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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (February 25) that the Rodent Infestation Rate (RIR) for the second half of 2010 had dropped to 1.7%, compared with 3.6% in the same period of 2009. The overall RIR for 2010 fell to 1.5% from 6.1% in the previous year, indicating that rodent infestation in public areas in the city was generally under control.
According to a territory-wide survey conducted by FEHD, the RIRs fell below 10% for all districts in the last six months of 2010. The three districts with the highest RIRs were Wan Chai (5.4%), Kwun Tong (5.2%) and Kwai Tsing (3.1%).
A spokesman for the FEHD explained, "Higher RIRs in some districts were mainly caused by poor hygiene conditions at specific spots and rear lanes, including accumulation of disused articles, indiscriminate disposal of refuse and improper handling of food remnants, which provide shelter and food for rodents."
The spokesman said that food sources should be eliminated and harbourages and passages for rodents should be removed and blocked in order to contain infestation effectively. He called for active community participation in rodent control.
FEHD will continue to step up its daily anti-rodent efforts, including street cleaning, filling rat holes in rear lanes as well as trapping and eliminating rats. Apart from broadcasting TV and radio Announcements in the Public Interest, FEHD enhanced publicity and education at the district level last year, including distribution of anti-rodent publicity materials, holding roving exhibitions and talks on hygiene practices, as well as organising about 450 promotional activities in various districts.
To sustain its efforts in rodent control and prevention, FEHD will also roll out a territory-wide anti-rodent campaign in two phases this year. Inspections will be stepped up in target areas, which mainly include markets, market buildings, hawker bazaars, typhoon shelters and lanes close to food premises, and other problematic spots and their peripheries.
The department also will continue to organise territory-wide as well as district-level publicity and educational events to effectively promote rodent control work on various fronts.
For more information on rodent control measures and RIR, please visit the FEHD website: www.fehd.gov.hk.
Ends/Friday, February 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:40
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