Travel Health Service Year 2024

Current Travel Health News

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: Leptospirosis

13 May 2024

The Ministry of Health in Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil is advising health care professionals to begin treatment against leptospirosis immediately, without the need for laboratory confirmation, due to the increased risk caused by flooding in the state.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 12 May 2024)

 

USA: Pertussis [Update]

10 May 2024

Minnesota, USA, is seeing an increase in Pertussis cases, especially in the seven-county Metro area, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

From the beginning of the year through May 9, the DOH reports 54 pertussis cases.


(Source: Outbreak News Today 10 May 2024)

 

Denmark: Salmonella [Update]

10 May 2024

In a follow-up on the Salmonella outbreak in Denmark, since March, 51 people in Denmark have been confirmed to be infected with the same type of salmonella (Salmonella Typhimurium).

Among the sick are 31 men and 20 women. The patients are between 0-83 years old (median age is 37 years). The patients live throughout the country.


(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 May 2024)

 

Saudi Arabia: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [Update]

10 May 2024

The Ministry of Health (MoH) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) reported three cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), including one death from April 10 to April 17.

All three cases were reported in Riyadh and linked to the same health-care facility.


(Source: Outbreak News Today 9 May 2024)

 

Peru: Leishmaniasis

8 May 2024

Health officials in Peru are reporting a total of 49 confirmed cutaneous Leishmaniasis in several districts in Ancash department in western Peru.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 May 2024)

 

Kenya and Uganda: Anthrax

8 May 2024

From January1 to May 5 this year, a total of 83 human Anthrax cases and three deaths in two African Union Member States - Kenya (7 cases) and Uganda (76 cases/3 deaths).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 May 2024)