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

Kyrgyzstan: Measles [Update]

7 February 2025

The chair of the Republican Center for Immunoprophylaxis in Kyrgyzstan says since the beginning of the year, 1,681 cases of measles have been registered in the country. Of that total, 1,261 cases were associated with children under four years of age.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 February 2025)

Morocco: Measles [Update]

7 February 2025

In a follow-up on the measles epidemic in Morocco, the country’s Ministry of Health now reports 10,290 measles cases in this increasingly concerning epidemic since the beginning of the year, including 21 deaths (0.2% CFR).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 February 2025)

Taiwan: Meningococcal Meningitis

7 February 2025

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced Tuesday the first confirmed case of local epidemic Meningococcal Infectionin Taiwan this year. The patient is a male in his 70s from the north with no history of overseas travel.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 February 2025)

Bermuda: Measles

7 February 2025

The Ministry of Health's Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of Bermuda is currently investigating a suspected case of measles.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 February 2025)

Canada: Measles [Update]

7 February 2025

Manitoba health officials are reporting five confirmed cases of measles in southern Manitoba, all connected to an outbreak in Ontario.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 5 February 2025)

Colombia: Dengue Fever

7 February 2025

Officials in Huila department, in southwest Colombia, have made the decision to declare a public health emergency in order to better address the spread of dengue throughout the region.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 February 2025)

Senegal: Chikungunya Fever

7 February 2025

The Senegal Ministry of Health has reported the confirmation of two chikungunya cases in the Birkilane district, Kafferine region. The cases were reported in males older than 15 years of age.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 February 2025)

Tanzania: Marburg Virus Disease [Update]

7 February 2025

On January 20, the Tanzania government declared an outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Biharamulo district, Kagera region, in northwest Tanzania. To date, officials have reported 10 cumulative cases (2 confirmed and 8 probable) and 10 deaths (CFR 100%) in the Kagera region.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 4 February 2025)

Philippines: Typhoid Fever

7 February 2025

The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office issued an health advisory last week due to a reported increase in typhoid fever cases. From January 1 to January 18, officials logged 80 typhoid fever cases, a 100% increase from the same period in 2024 (40).

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 February 2025)

Fiji: Dengue Fever

7 February 2025

A rise in dengue fever cases in the Western Division since the beginning of the year has prompted the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services to declare an outbreak. The Ministry of Health and Medical Services confirmed cases have reached 200 since the beginning of 2025.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 3 February 2025)