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.
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 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
Brazil: Dengue Fever [Update]
8 February 2024
The
Brazil Ministry of Health reported Tuesday that the
Dengue tally in the country in 2024 to date is 364,855 probable cases. According to the Ministry of Health's arbovirus panel, the country has a total of 40 deaths from dengue, with another 265 deaths under investigation. Among the individual states, Minas Gerais tops the country in probable cases (121,161), followed by São Paulo (59,381), and the Federal District (47,224).
Brazil: Influenza
8 February 2024
On 16 January 2024,
Brazil notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of a laboratory-confirmed human infection with swine-origin
Influenza A(H1N1) Variant (v) Virus, in the municipality of Toledo, State of Paraná. The patient, who had underlying medical conditions, developed symptoms and was hospitalized on 16 December 2023. He had no history of exposure to pigs and has fully recovered.
(Source: WHO 7 February 2024)
India: Kyasanur Forest Disease
7 February 2024
Officials with the Karnataka state government in southwestern
India are reporting an outbreak of
Kyasanur forest disease, aka monkey fever. Since the beginning of the year through February 4, 68 cases of the viral disease have been reported, including at least two deaths.
Brazil: Dengue Fever [Update]
7 February 2024
In the state of Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil in the first four weeks of 2024, 17,437 probable cases of
Dengue were recorded. For comparison purposes, in the same period in 2023, there were 1,441 cases. According to the government of the state of São Paulo, 28,808 confirmed cases of dengue were reported in the state since January 1st, including 4 deaths. A dengue emergency was also declared last week in the Federal District amid an explosion of dengue cases.
Peru: Dengue Fever
7 February 2024
The
Peru Ministry of Health issued epidemiological alert on January 31 due to an increase in
Dengue Fever across the country. According to data from the National Center for Epidemiology, Prevention and Disease Control, through the fourth epidemiological week of the year (January 21 to 27), there are 9,353 cases registered this year in 20 regions of the country, including 8 deaths.
Israel: Measles
7 February 2024
The
Israel Ministry of Health reported two additional
Measles cases in unvaccinated brothers from Kiryat region who appear to have been infected while outside the country. Since September, two patients have been reported from the Haifa District and six from the Northern District, 10 patients from Tel Aviv, one case from the Netanya area, and another case from the Jerusalem area.
USA: Measles [Update]
7 February 2024
Two states in
USA, Maryland and Ohio, reported more
Measles cases, part of an ongoing rise in detections related to an overall increase in global activity.
(Source: CIDRAP 6 February 2024)