Peru declared a health emergency due to an increase in Dengue cases. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) reminded members of the public to take precautions against dengue fever when travelling abroad.

Dengue fever is an acute mosquito-borne infection caused by the dengue viruses. With no locally available vaccine, travellers are strongly advised to employ preventive measures, including the use of DEET-containing insect repellents, to prevent mosquito bites.

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. The incubation period of dengue fever ranges from 3 – 14 days, commonly 4 – 7 days. Travellers who return from affected areas and feel unwell should seek medical advice promptly, and provide travel details to doctor.

Across the Americas, the incidence of dengue fever has surged, with over 673,000 infections reported in the first five weeks of 2024. Countries including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru are among those experiencing rises in cases.

Globally, the World Health Organization has reported a significant increase in dengue fever cases over the past two decades, with over five million cases and more than 5,000 deaths reported in over 80 countries and territories since the beginning of 2023. Several South and Southeast Asian countries, particularly Bangladesh, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam, are experiencing spikes in cases.

For more detailed information on dengue fever, please refer to the Centre for Health Protection's dengue fever thematic page and the Travel Health Service website.