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The lunar new year (also known as Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Chunyun, Tet, and Seollal among others) is celebrated around the world. Official celebrations are held in many Asian countries including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, and Tibet.
Lunar new year marks the start of the new year based on lunar calendars. In 2025, it falls on 29 January and welcomes the year of the Snake. Celebrations will last for 14 days, concluding with the Lantern Festival on 12 February 2025.
The lunar new year is the world's largest annual human migration as people traditionally travel home to celebrate with their families. Because of the sheer scale of this event, there is an associated enhanced risk of spread for a range of infections, and travellers should be aware how to protect themselves.
When large crowds of people gather, the risk of accidents and injuries occurring can increase:
The potential health risks for travellers will vary between individuals depending on:
See the TRAVAX Destination pages for further information on potential health risks for specific countries.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting an increase in respiratory infections worldwide, including the Northen hemisphere this winter season. Infectious diseases such as seasonal influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19 and other common respiratory viruses spread easily between people in crowds. Therefore, it is important to
Avian Influenza (bird flu) is a virus in birds that can spread from infected birds to other animals and humans. Although human cases of avian influenza are rare, visitors to Asia should be aware of:
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports continued transmission of dengue worldwide, including in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific regions.
For up-to-date case numbers, see:
Aedes mosquitoes transmit dengue and are particularly persistent and aggressive. They bite between dawn and dusk.
Many other health problems experienced by travellers cannot be prevented by vaccinations, and preventative measures should be recommended at all times, including:
Travellers who become unwell after returning home to the UK, particularly with fever and/or respiratory symptoms, should be advised to call their GP or NHS 111 and to inform the health professional of their recent travel history.