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
21 February 2025
In
French Polynesia, health officials reported 74 new
dengue cases (64 confirmed and 10 probable) last week, bringing the total dengue cases reported 1008 (934 confirmed cases and 74 probable cases) since November 27, 2023.
Panama: Oropouche Fever [Update]
21 February 2025
In a follow-up on the
Oropouche situation in
Panama, the Ministry of Health reported that up to week 6, 153 cases of the Oropouche Virus have been confirmed in Darien and Eastern Panama.
Brazil: Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever [Update]
21 February 2025
According to the São Paulo State Health Department, 225 cities in São Paulo have already reached more than 300 cases of dengue fever per 100,000 inhabitants. A total of 205,000 probable dengue cases have been reported to date, including 113 deaths and another 235 deaths under investigation.
In a follow-up on the yellow fever situation in the state São Paulo, officials announced today there are 15 cases and 9 deaths this year.
Angola: Cholera [Update]
21 February 2025
From 31 December 2024 to 16 February 2025, a cumulative total of 4,107
cholera cases with 147 deaths have been reported from 10 provinces across
Angola.
Ethiopia: Malaria [Update]
21 February 2025
Ethiopia health officials reported more 10 million
malaria cases in 2024. During the first month of 2025, Ethiopia reported 774,097 confirmed and clinical malaria cases and 31 deaths were reported in 2025 to date.
USA: Measles [Update]
21 February 2025
In a follow-up on the
measles outbreak affecting Gaines County and surrounding counties in the South Plains region of west
Texas, 10 additional cases have been reported, bringing the outbreak total to 58 within the last three weeks.
Ghana: Meningitis
21 February 2025
Ghana Health Services reported an outbreak of
bacterial meningitis with 29 total cases (9 confirmed and 20 suspected), including 10 deaths from six of eleven districts in the Upper West Region on January 31.
Reunion: Chikungunya [Update]
18 February 2025
Reunion health authorities reported an additional 204 cases of
Chikungunya the week ending 2 February 2025.
USA: Measles [Update]
18 February 2025
New Mexico state health officials declare a
measles outbreak, after two adult Lea County residents tested positive for measles.
Texas health officials report that 48 cases have been identified with measles symptoms onset within the last 3 weeks in the South Plains region of
Texas.
New Jersey health officials are reporting a single confirmed measles case in Bergen County with recent history of international travel.
USA: Avian Influenza [Update]
18 February 2025
The
Wyoming Department of Health confirms the first case of H5N1
avian influenza in a human in the state.
Brazil: Yellow Fever [Update]
18 February 2025
Health officials in
Tocantins confirms a case of
yellow fever in humans in the city of Monte do Carmo. The
Sao Paulo state health department reports 12 confirmed cases including 8 deaths. All 8 deaths were unvaccinated.
Canada: Measles [Update]
18 February 2025
Public Health
Ontario reports a total of 57 confirmed and 6 probable cases of
measles in 2025 as of 12 February.
Australia: Melioidosis
18 February 2025
30
melioidosis cases and two deaths have been reported in 2025 so far, in Far North
Queensland.
Philippines: Dengue Fever [Update]
18 February 2025
The
Quezon City Government has declared a
dengue outbreak in the city.
UAE: Mpox
18 February 2025
The
United Arab Emirates notified the World Health Organisation of the first case of
mpox detected in the country.
South Korea: Measles
18 February 2025
The
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province announced that a foreign tourist who entered the island on 1 February tested positive for
measles.
Nicaragua: Screwworm Myiasis
18 February 2025
Nicaragua health officials report that at least 30 people have been infested with
screwworm, a parasitic infection caused by the larvae of New World screwworm fly.
Iran: Dengue Fever [Update]
18 February 2025
Iranian health officials reports 1109 total cases of
dengue fever in Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year, of which 905 cases are locally acquired.
Russia: Brucellosis
18 February 2025
In the
Bryansk region, Human
brucellosis cases have increased by 385% in 2024 compared to 2023.
Bolivia: Yellow Fever
18 February 2025
The Ministry of Health and Sports of
Bolivia reports a confirmed
yellow fever case in the city of Palos Blancos in western Bolivia.