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

Vietnam: Measles [Update]

7 November 2024

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the total number of measles cases reported from the beginning of 2024 to the week ending October 19 is 1,305 cases.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 November 2024)

United Kingdom: mpox (monkeypox) [Update]

7 November 2024

In a follow-up on the clade 1b mpox case in London, England, UK, health officials report two additional cases of clade Ib mpox have been detected in household contacts of the first case, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 3.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 November 2024)

USA: Dengue Fever [Update]

7 November 2024

The Florida Department of Health reported four additional locally acquired dengue fever cases during the past week from ;Miami-Dade County, Pasco County (2) and the first case of the year in Polk County.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 November 2024)

Czech Republic: Pertussis [Update]

7 November 2024

The Czech Republic National Institute of Public Health reports the number of reported pertussis, or whooping cough cases is on a significantly decreasing trend in recent week—In the previous 4 weeks, according to the reporting date, an average of 448 new cases per week were registered, the number of reported cases ranged from 335 to 540 cases.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 November 2024)