Travel Health Service Year 2015

Current Travel Health News

Travel Health News

Travel Health News(28 April 2015 - 4 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

668

World Health Organization, 21 April 2015

Brazil

460,502

World Health Organization, 27 April 2015

Cambodia

342

World Health Organization, 21 April 2015

Guangdong

Taiwan

24

173

Department of Health of Guangdong Province, 15 April 2015
CDC, ROC (Taiwan), 30 April 2015

India

2,482

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, 28 March 2015

Japan

71

National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, 28 April 2015

Lao PDR

182

World Health Organization, 21 April 2015

Malaysia

35,701

World Health Organization, 21 April 2015

Mexico

15,449

World Health Organization, 27 April 2015

Philippines

19,946

World Health Organization, 21 April 2015

Singapore

2,682

Singapore National Environment Agency, 29 April 2015

Sri Lanka

12,782

Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, 29 April 2015

Thailand

8,644

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand, 29 April 2015

Vietnam

9,237

World Health Organization, 21 April 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.

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

Between 14 and 20 April 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of 4 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death.

(Source: World Health Organization 29 April 2015)

 

Niger: Meningococcal meningitis

Between 1 January and 25 April 2015, the Ministry of Public Health of Niger notified WHO of 1543 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 147 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 29 April 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,584 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,377 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 29 April 2015)

 

Liberia: Ebola virus disease [Update]

The total number of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in Liberia is 10,322 including 4,608 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 29 April 2015)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 12,371 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,899 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 29 April 2015)

 

Mainland: Avian Influenza, human

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is closely monitoring the first human case of avian influenza A(H7N9) in Hubei, 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 Hubei Province, the male patient aged 50 was hospitalised for isolation and management in a stable condition. He is a poultry worker involved in poultry-culling, and investigation revealed that his infection is related to exposure to H7N9-carrying live chicken imported from other provinces.

(Source: The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health 28 April 2015)

 

Guinea: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Guinea has reported a cumulative total of 3,585 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 2,374 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 27 April 2015)

 

Sierra Leone: Ebola virus disease [Update]

Sierra Leone has reported a cumulative total of 12,362 cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD), including 3,895 deaths.

(Source: World Health Organization 27 April 2015)

 

Panama: Hantavirus infection

A 57-year-old woman, resident of Pedasi district, Los Santos province of Panama, died of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome on 22 April 2015.

(Source: ProMED-mail 27 April 2015)

 

Australia: Mumps

Six cases of mumps have been diagnosed in Kimberley, Western Australia.

(Source: ProMED-mail 27 April 2015)

 

USA: Hantavirus infection

The Northeast Colorado Health Department of USA determined on 17 April 2015 that a man died from hantavirus infection. This is the third case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Colorado this year.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 April 2015)

 

USA: Avian Influenza, poultry

An outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza has been reported in a turkey farm in Sac County, Iowa, USA. A total of 34,000 turkeys in the farm will be killed to contain the virus.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 April 2015)

 

Australia: Ross River Virus [Update]

As of 25 April 2015, health officials in Australia are reporting 6,404 cases of Ross River Virus.

(Source: ProMED-mail 26 April 2015)

 

Sudan: Measles

The Federal Ministry of Health has revealed a rise in the number of measles cases to 1,472 in Sudan. 25 people have died while 3,000 patients are suspected of carrying the disease.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 April 2015)

 

USA: Pertussis

Walla Walla County in Washington, USA has recorded 55 cases of pertussis so far in 2015, with 28 confirmed cases.

(Source: ProMED-mail 25 April 2015)

 

Venezuela: Malaria

Venezuela has recently reported an increase in malaria cases and 1,677 new cases were recorded during the 29 March to 4 April 2015.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 April 2015)

 

Nepal: Influenza

There have been 28 deaths of Influenza A (H1N1) confirmed in Jajarkot of Nepal.

(Source: ProMED-mail 24 April 2015)