Current Travel Health News
Travel Health News(24 March 2015 - 30 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 01/01/2015 *
|
Cumulative reported no.
of cases since 01/01/2015 |
Source of information and date of report |
Australia |
529 |
World Health Organization, 24 March 2015 |
Brazil |
224,101 |
World Health Organization, 23 March 2015 |
Cambodia |
275 |
World Health Organization, 24 March 2015 |
Guangdong
Taiwan |
16
147 |
Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 13 March 2015
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 27 March 2015 |
India |
1,938 |
Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 Februray 2015 |
Japan |
39 |
National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 24 March 2015 |
Lao PDR |
96 |
World Health Organization, 24 March 2015 |
Malaysia |
30,033 |
World Health Organization, 24 March 2015 |
Mexico |
9,491 |
World Health Organization, 23 March 2015 |
Philippines |
14,672 |
World Health Organization, 24 March 2015 |
Singapore |
2,112 |
Singapore National Environment Agency,26 March 2015 |
Sri Lanka |
11,238 |
Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka,26 March 2015 |
Thailand |
5,571 |
Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 25 March 2015 |
Vietnam |
5,263 |
World Health Organization, 24 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.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]
The Department of Health (DH) is today (March 27) closely monitoring 15 additional cases of
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including three deaths, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and hence called on the public to stay alert and maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene during travel.
(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 27 March 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,459 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,273 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 26 March 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,866 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,764 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 26 March 2015)
Kenya: Anthrax
In
Kenya, 2 people have died and 2 were admitted due to
anthrax after handling the carcass of a cow infected with the disease.
(Source: ProMED-mail 26 March 2015)
Palestinian Authority: Avian Influenza, poultry
An outbreak of high pathogenic H5N1
avian influenza virus infection was reported in West Bank of
Palestinian Authority.
(Source: World Organisation for Animal Health 24 March 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (March 25) received notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of a human case of
avian influenza A(H5N1) affecting a man aged 17 in Yunnan. According to the information provided by NHFPC, the patient lives in Kunming and has presented with fever and headache on March 13. He attended a local hospital on March 20. The patient is currently hospitalised for treatment in critical condition. 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 25 March 2015)
Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,429 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,263 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 25 March 2015)
Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]
The total number of
Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in
Liberia is 9,602 including 4,301 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 25 March 2015)
Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]
Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 11,841 cases of
Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,747 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization 25 March 2015)
Worldwide: Influenza
Globally,
influenza activity remained elevated in the northern hemisphere with influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating, although some countries in Asia, Europe and North Africa reported high levels of activity associated with influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 viruses.
(Source: ProMED-mail 24 March 2015)
Dominican Republic: Cholera
The ministry of Health of
Dominican Republic reported on 16 March 2015 that 147 suspected cases of
cholera and 10 deaths due to the disease have been reported so far in 2015.
(Source: ProMED-mail 23 March 2015)
Mainland: Avian Influenza, human
The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health received notification from the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of a human case of
avian influenza A(H5N1) affecting a man aged 34 in Yunnan. According to the information provided by NHFPC, the patient lives in Kunming and had been exposed to poultry. He developed a fever on March 13 and attended a local hospital on March 15. He is currently hospitalised for treatment and is in a serious condition. 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 23 March 2015)
Nepal: Rabies
On 19 March 2015, a 55-year-old male has died of
rabies in Kathmandu,
Nepal. In the last 6 months, 4 other patients have died from rabies and all patients were bitten by rabid dogs.
(Source: ProMED-mail 23 March 2015)
Armenia: Brucellosis
According to the
Armenia Ministry of Health, there were 17 people infected with
brucellosis. All infected people worked in Kapan City livestock slaughterhouse.
(Source: ProMED-mail 23 March 2015)
Egypt: Avian Influenza, human
The Ministry of Health
Egypt has notified the World Health Organization of an additional 17 human cases of
avian influenza A (H5N1). With these new cases, the total number of avian influenza A (H5N1) cases in Egypt stands at 116, including 36 deaths for the period of 1 January to 17 March 2015.
(Source: World Health Organization 21 March 2015)