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 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

 

Spain: Tularemia

21 November 2024

In Palencia province, about 190 km north of Madrid in northern Spain, has already confirmed 102 tularemia patients in 2024.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 November 2024)

 

Ethiopia: Measles

21 November 2024

In Ethiopia, health officials report 29,391 suspected measles cases, including 27,423 confirmed cases and 210 deaths, through mid-October this year.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 November 2024)

 

Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]

21 November 2024

Pakistani health officials report the confirmation of an additional wild poliovirus (WPV1) case in the country, bringing the number of cases this year in Pakistan to 50. This is up from six cases reported in all of 2023.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 November 2024)

 

South Sudan: Anthrax

21 November 2024

In South Sudan, officials report since the beginning of the year, 162 human anthrax cases have been reported from two states: Western Bar El Ghazal (87 cases) and Warrap (75 cases).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 20 November 2024)