Acting SFH speaks on dengue fever
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Reporter: Will the Government consider stepping up mosquito eradication in other aspects or in other districts, not just closing down the Lion Rock Park?
Acting Secretary for Food and Health: For the measures to damp down the spread of dengue fever, of course for the affected areas where the individuals have either lived or travelled, we have a special protocol in place to intensify the mosquito eradication action. On the other hand, we have also implemented the all-out intensive anti-mosquito programme for all districts so that for areas where there is a high chance of mosquito gathering, we will have a weekly fogging exercise to eradicate adult mosquito because we know adult mosquito is a known vehicle to spread dengue fever.
Reporter: ...also suggests that, maybe, the Government should release real-time information about what districts are facing higher risks of having mosquitoes. So, will the Government consider doing that?
Acting Secretary for Food and Health: In the current system, in fact, when we collect all the ovitraps back into the laboratory, and when we find any ovitrap showing either eggs or larvae of the relevant mosquito, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will go to the area where the ovitrap showing positive result and start the eradication treatment immediately. We don't wait for the publication of the data. On one hand, we have immediate measure to implement the eradication measures. On the other hand, we won't wait for the results. Of course, if there is any need to speed up the publication of results, we will consider.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Sunday, August 19, 2018
Issued at HKT 17:52
Issued at HKT 17:52
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