Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News Digest (13 Janauary 2015 - 19 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 |
590,852 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Cambodia |
3,543 |
World Health Organization, 29 December 2014 |
Guangdong
Taiwan |
45,171
15,781 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 15 December 2014
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 19 January 2015 |
India |
36,486 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 31 December 2014 |
Lao PDR |
1,695 |
World Health Organization, 29 December 2014 |
Malaysia |
103,610 |
World Health Organization, 29 December 2014 |
Mexico |
124,505 |
World Health Organization, 13 January 2015 |
Philippines |
90,503 |
World Health Organization, 29 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 |
Japan |
1 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 14 January 2015 |
Singapore |
451 |
Singapore National Environment Agency, 16 January 2015 |
Sri Lanka |
1,504 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 13 January 2015 |
Thailand |
195 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 14 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.
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is closely monitoring three additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) in Shanghai (one case) and Guangdong (two cases).According to the notification of the Health and Family Planning Commission of Guangdong Province, the two cases involved a 66-year-old man in Shenzhen who is currently in critical condition, and a 1-year-old girl in Shanwei who had recovered.And according to the latest report of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning, the patient in Shanghai is a 69-year-old man who is currently under treatment.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 18 January 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is closely monitoring two additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) in Shandong and Jiangxi. According to the latest reports of the Mainland health authorities, the patient in Shandong is a 60-year-old man who worked in Jiangsu before onset of illness, while the patient in Jiangxi is a 34-year-old man who was hospitalised for treatment in critical condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 17 January 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,825 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,829 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 16 January 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 8,362 including 3,556 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 16 January 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 10,186 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,083 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 16 January 2015)
Taiwan: Avian Influenza, poultry [Update]
A total of 25 outbreaks of H5N2, 13 outbreaks of H5N8 and 2 outbreaks of H5N3 highly pathogenic
avian influenza were reported in Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Pingtung County, Changhua County, Tainan City and Taoyuan County of
Taiwan.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 15 & 16 January 2015)
Japan: Avian Influenza, poultry
An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8
avian influenza was reported in a layer farm in Kasaokashi of Okayama,
Japan.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 16 January 2015)
Nigeria: Avian Influenza, poultry
Four outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5
avian influenza were reported in
Nigeria.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 16 January 2015)
USA: Pertussis
Three cases of
pertussis were detected in Washington County, Indiana,
USA earlier this week.
(Source: ProMED-mail 16 January 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (January 14) closely monitoring 16 additional human cases of
avian influenza A(H7N9) notified by the Mainland health authorities, 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 Guangdong Province, the two cases from Dongguan include a female patient aged 52 and a male patient aged 37 who were hospitalised for treatment in critical and serious conditions respectively. The remaining 14 cases (including three deaths) in Fujian (five cases), Jiangsu (four cases), Zhejiang (four cases) and Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) (one case) were notified by the National Health and Family Planning Commission. The patients include seven men and seven women aged 20 to 83. Apart from the three deaths, the other 11 patients were in critical condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 14 January 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,806 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,814 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 14 January 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 8,331 including 3,538 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 14 January 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 10,124 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,062 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 14 January 2015)
Global: Influenza
Globally influenza activity continued to increase in the northern hemisphere with
influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating so far this season.
(Source: World Health Organization 12 January 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (January 13) closely monitoring two additional human cases 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. According to the GDHFPC, the two patients involved a 57-year-old woman who is currently hospitalised for treatment in critical condition, and a 41-year-old man who is now hospitalised for treatment in stable condition.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 13 January 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 2,799 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 1,807 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 13 January 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 8,278 including 3,515 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 13 January 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 10,094 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,049 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 13 January 2015)
USA: Measles
Health officials in California,
USA announced on 9 January 2015 that a total of 19 people from 3 states who visited Disney theme parks in California in December 2014 have contracted
Measles.
(Source: ProMED-mail 12 January 2015)
Taiwan: Avian Influenza, poultry [Update]
An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8
avian influenza was reported in goose farm in Chiayi while outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza were reported in Pingtung and Yunlin,
Taiwan.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 11 & 12 January 2015)