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
Kiribati: Typhoid outbreak
28 October 2024
On the central Pacific island country of
Kiribati, the Ministry of Health & Medical Services, Public Health Department report four new suspected
typhoid cases and one new confirmed positive case during the past two weeks. Since June 5, a total of 112 cases (23 laboratory confirmed and 89 suspected cases) have been diagnosed, with 21 requiring hospitalization.
Americas: Oropouche Fever [Update]
28 October 2024
On 25 October 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated a travel notice for the country of
Cuba due to an outbreak of
Oropouche fever. The travel notice is now Level 2 - Practice Enhanced Precautions, which states Practice enhanced precautions for this destination. The Travel Health Notice describes additional precautions or defines a specific population at risk. There is a Level 1-Practice Usual Precautions for the remaining countries reporting cases- Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana and Peru. Official reports from the Pan American Health Organization state Cuba has seen 555 cases to date.
Greece: West Nile virus
28 October 2024
Since the first human West Nile virus case was reported in
Greece on 21 June 2024, health officials in the country have reported a total of 213 domestic cases of
West Nile virus infection in Greece, of which 154 cases presented manifestations of Central Nervous System symptoms, through 23 Oct. Fifty-nine cases had mild/no CNS manifestations. Thirty-three deaths have been recorded in patients with virus infection, aged over 60 years (median age of deceased: 80 years, range: 61 - 92 years). The cases and deaths reported this year to date, is already higher than the total for 2023 when 162 cases and 23 deaths.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
28 October 2024
In a follow-up to the locally acquired
dengue fever situation in
San Diego County, California, county health officials report investigating a second case of locally acquired dengue. This second case is not related to the first case of locally acquired dengue that occurred earlier this month in Escondido.
USA: Escherchia Coli [Update]
28 October 2024
In a follow-up on the
E. coli outbreak linked to
U.S. McDonald’s Quarter Pounders, 26 new illnesses have been reported, bringing the total to 75. Three new states (Michigan, New Mexico, Washington) have been added to the number of states where sick people live, bringing the total to 13 states. Twelve more people have been hospitalized, bringing the total to 22. This number includes the previously reported death in Colorado and child with complications of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), and 1 new HUS in an adult. Colorado, Montana and Nebraska have seen the most cases with 26, 13 and 11, respectively. Of 42 people interviewed, all 42 reported eating at McDonald’s before their illness started, and most specifically mentioned eating a Quarter Pounder hamburger. No other retail chains or retailers have been identified as a source of illness. While the investigation is ongoing, Taylor Farms, the supplier of slivered onions for the affected McDonald’s locations, has initiated a voluntary recall. Recalled yellow onions were sold to additional food service customers.
Africa: Cholera [Update]
28 October 2024
About two weeks ago, the
Ghana Health Services reported confirmed
cholera in Ada West Division in the Greater Accra Region. These numbers have risen to 43 in the Ada East (37) and Ada West (6) districts, according to the Ghana Health Services. In addition, two fatalities have been reported.
Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]
28 October 2024
Officials have confirmed the detection of the 41st wild
poliovirus type 1 case in
Pakistan. On 25 October 2024, the lab confirmed detection of type-1 wild poliovirus in a child from Loralai District of Balochsitan, who had onset of paralysis on 8 October 2024 This is the first polio case from Loralai and the 41st case from Pakistan at large this year. So far, 21 cases have been reported from Balochistan, 12 from Sindh, six from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
South Korea: Scrub typhus (also known as Tsutsugamushi disease)
28 October 2024
The
Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced on 22 October 2024 that the occurrence of chiggers, the main vector of
scrub typhus has begun to increase and caution should be taken against chigger bites when engaging in outdoor activities. Scrub typhus can occur after being bitten by the larvae of chiggers carrying the tsutsugamushi bacteria (
Orientia tsutsugamushi), and is characterized by the appearance of an eschar (black scab) within 10 days after the bite. Main symptoms include fever, muscle pain, spotty rash, and lymphadenopathy.
Rwanda: Marburg Virus Disease [Update]
25 October 2024
The
Rwanda Ministry of Health reported an additional
Marburg Virus Disease case in the current outbreak, bringing the outbreak total to 64 confirmed cases and 15 deaths.
Ethiopia: Malaria [Update]
25 October 2024
In a follow-up on the
Malaria outbreak in
Ethiopia in 2024, UN health officials now report 5,723,754 cases from January 1 to September 15, 2024. This is an increase in 949,854 cases since the last report on August 18. 999 deaths have been recorded to date.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
25 October 2024
In a follow up on the
Dengue fever situation in
Florida, state health officials report three additional locally acquired cases during the past week—one each in Broward, Miami-Dade and Pasco counties.
Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]
23 October 2024
The
Roraima State Department of Health confirmed the second case of wild-type
Yellow fever in 2024, in a 13-year-old patient from Guyana.
USA: Escherchia Coli [Update]
23 October 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the Food and Drug Administration, the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service and several state health agencies report investigating a multistate outbreak of
E. coli O157:H7 infections linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders.
Uganda: Anthrax [Update]
23 October 2024
In a follow-up on the
Anthrax outbreak in
Uganda in 2024, the number of suspected human cases rose by 66, including two deaths, in Kanungu district in southwestern Uganda, according to the Ministry of Health.
Vietnam: Measles [Update]
23 October 2024
Deputy Director of the
Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control, said that as of October 13, the city recorded 1,079
Measles cases, including 4 deaths.
Bangladesh: Nipah Virus Infection [Update]
23 October 2024
The
Bangladesh Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control And Research has reported five
Nipah virus cases in 2024. All five cases were fatal.
Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]
23 October 2024
In a follow-up on the
Dengue fever situation in
Bangladesh this year, the number of dengue cases have more than doubled during the past month. These number have risen to a total of 48,582 dengue cases and 241 deaths through October 19 this year.
Italy, France and Spain: Dengue Fever [Update]
23 October 2024
To date in 2024, the combined locally acquired Dengue fever cases in three mainland European countries has reached 282, the most in any year since the first such cases were reported in 2010.
In Italy, a total of 194 locally acquired dengue cases have been reported to date.
French health authorities report 80 people have contracted dengue locally this year to date.
In Spain, eight locally acquired dengue cases have been reported year to date in the Camp de Tarragona area in Catalonia region.
Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]
23 October 2024
In a follow-up on the wild
Poliovirus situation in
Pakistan, seven additional WPV1 cases were reported in the past week.
USA: Vibrio Vulnificus Infection [Update]
23 October 2024
According to
Florida Department of Health data, 76
V. vulnificus cases and 13 deaths have been recorded through Oct. 17.