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The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has again warned people to stay alert to the risk of mosquito-transmitted diseases and maintain proper anti-mosquito measures.
Announcing the ovitrap indices for October, the department's Consultant (Community Medicine), Dr Ho Yuk-yin, said today (November 11) that although the monthly average ovitrap index stayed at a low level, there should be no easing up in the fight against mosquito breeding.
The ovitrap indices reflect the prevalence of Aedes albopictus, a mosquito vector for dengue fever transmission.
"The monthly ovitrap index (MOI) fell from 4.4% in September to 2.7% in October."
"At the district level, of the 38 locations surveyed, 22 areas recorded positive area ovitrap indices ranging from 1.8% to 13.7%. The index at Fanling (13.7%) was the only one that was above 10%," he said.
The index for port areas also dropped from 1.5% in September to 1.3% in October.
"Though the figures show improvement, our preventive measures should not be relaxed at all as the current weather is still favourable for mosquito breeding."
"Dengue fever is an endemic disease in some Southeast Asian countries and we have recorded 24 imported cases so far this year."
"No effort should be spared in eliminating existing and potential mosquito-breeding grounds," Dr Ho emphasised.
People should take the following preventive measures: scrub vases and pot-plant saucers at least once a week; properly dispose of containers such as soft drink cans and lunch boxes; clear drains and surface channels to prevent blockage; remove stagnant water; fill all defective ground surfaces and drill large holes in unused tyres.
Concerning the department's year-long Japanese encephalitis (JE) vectors survey, adult Culex tritaeniorhynchus were recently collected in urban (Tsim Sha Tsui and Sham Shui Po) as well as rural areas (Tung Chung, Tso Kung Tam and Tai O), while larvae were found in an illegal cultivation site in Tsing Lung Tau of Tsuen Wan. However, no JE virus was detected in the specimens examined.
Dr Ho called on people not to conduct illegal farming on hillsides. The illegal cultivation sites have created serious environmental hygiene problems and become mosquito breeding grounds.
The ovitrap indices and information on anti-mosquito measures are available on the department's website (www.fehd.gov.hk) and through its hotline at 2868 0000.
People can also obtain information and health advice on dengue fever and JE from the website (www.chp.gov.hk) of the Department of Health's Centre for Health Protection and its hotline at 2833 0111.
Ends/Friday, November 11, 2005
Issued at HKT 15:24
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