Health Organization 11 March 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,285 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,170 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 10 March 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 9,343 including 4,162 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 10 March 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,619 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,629 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 10 March 2015)
Bolivia: Hantavirus infection
The Tarija Health Services Department in
Bolivia reported the first 6 suspected cases of
hantavirus infection and a person who died of the disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10 March 2015)
Malaysia: Melioidosis
Cases of
melioidosis are on the increase in Pahang,
Malaysia with already 21 cases detected during the first two months of 2015 and it could be related to flooding in previous months.
(Source: ProMED-mail 10 March 2015)
Germany: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
The Department of Health (DH) is today (March 10) closely monitoring an additional case of
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by
Germany, and hence called on the public to stay alert and
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 10 March 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (March 9) received notification of 19 additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) with the onset dates in the past five weeks prior to February 25 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. The patients comprise 13 males and six females aged from 3 to 76. Three of them (one man and two women) died and two (one man and one woman) were in critical condition. Eleven cases are from Zhejiang, three are from Jiangsu, two are from Hunan, one is from Fujian, one is from Guizhou and one is from Jiangxi.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 9 March 2015)
Egypt: Avian Influenza, human
The ministry of health of
Egypt reported additional 3 cases of H5N1
avian influenza affecting a 2-year-old child from Cairo along with 2 men from the delta area.
(Source: ProMED-mail 9 March 2015)