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
French Polynesia: Dengue Fever, Leptospirosis and Pertussis
4 November 2024
In the week ending October 19, 18 new Dengue cases were confirmed from 73 samples tested in French Polynesia. The total number of reported cases is 207 (191 confirmed cases and 16 probable cases) since November 27, 2023.
One confirmed case of Leptospirosis was reported during the week ending October 19, bringing the total cases to 153 since the beginning of the year.
Thirty-three confirmed Pertussis cases were reported in residents of Tahiti and Moorea during the week ending October 19.
Mauritius: Mpox (monkeypox)
4 November 2024
The
Mauritius Ministry of Health last week reported the first ever case of
Mpox in the country.
USA: Escherichia Coli [Update]
4 November 2024
In a follow-up on the
E. coli O157:H7 outbreak linked to McDonald, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 15 additional outbreak cases in
USA, bringing the outbreak total to 90 in 13 states.
Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]
4 November 2024
Pakistan health officials with the Regional Reference Laboratory for
Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 cases in the country.
Guinea: Yellow Fever
4 November 2024
Health officials in
Guinea report a
Yellow fever outbreak, involving two females: a 15-year-old and a 24-year-old, one of whom is pregnant.
Brazil: Measles
4 November 2024
The
São Paulo State Health Department issued an epidemiological alert on Tuesday regarding
Measles vaccination in the state. The warning from the agency's Epidemiological Surveillance Center was published after the city government confirmed that two cases of the disease had been registered in October.
USA: Pertussis [Update]
4 November 2024
New Mexico state health officials report a near doubling of the number of
Pertussis cases in 2024 to date. As of October 26, New Mexico has reported 60 cases, up from 35 cases reported during the same period in 2023, a 71% increase.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
4 November 2024
The
LA County Health Department reports investigating two additional cases of locally acquired
Dengue- one in Baldwin Park and one in Hollywood Hills. There have now been eleven confirmed cases of locally acquired dengue this year in Los Angeles County.
Rwanda: Marburg Virus Disease [Update]
31 October 2024
As of October 29, a total of 65
Marburg virus disease cases, including 15 deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR) 23.0%), have been reported in
Rwanda.
Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]
31 October 2024
In a follow-up on the surge of
Polio cases in
Pakistan this year, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of the 43rd Wild Poliovirus Type-1 case in Pakistan.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
31 October 2024
Florida health officials reported five additional autochthonous, or locally acquired
Dengue fever cases during the past week. This brings the state total to 55 year to date.
Israel: Rabies
31 October 2024
The
Israel Ministry of Health reports a man from northern Israel who was bitten by his dog and was infected with
Rabies. The 77-year-old is hospitalized in intensive care, being ventilated and sedated.
USA: Lassa Fever
31 October 2024
Lowa state health officials confirmed yesterday the death of a middle-aged eastern Iowa resident from
Lassa fever. The individual had recently returned from travel to West Africa, where it is believed they contracted the virus.
Colombia: Yellow Fever [Update]
31 October 2024
In Tolima department, located in the Andean region, in the center-west of
Colombia, officials have reported the first fatal victim of
Yellow fever was reported in the department.
United Kingdom: Mpox (monkeypox)
31 October 2024
The
United Kingdom today reported its first imported clade 1b
Mpox case, a patient who recently traveled to countries in Africa that are experiencing infection in community settings.
(Source: CIDRAP 31 October 2024)
South Sudan: Cholera
31 October 2024
Amid unprecedented flooding across several parts of the country,
South Sudan has declared a
Cholera outbreak, with 50 suspected cases reported so far.
(Source: CIDRAP 31 October 2024)
USA: Avian Influenza [Update]
31 October 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there are 6 confirmed human cases of
H5 avian flu in
Washington state, as well as 3 more cases in California, raising the national total of human cases to 36 in the United States.
(Source: CIDRAP 30 October 2024)