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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (September 10) that the rodent infestation rate (RIR) for the first half of 2010 had dropped to 1.3%, compared with 8.5% in the same period of 2009 and 3.6% in the second half of 2009. This indicated that rodent infestation in the territory was generally under control.
The RIRs for all districts fell below 10% in the first six months of 2010. The highest three were Wan Chai (3.6%), Sham Shui Po (2.9%) and Yuen Long (2.7%).
The higher RIRs recorded in some districts were mainly due to poor hygiene conditions in rear lanes, including improper handling of food remnants, indiscriminate disposal of refuse and accumulation of articles.
The FEHD will continue to step up its rodent control measures in the districts, including trapping and eliminating rats in rear lanes, filling rat holes and strengthening street cleaning. It will also continue to co-ordinate the rodent control efforts of District Councils, local organisations and other government departments. More anti-rodent campaigns as well as public education and promotion work will be organised at district levels to generate concerted and sustained efforts to improve environmental hygiene, to eliminate food sources, and to remove and block harbourages for rodents.
During the Anti-rodent Campaign 2010, lasting from January to September, the FEHD conducted anti-rodent operations at the target biotopes and stepped up inspections in order to enhance the overall effectiveness of rodent control work in the districts. The targeted spots were mainly markets/market buildings, hawker bazaars, typhoon shelters and lanes close to food premises, and other problematic spots and their peripheries.
In the first six months of this year, the FEHD trapped and eliminated about 18,000 rats and filled about 3,300 rat holes. About 2,700 warnings were issued during inspections.
As for the rodent incidents that happened in the first half of 2010, the spokesman said he believed they were related to the weather and the rodent's physical condition. In monitoring rodent infestation and formulating anti-rodent measures, it is more objective and reliable to refer to the RIR which is collected year-to-year based on the same set of standards.
For more information on rodent control measures and RIR, please visit the FEHD's website: www.fehd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, September 10, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:27
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