Current Travel Health News
Current Travel Health News
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. 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.
For more information on dengue fever, including the latest situation in neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, please visit the Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpage at https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/38847.html
Take precautions against Mpox (also known as monkeypox) when travelling abroad
Mpox (also known as monkeypox) is a zoonotic disease caused by Mpox virus. Often found in tropical forest regions of Central and West Africa.
It is mainly transmitted by contact with infected animals, human-to-human transmission is limited. Incubation period is mainly from 6 to 13 days, symptoms are similar with Smallpox infection, but less severe.
Since 6 May 2022, multiple outbreaks were reported in Europe and North America countries, and many patient are self-identified as bisexual or men who have sex with men. Travellers planning to travel in these areas should avoid contact
with infected person. Travellers returning from these areas shall notify the doctor to seek medical treatment and inform the travel situation if feeling unwell.
For more information on Mpox, including the latest situation in overseas countries or places, please visit the World Health Organization and Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection’s thematic webpages at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/monkeypox#tab=tab_1
https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/105683.html
Nigeria: Lassa Fever [Update]
28 August 2023
From the beginning of the year through July 23, 2023,
Nigeria has recorded a total of 171 deaths due to
Lassa Fever in confirmed cases. The Nigeria CDC reported 1009 total confirmed cases during this period and a total number of 6597 suspected cases in 28 states of the country which includes Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Anambra state.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Measles [Update]
28 August 2023
A total of 15,525 cases of
Measles including 655 deaths have been reported since the first week of 2023 to date in Kasai province, reports the Provincial Health Division of
Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Italy: West Nile Virus
28 August 2023
The confirmed cases of
West Nile Virus (WNV) infection in humans in
Italy have risen to 133 since the beginning of May. Among the confirmed cases, 6 deaths were notified.
Ukraine: Leptospirosis
28 August 2023
Eight patients are currently being treated for
Leptospirosis at the Lviv Regional Infectious Disease Hospital in
Ukraine. One patient is in serious condition being treated in intensive care.
Italy: Dengue Fever
28 August 2023
Italian public health authorities have reported four autochthonous
Dengue Fever cases in August (three in Lombardy region and one in Lazio region).
USA: Eastern Equine Encephalitis
28 August 2023
The Alabama Department of Public Health in
USA reported two cases of
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in humans in Baldwin County in the past few weeks, including one death of a 7-year-old girl.
USA: Escherchia Coli
28 August 2023
The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) in
USA is investigating an outbreak of
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections. Illnesses have been reported among students who attend the University of Arkansas.
Columbia: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 August 2023
Colombia health authorities report through August 12 this year (Epi Week 32), 67,944 cases of
Dengue have been reported, including 989 cases of severe dengue (1.5%).
Martinique and Guadeloupe: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 August 2023
Faced with the increase in the number of
Dengue Fever cases in the West Indies,
Martinique and
Guadeloupe have entered the epidemic phase since August 17, 2023, according to Public Health France.
Laos: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 August 2023
As of August 26, the
Laos Center of Information and Education for Health reports 23,347
Dengue Fever cases throughout the country, including 14 fatalities.
Malaysia: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 August 2023
The
Malaysian Ministry of Health reported 2,487 additional
Dengue cases the week ending August 12, bringing the total for the year to 73,680. The 73,680 cases year to date is a 117.3 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022 (39,769). To date, a total of 53 deaths due to dengue fever complications have been reported compared to 22 deaths for the same period in the year 2022, which is an increase of 31 deaths (140.9%).
Taiwan: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 August 2023
The
Taiwan Department of Disease Control reported 556 new local cases of
Dengue Fever in Taiwan last week (from August 15th to August 21st this year). As of August 21 this year, a total of 2,135 local cases have been reported.
Canada: Cyclosporiasis
28 August 2023
Health authorities in Canada report 299 cases of Cyclosporiasis through August 15. Of this total, 263 cases have been reported in Ontario, followed by Quebec (25), British Columbia (10) and Nova Scotia (1).
Iran: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever
28 August 2023
Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya: Poliomyelitis [Update]
28 August 2023
In Chad, 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases were reported, in Ouaddai and Mayo Kebbi Est. The country has had 25 cases this year. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), 3 cVDPV2 cases were reported in Mongala and Haut Lomami; there have now been 65 cVDPV2 cases reported in the DRC this year, compared with 368 such cases in 2022.
The DRC also confirmed a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) case, raising the year's total to 48.
Finally, Kenya recorded one cVDPV2 case, the third this year.
(Source: CIDRAP 26 August 2023)
Taiwan: Typhoid Fever
24 August 2023
Taiwan health officials reported today on the first local confirmed case of
Typhoid Fever this year. The case is a male in his 30s from northern Taiwan.
Mainland China: Avian Influenza [Update]
24 August 2023
Mainland China reported a human case of
Avian Influenza A(H5N6). The case involves a 27-year-old female living in Dazhou, Sichuan. She developed symptoms on July 20 and was admitted for treatment on July 22.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
24 August 2023
The
Florida Department of Health (Florida Health) this week reported four more locally acquired
Dengue cases, raising the year's total to 15. The new cases are from Hardee, Miami-Dade, and Polk counties.
(Source: CIDRAP 23 August 2023)
USA: Vibrio Vulnificus Infection [Update]
22 August 2023
Florida health authorities report the total case count of
Vibrio Vulnificus has risen to 26 and the death count has risen to five.
USA: Malaria [Update]
22 August 2023
Maryland health officials reported Friday on a confirmed, locally acquired
Malaria case in a Maryland resident who lives in the National Capital Region. The individual was hospitalized and is now recovering.
Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]
22 August 2023
Health officials in Dhaka,
Bangladesh reported 2,197 additional
Dengue Fever cases today, bringing the total for the year to 102,191–a new annual record for the country. The previous record was 101,354 cases registered in 2019. In addition, nine more deaths have been reported, putting the toll for 2023 to date to 485, more than 200 deaths higher than the previous record 281 in 2022.