As the summer travel season is fast approaching and several infectious disease outbreaks are still ongoing around the world, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) urges travelers to check the “International Travel Health Prescription” website prior to traveling overseas in order to read up on the latest outbreak update in their destination and visit the outpatient travel clinic at any of the 26 contracted hospitals in the nation for recommendations of appropriate vaccines and preventive medication in order to ensure their health and wellbeing throughout the trip.

The summary of the ongoing outbreaks around the world is as follows. Travelers are urged to receive appropriate vaccinations and take preventive measures to ward off diseases.

1. China: The coastal provinces continue to report human cases of avian influenza and measles activity has been gradually increasing.

2. Southeast Asia: Dengue endemic countries that have reported Zika cases include the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Maldives.

3. The Middle East: Sporadic MERS cases continue to be reported. Adjacent countries, including Pakistan and Afghanistan, continue to report polio cases.

4. Africa: Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda continue to report yellow fever cases and malaria remains endemic across Africa.

5. Latin America: The ongoing Zika outbreaks continue to persist, and the clusters of microcephaly and other neurological disorders and their association with Zika virus remain a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

During the past 3 years, a total of 920 imported cases of notifiable infectious diseases were reported, including 143 cases from Indonesia (16%), 132 cases from China (14%), and 102 cases from Thailand (11%). By disease, 515 of the cases are dengue fever (56%), 117 cases are acute hepatitis A (13%), and 53 cases are shigellosis (5.8%). Taiwan CDC advises travelers to follow “5 Major Travel Health Tips” to ensure healthy travel.

1. Prior to traveling, visit the “International Travel Health Prescription” website to read up on the latest outbreak update in their destination and the relevant travel health precautions.

2. If preventive medication and vaccinations are necessary, please visit the outpatient travel clinic at least 4 to 8 weeks prior to their trip for pre-travel consultation.

3. Pay attention to dietary and personal hygiene, take measures to prevent mosquito bites, avoid contact with animals throughout the trip.

4. If symptoms such as fever, coughing, diarrhea, and rash develop during the trip or upon returning to Taiwan, please voluntarily contact the quarantine officer at the airport and port upon arrival in Taiwan for appropriate assistance and health education.

5. If suspected symptoms develop within 14 days of the return, please seek immediate medical attention and inform the physician of the recent travel and exposure history.

For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).