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
Argentina: Psittacosis [Update]
6 January 2025
The Ministry of Health for the
Gobierno de Entre Ríos province reported 20 cases of
psittacosis, a disease that is transmitted mainly by birds, in the past month, prompting the issuance of preventive measures to the public.
USA: Lyme disease
6 January 2025
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 3218 cases of
Lyme disease in 2024, which is a 9% increase from the 2943 cases reported in 2023.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Meningitis
6 January 2025
Health officials with the Banalia health zone,
Tshopo province in north-central Democratic Republic of the Congo report a
meningitis outbreak. Out of seven cases already recorded in the area, 5 deaths have been reported in the Mangi health center.
USA: Pertussis [Update]
6 January 2025
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of December 28, 2024, 35,435
Pertussis cases have been reported in the
USA, which is an increase of over 400% from the 7,063 cases reported in 2023.
Brazil: Oropouche Fever [Update]
6 January 2025
Since 2023,
Brazil has recorded an increase in the number of
Oropouche cases, with 12,430 confirmed cases in 2024, this is up from 831 cases reported in 2023.
Spain: Hepatitis A
6 January 2025
The
Spain Ministry of Health reports a significant increase in
hepatitis A cases in 2024. The current outbreak is the largest recorded in Spain in recent years, with 894 cases diagnosed in 2024, a number almost three times higher than in 2023.
Pakistan: Poliomyelitis [Update]
6 January 2025
Pakistan this week confirmed three wild
poliovirus type 1 infections, bringing Pakistan's 2024 case count to 67.
(Source: CIDRAP 4 January 2025)
Morocco: Measles
2 January 2025
Since October 2023, 19,515
measles cases and 107 virus-related deaths have been recorded in
Morocco, according to Minister of Health and Social Protection Amine Tahraoui.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Cholera
2 January 2025
In the city of Lubumbashi, the capital city of Haut-Katanga province in southern
Democratic Republic of the Congo, officials are reporting an alarming outbreak of
cholera since September 2024. Médecins Sans Frontières reports 1,401 suspected cases and 40 deaths during this period.
Vietnam: Measles
2 January 2025
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health of
Vietnam in 2024, the number of
measles cases increased rapidly compared to the previous year. The number of suspected measles rash fever cases was 38,364 (an increase of more than 94 times compared to 2023) and the number of measles positive cases was 6,725 (an increase of more than 130 times compared to 2023).
Taiwan: Measles
2 January 2025
The
Taiwan Department of Disease Control and Prevention, reported three additional confirmed cases of
measles in the place yesterday.
USA: Dengue Fever [Update]
31 December 2024
Florida state health officials reported six additional locally acquired
Dengue Fever cases during the week ending December 21. The new cases were reported in three West-Central Florida counties— Manatee (4), Hillsborough (1) and Pasco (1).
Israel: Poliomyelitis
31 December 2024
The
Israel Ministry of Health reports a
poliomyelitis diagnosis was received in a 17-year-old from the Jerusalem Region who had not been vaccinated against poliomyelitis as part of routine vaccinations.
Puerto Rico: Melioidosis
31 December 2024
The
Puerto Rico Department of Health issued an alert for
melioidosis after six cases were reported between the end of July and beginning of November of this year, of which four resulted in the death of the people affected by the condition, caused by the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei.
Sri Lanka: Leptospirosis
31 December 2024
The
Sri Lanka Ministry of Health reports a surge of
Leptospirosis in the Northern Province, including Jaffna in December. Officials report 75 cases, with five patients still receiving treatment and 8 deaths.
Laos: Dengue Fever
31 December 2024
The
Laos Ministry of Health's Centre of Information and Education for Health reported yesterday the latest update on
Dengue Fever in the country. According to the data, Laos has seen 20,115 total cases, including 11 deaths year to date.