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: Dengue Fever

9 January 2025

Florida state health officials reported two additional locally acquired Dengue Fever cases during the week ending January 4, from Hillsborough and Pasco counties in the West Central part of the state.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 January 2025)

France: Mpox (monkeypox)

9 January 2025

The Ministry of Labour, Health, Solidarity and Families, and Public Health France, have been informed of a first human case of clade 1b Mpox on the national territory, in Brittany.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 7 January 2025)

Brazil: Dengue Fever

9 January 2025

The Ministry of Health's Arbovirus Monitoring Panel reported 6,565,716 probable dengue cases and 5,954 deaths from the disease in 2024 in Brazil.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 January 2025)

USA: Avian Influenza

9 January 2025

About three weeks after the announcement of the first severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1) virus ("H5N1 bird flu") ;in a patient in Louisiana, state health officials report the patient has died. This is the first confirmed death from the virus in the United States.

(Source: Outbreak News Today 6 January 2025)