Travel Health Service Year 2015

Travel Health News(12 May 2015 - 18 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	745,957	World Health Organization, 8 May 2015
Cambodia	342	World Health Organization, 5 May 2015
Guangdong Taiwan	22 185	Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 26 April 2015 CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 15 May 2015
India	3,061	Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 29 April 2015
Japan	77	National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 13 May 2015
Lao PDR	202	World Health Organization, 5 May 2015
Malaysia	38,517	World Health Organization, 5 May 2015
Mexico	19,779	World Health Organization, 8 May 2015
Philippines	19,946	World Health Organization, 5 May 2015
Singapore	2,981	Singapore National Environment Agency, 14 May 2015
Sri Lanka	13,770	Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 14 May 2015
Thailand	10,504	Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 12 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.

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,615 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,399 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 14 May 2015)

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 12,536 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,904 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 14 May 2015)

Australia: Ross River Virus [Update]

In April 2015, 16 cases of Ross River Virus were reported in Western Australia, compared to none during the same period in 2014.

(Source: ProMED-mail 13 May 2015)

USA: Avian Influenza, poultry

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza have been confirmed in a commercial turkey operation and a commercial chicken farm in Wisconsin, USA. An owl died from highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza infection in northeastern Wisconsin. Moreover, an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been reported in a poultry farm in Whitley County of Indiana State.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12&14 May 2015)

Mexico: Avian Influenza, poultry

Highly pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza virus has been detected in wild bird in Chiapas, Mexico.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 May 2015)

Israel: Avian Influenza, poultry

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus has been detected in Turkey in Hazafon, Israel.

(Source: ProMED-mail 12 May 2015)

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