Travel Health Service Year 2024

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.

Detailed information on the latest Dengue fever situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, can be found at the Centre for Health Protection’s website: https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf

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 wer e 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

USA: Measles [Update]

12 July 2024

Vermont health officials confirmed a second case of measles in Vermont, USA. The individual was exposed while in the Hanover, New Hampshire area in late June.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 July 2024)

Comoros: Cholera [Update]

12 July 2024

In a follow-up on the cholera outbreak in the Comoros, since the declaration of the cholera epidemic on 2 February 2024, and as of 30 June, Comoros has recorded 10,142 suspected cases of cholera and 147 deaths, representing a 1.45% case fatality rate (CFR).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 11 July 2024)

Vietnam: Diphtheria, Japanese encephalitis, Streptococcus suis meningitis [Update]

12 July 2024

Health authorities in Bac Giang province of Vietnam report that 15 contacts in close contact with an 18-year-old female student with diphtheria in Hiep Hoa district have been quarantined and monitored.

Since the beginning of the year, Dak Lak province has recorded 2 cases of Japanese encephalitis.

A 58-year-old man was confirmed to have meningitis caused by Streptococcus suis infection after consuming pig intestines.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 July 2024)

Cambodia: Avian influenza [Update]

12 July 2024

In a follow-up on a report this weekend, Cambodian health authorities reported an additional human case of H5N1 avian influenza. The latest case is in a 5-year-old girl from Po village, Preah Bat Choan Chum commune, Kirivong district, Takeo province.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 8 July 2024)

South Africa: Mpox (monkeypox)

12 July 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) today posted an outbreak notice about a spike in mpox cases in South Africa, which since early May has resulted in 20 confirmed illnesses, 3 of them fatal. The cases were reported in three of the country's nine provinces: Gauteng, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

(Source: CIDRAP 9 July 2024)

USA: Pertussis [Update]

8 July 2024

From the beginning of the year through June 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of USA has recorded 6,685 pertussis cases. This is a 204 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023 (2,198). States reporting the most cases include California (663), New York, excluding NYC (606) and Illinois (505).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 July 2024)

Indonesia: Dengue Fever [Update]

8 July 2024

Through the week ending June 8, the Indonesia Ministry of Health has reported 131,501 total dengue cases, which is higher than the case total for all of 2023 (114,720).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 July 2024)

Cambodia: Avian Influenza [Update]

8 July 2024

The Cambodia Ministry of Health is reporting a human H5N1 avian influenza case in a 3-year-old boy living in Po village, Prasat Choan Chum commune, Kirivong district, Takeo province in southern Cambodia yesterday. This is the 6^th human H5N1 avian influenza case of 2024.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 July 2024)

USA: Avian Influenza [Update]

4 July 2024

Colorado state health officials have reported the fourth human case of avian influenza H5N1 infection associated with a multi-state outbreak of the virus in dairy cattle.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 July 2024)

Uganda: Rift Valley Fever [Update]

4 July 2024

The Uganda Ministry of Health reported an additional human case of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in Mubende district in the central area of the country.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 July 2024)

Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]

4 July 2024

Since the beginning of the year through June 15, Philippines health authorities have reported 77,867 dengue cases throughout the country, up 15.2 percent compared to the same period in 2023 (67,576). 205 deaths were reported to date.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 July 2024)

USA: Influenza [Update]

2 July 2024

Pennsylvania state health officials have reported two additional human infections with a Novel influenza A virus in USA.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 June 2024)

Philippines: Dengue Fever, Leptospirosis and Rabies [Update]

2 July 2024

Philippines health officials reported increase in Dengue cases in 2024. The Baguio City Health Services Office is reporting 376 dengue cases from June 1 to 26 this year, up from the 75 cases from June 1 to 30, 2023. Dengue cases in Negros Oriental for the first half of the year rose to 151 percent higher than that of the same period last year. The Soccsksargen Region recorded 32 deaths due to dengue and listed 9,042 cases from Jan. 1 to June 15. Central Visayas reported an increase in dengue cases even during high temperatures, with almost 7,000 incidents recorded in the first semester of 2024.

The City Health Office of Davao City has recorded 70 cases of Leptospirosis with 16 deaths from January 1 to June 8 this year.

The Cebu City government here recorded an alarming number of Rabies cases in 2023. The city recorded 17 rabies cases in 2023 and 14 cases as of June 5, 2024.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 June 2024)

USA: Scrub Typhus

2 July 2024

The Pasadena Public Health Department of USA has received an elevated number of reports of Typhus fever infections in Pasadena compared to in other years.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 June 2024)

Israel: West Nile Virus Infection

2 July 2024

The Israel Ministry of Health reports that so far 81 people have been diagnosed with West Nile fever, of which 64 people have been hospitalized, 6 of them being intubated. Seven deaths have been reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 28 June 2024)

USA: Salmonella [Update]

2 July 2024

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 86 more Salmonella cases and 9 more affected states, raising the national total to 195 cases from 38 states in USA.

(Source: CIDRAP 28 June 2024)