Travel Health Service Year 2024

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

USA: Equine Encephalitis [Update]

30 September 2024

In a follow-up on a note published yesterday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul today announced statewide actions to protect public health following reports that the first human case of eastern equine encephalitis in New York since 2015 has died. The case was confirmed in Ulster County on September 20.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 25 September 2024)

USA: Legionnaires’ Disease [Update]

30 September 2024

Health officials in Gaston County, North Carolina report investigating a cluster of confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease among people who lived or have spent time in Gaston County, North Carolina during the two weeks before their illness began.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 September 2024)

USA: Dengue Fever [Update]

30 September 2024

In a follow-up on the dengue fever situation in Los Angeles County, California, county health authorities report investigating a new case of locally acquired dengue in a resident of Panorama City. The person had no history of travel to areas where dengue is endemic.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 26 September 2024)

USA: Rabies [Update]

30 September 2024

Minnesota state health officials report investigating a human rabies death in a person over 65 years of age, who had exposure to a bat in western Minnesota in July 2024.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 30 September 2024)

Rwanda: Marburg Virus Disease

30 September 2024

In a follow-up to a report on the Marburg Virus Disease outbreak in Rwanda Friday, the Ministry of Health provided more details yesterday:26 MVD cases confirmed and six deaths reported currently in seven of the country’s 30 districts.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 September 2024)

Reunion: Chikungunya Fever [Update]

30 September 2024

According to data from Public Health France, since August 23, 2024, 7 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed in Reunion.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 September 2024)

Brazil: Dengue Fever, Chikungunya, Zika and Oropouche fever [Update]

30 September 2024

According to the Brazil Ministry of Health, from the beginning of the year through September 14 (Epi week 37), 6,528,563 probable cases of dengue were reported, corresponding to an incidence rate of 3,215.1 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Concerning chikungunya, 256,214 probable cases were reported through September 14, corresponding to an incidence rate of 126.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Between Epidemiological Weeks 1 and 34 (August 24) of 2024, 6,568 probable cases of Zika were reported in Brazil, with an incidence rate of 3.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

Through September 14, 8,029 cases of Oropouche were confirmed in Brazil, whose biological samples had a detectable result for the virus genome in RT-PCR.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 27 September 2024)

Cuba: Dengue Fever and Oropouche fever [Update]

30 September 2024

Health officials in Cuba report the epidemiological landscape of the country remains complex with the co-circulation of Dengue and Oropouche viruses.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 27 September 2024)

Costa Rica: Dengue Fever [Update]

30 September 2024

Costa Rica officials say a multidisciplinary commission was formed to investigate more than a dozen fatalities to determine if the deaths were due to dengue. The commission determined that, of the 14 cases studied, 5 were associated with mortality due to dengue.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 September 2024)

Italy: West Nile Virus Infection

30 September 2024

The Italy National Institute of Health reported an additional 51 new human cases of West Nile virus between 12 and 18 September 2024, bringing the total human cases to 382 since May.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 27 September 2024)

Czech Republic: Leptospirosis

30 September 2024

In addition to all the devastation the 2024 Central European floods in the Czech Republic, caused by Storm Boris, did, Czech Republic health officials have also reported the first case of leptospirosis.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 September 2024)

United Kingdom: Pertussis [Update]

30 September 2024

During the first eight months of 2024, health officials in Scotland have reported 6,438 laboratory-confirmed pertussis cases. This is by far the most cases seen in the country during the past 10 years.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 29 September 2024)

USA: Listeriosis [Update]

30 September 2024

One new death and 2 new cases of listeriosis have been recording in an ongoing multistate outbreak tied to tainted Boar's Head deli meat in USA. The outbreak has reached 59 confirmed cases and 10 deaths, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention update yesterday.

(Source: CIDRAP 27 September 2024)

USA: Pertussis [Update]

26 September 2024

The number of pertussis cases reported in 2024 year to date are more than four times the number of cases reported at the same time in 2023, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To date, 14,569 pertussis cases have been reported through September 14. This is a 319 percent increase compared to the 3,475 cases reported at the same time in 2023.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 September 2024)

USA: Avian Influenza [Update]

26 September 2024

The Minnesota Department of Health reported two human infections with influenza A(H3N2) variant (A(H3N2)v) virus. Both patients, who are not contacts with one another, attended the same agricultural fair prior to their illness onset, where the first child had indirect swine contact and the second child had direct swine contact.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 September 2024)

Peru : Measles

26 September 2024

Three suspected cases of measles in children under five years of age were detected in the Arequipa region, reported the Regional Health Management (GERESA) of Arequipa.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 September 2024)

Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana : Yellow fever

26 September 2024

During the first eight months of 2024, 38 confirmed cases of yellow fever have been reported in five countries in South America—Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Guyana. Of this total, 19, or half the cases resulted in death.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 25 September 2024)

Australia: Pertussis

26 September 2024

According to Australia health officials and as of September 21 this year, Australia has recorded a significant resurgence in pertussis cases, with a total of 29,648 cases, the highest number since 2011 when 38,748 cases were reported.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 22 September 2024)

Montenegro : Q fever

26 September 2024

The Institute of Public Health of Montenegro is reporting 14 human cases of Q fever in September to date. 13 cases were among people who were professionally exposed to sick animals (farmers, veterinarians and veterinary technicians), while in one person the method of exposure has not been determined so far.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 September 2024)

France, Spain, Italy : Dengue fever

26 September 2024

France:

Through September 18, France has reported 57 cases of local transmission of dengue fever.

Spain:

A total of 8 cases of dengue fever have been declared to date in Catalonia. Two cases required hospital admission, 4 have presented mild symptoms and two more cases have been asymptomatic.

Italy:

From 1 January to 17 September 2024, the national surveillance system has reported 450 confirmed cases of Dengue (425 associated with foreign travel and 25 autochthonous cases, median age of 40.5 years, 48% male and no deaths).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 September 2024)

Bangladesh: Dengue Fever [Update]

26 September 2024

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka, Bangladesh reported 926 additional patients due to dengue fever on Saturday, bringing the country total to 24,034 cases year to date.

In addition, the death toll this year has risen to 131 through September 21.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 21 September 2024)

Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]

26 September 2024

In a follow-up on the wild poliovirus situation in Pakistan this year, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad confirmed four additional WPV-1 cases last week. This brings the total number of children affected by polio to 21, to date in 2024.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 23 September 2024)

Iraq: Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever [Update]

26 September 2024

A spokesperson for the Iraqi Health Ministry reported that since the beginning of the year, 178 Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) cases have been reported this year, including 26 deaths.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 24 September 2024)