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 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
Canada: Mpox
19 August 2024
Toronto (
Canada) health officials report a significant increase in
mpox, or monkeypox cases year to date. As of July 31, a total of 93 cases has been confirmed in 2024 compared to 21 confirmed cases reported for the same period last year, an increase of 343 percent.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mpox [Update]
19 August 2024
In a follow-up on the
mpox cases reported in South Kivu province,
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the provincial health division reports Friday that the current tally stands at 4,173 cases since the beginning of the year, an increase of nearly 1,200 cases in the past two weeks. 25 deaths have been reported to date.
Sweden: Mpox [Update]
19 August 2024
A person who sought care in Region Stockholm (
Sweden) has been found to have
mpox caused by the virus variant clade I. The case is the first caused by clade I that has been diagnosed outside the African continent.
USA: Powassan virus disease
19 August 2024
Health officials in Allegheny County, in western Pennsylvania (
USA) report a human case of
Powassan virus disease in the county. This is the first reported case of Powassan virus disease in Allegheny County, and the first reported case in Pennsylvania this year.
USA: Oropouche fever
19 August 2024
In a follow-up on the recently reported travel-associated
Oropouche fever cases in Florida (
USA), Department of Health reported nine additional cases in the past week, bringing the total reported in the state to 11.
Panama: Dengue Fever [Update]
19 August 2024
Panama's health ministry (MINSA) is redoubling measures to prevent
dengue and intensify surveillance in view of the possible introduction into the country of the cosmopolitan genotype of the DENV-2 serotype, which is already circulating in a large part of the Americas. Through the first seven months of the year, MINSA reports a total of 11,815 cumulative cases of dengue have been confirmed to date throughout the country.
Peru: Leishmaniasis [Update]
19 August 2024
Health officials in La Libertad department in northwestern
Peru have reported 271
leishmaniasis, or as it's locally know, uta, in five provinces—Santiago de Chuco (the most affected), Otuzco, Sánchez Carrión, Gran Chimú and Virú.
Philippines: Leptospirosis [Update]
19 August 2024
Philippines health officials are reporting an increase in
leptospirosis cases nationally after being hit by Super Typhoon Carina a few weeks ago. A total of 255 new leptospirosis cases were logged from July 21 to Aug. 3, an increase of 17 percent during this period compared to the two prior weeks.
France: Dengue fever [Update]
19 August 2024
Health authorities in
France recently reported three additional autochthonous cases of
dengue in the Pyrénées-Orientales, Lozère and Gard departments, bringing the total of locally transmitted cases to six in 2024. The six cases have been reported from Hérault (1 case), Alpes-Maritimes (2 cases), Pyrénées-Orientales and Lozère (2 cases) and the Gard (1 case) departments.
Taiwan: Melioidosis [Update]
15 August 2024
Taiwan recorded 19 local cases of
melioidosis last week, but the outbreak which started after Typhoon Gaemi hit the place in late July is believed to have peaked, the Centers for Disease Control said on Tuesday (13 August). The new cases included three fatalities, all of whom had a history of chronic illness.
Africa: Mpox (monkeypox) [Update]
14 August 2024
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has officially declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017.
At least 13 African countries, including previously unaffected nations like Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, have reported Mpox outbreaks. So far in 2024, these countries have confirmed 2,863 cases and 517 deaths, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Suspected cases across the continent have surged past 17,000, a significant increase from 7,146 cases in 2022 and 14,957 cases in 2023.
USA: Anthrax
13 August 2024
According to South Dakota State (
USA) Veterinarian, Dr. Beth Thompson,
anthrax has been confirmed in a beef herd located in Meade County. This is the first confirmed case of anthrax in 2024.
USA: Vibrio Vulnificus Infection
13 August 2024
The Rhode Island (
USA) Department of Health is reporting a fatal case of vibriosis caused by
Vibrio vulnificus in a resident this month. Before this case, Rhode Island's last reported cases of Vibrio vulnificus occurred in 2017.
USA: Influenza [Update]
13 August 2024
Michigan state (
USA) health officials, along with Ingham County Health Department have identified a human case of
influenza A H3N2 variant (H3N2v) in a resident of Ingham County. Influenza A H3N2v is often associated with pigs or swine, though the source of this person’s exposure is still under investigation.
Senegal: Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever [Update]
13 August 2024
South Africa: Rabies [Update]
13 August 2024
The
South Africa National Institute for Communicable Diseases has reported six human
rabies cases/deaths through July 31 this year.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mpox [Update]
13 August 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of USA issued a travel notice (Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions) for the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and surrounding countries because of an outbreak of clade I
mpox. More than 22,000 suspect cases, with more than 1,200 suspected deaths, have been reported in DRC since January 1, 2023, a substantial increase from the median 3,767 suspect clade I mpox cases reported annually in DRC during 2016-2021.
Taiwan: Melioidosis
13 August 2024
The
Taiwan Department of Disease Control and Prevention reported last week 11 local confirmed cases of
melioidosis in the place post-Typhoon Kemi.
Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]
13 August 2024
The
Philippines Department of Health reported last week the total
dengue fever cases are up this year to date compared to the same period in 2023. As of July 27, DOH has reported 128,834 dengue cases, a 33 percent increase from the same period in 2023 (97,211).
Australia: Legionnaires’ disease [Update]
13 August 2024
In a follow-up on the
Legionnaire’ disease outbreak affecting metropolitan
Melbourne and surrounding areas, Chief Health Officer for the Victoria Department of Health says there have been 107 confirmed and 5 suspected cases notified since Friday 26 July, mostly in adults aged over 40 years.
United Kingdom: Pertussis and Sexually Transmitted Diseases [Update]
13 August 2024
The UK Health Security Agency reports the total number of laboratory confirmed cases of pertussis, or whooping cough from January to June 2024 have risen to 10,493.
Data from the latest Sexual Health Trends in Wales report reveals a rise in sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhoea and syphilis, cases across Wales. The number of gonorrhoea diagnoses jumped by 27 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 5,292 cases. Similarly, syphilis diagnoses saw a 20 percent increase, with 507 cases reported, marking a 17 percent rise from the previous peak in 2019.
Italy: Legionnaires' disease
13 August 2024
Milan,
Italy authorities report on a
Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Italy with 49 confirmed cases and three deaths through August 8.