Secretary for Health commences visit to Nanjing
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, arrived in Nanjing this afternoon (July 11) to meet with the Jiangsu Commission of Health to keep deepening collaboration and exchange on healthcare-related areas with the Mainland.
During the meeting with the Commissioner of the Jiangsu Commission of Health, Ms Tan Ying, Professor Lo introduced the efforts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in promoting the international inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine, as well as the high-quality development of public hospitals.
Professor Lo said, "The HKSAR Government is committed to developing Hong Kong into a bridgehead for the internationalisation of Chinese medicine and promoting the high-quality and high-standard development of Chinese medicine in Hong Kong on all fronts. Jiangsu and Hong Kong have established a solid foundation in Chinese medicine academic inheritance and talent exchange. By the end of this year, the two flagship projects, namely the Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK) and the permanent Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute building, will commence services in phases. This will further strengthen the co-operation between the two places in the areas of Chinese medicine services, talent development and testing research."
Regarding the high-quality development of public hospitals, Professor Lo emphasised that the HKSAR Government will continue to promote the accreditation of more public hospitals under the China's International Hospital Accreditation Standards (2021 Version), with a view to maintaining the high standard of hospital management and services in the HKSAR while aligning with the national healthcare service system. Apart from Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital, which have been successfully accredited in December last year and March this year respectively, the Hospital Authority will launch the accreditation programme at Queen Mary Hospital, United Christian Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital this year, and plans to implement the programme at one major acute hospital under each of the seven hospital clusters by 2026. The participation of public hospitals in the relevant accreditation programme can serve as a demonstration to the international community of the national hospital accreditation standards, with Hong Kong acting as a gateway to facilitate the national standards going global. In this connection, both sides also explored ways to further encourage more hospitals in the two places to pursue accreditation under the relevant standards to amplify the impact of national standards.
Professor Lo also visited Simcere Pharmaceutical Group headquartered in Nanjing earlier. He introduced the senior management of the company to the initiatives put forward by the HKSAR Government in developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, including strengthening the approval regimes for drugs and medical devices, as well as promoting the development of the clinical trial industry.
He said, "The Chief Executive announced in his 2023 and 2024 Policy Addresses to develop Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub. We will set up the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation by the end of next year to accelerate the clinical use of new drugs and medical devices. Moreover, the HKSAR Government will make full use of the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trial Institute located in the Hong Kong Park of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone, and working in collaboration with the Greater Bay Area International Clinical Trials Center in the Shenzhen Park to jointly establish a one-stop clinical trial collaboration platform."
Professor Lo encouraged Mainland pharmaceutical companies to make good use of the "1+" mechanism and "primary evaluation" for new drug registration, which will be rolled out in phases starting next year, to introduce newly developed drugs into Hong Kong to meet local healthcare needs and access international markets through Hong Kong. He also welcomed Mainland pharmaceutical companies to conduct clinical trials in Hong Kong, fully leveraging the multiple unique advantages of the HKSAR to facilitate the translation and clinical application of advanced biomedical technologies.
Professor Lo will attend the 13th Nanjing Academic Symposium on Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation and visit a local hospital in Nanjing tomorrow.
Secretary for Health commences visit to Nanjing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Secretary for Health commences visit to Nanjing Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Update on chikungunya fever
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (January 11), no new cases of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded.
Latest surveillance data
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Hong Kong has recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases last year. Among them, 11 were local cases, and the rest were imported cases.
Since the beginning of 2025, and as of December 10, 2025, a total of 502 264 CF cases and 186 CF-related deaths have been reported in over 40 countries/territories. Cases have been reported in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Although the northern hemisphere has entered the winter season, temperatures in subtropical and some temperate regions remain elevated due to climate change, creating favourable conditions for mosquito breeding. In addition, CF outbreaks continue to occur in many countries worldwide. The risk of imported cases persists. Members of the public should check the situation of the destinations before travelling abroad, especially when travelling to Southeast Asian countries.
Government's comprehensive follow-up actions
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Given that some local cases of CF have visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails or the surrounding area in November last year, the trails are currently closed until further notice. Relevant government departments continue to conduct large-scale mosquito control and prevention efforts along the trails, and the CHP appeals to the public not to enter the area in order to reduce the risk of contracting CF and to avoid exposure to chemicals or interfering with the mosquito control operations. Since the confirmation on December 10, 2025, of a case involving a person who had visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails on November 30, 2025, no further local cases have been recorded to date. The CHP continues to urge individuals who have recently hiked along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails to seek medical attention as soon as possible if they develop relevant symptoms and to call the enquiry hotline (Tel: 2125 2373), which operates from 9am to 6pm.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has been continuously conducting intensive fogging operations to eliminate adult mosquitoes along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails and the surrounding area. At suitable locations, large ultra-low volume foggers have been deployed, and a robot dog is being put on trial to enhance operational effectiveness. The FEHD has also set up new mosquito trapping devices, cleared discarded containers and garbage that could cause stagnant water, and applied larvicide oil or larvicides in areas with stagnant water that cannot be removed immediately. The FEHD has been collaborating with the Kwai Tsing District Office, the Lands Department and the Drainage Services Department to strengthen efforts in eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites along the Tsing Yi Nature Trails. Pamphlets have been distributed to hikers in the area, urging citizens to be vigilant against mosquito infestations and take personal protective measures. The FEHD has also held meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work across districts to discuss the latest developments regarding the situation and plan accordingly to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders in strengthening mosquito prevention and control measures in areas under their purview.
Continuously strengthening prevention and control
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The FEHD and relevant departments have comprehensively enhanced the mosquito control operations in Hong Kong since July last year, and this has continued. Among these, the FEHD has conducted vector investigations and targeted mosquito control operations against the imported and local cases. In light of the local case, the FEHD has immediately conducted follow-up actions, including:
carrying out intensive fogging in scrubby areas within a 250-metre radius of the relevant locations to kill adult mosquitoes;
carrying out inspections of the locations, removing stagnant water, applying insecticides and disposing of abandoned water containers every week with a view to preventing mosquito breeding; and
enhancing public education efforts through organising health talks, setting up mobile education stations, and distributing publicity leaflets.
The abovementioned measures will be continued. Furthermore, the Government will further enhance the mosquito control efforts in addition to the existing measures.
Preventive measures to be taken by the public
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Members of the public should use DEET-containing insect repellents or other effective active ingredients properly to prevent mosquito bites, but the following precautions should be taken when using them:
read the label instructions carefully first;
apply right before entering an area with a risk of mosquito bites;
apply on exposed skin and clothing;
use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children (for children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent);
apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent;
reapply only when needed and follow the instructions; and
in addition to DEET, there are other insect repellents available on the market containing different active ingredients, such as IR3535 and picaridin. When using any insect repellent, the public should follow the usage instructions and precautions on the product label.
The FEHD also appeals to members of the public to continue to stay alert and work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, and properly disposing of containers such as empty cans and lunch boxes. The FEHD also advises members of the public and property management agencies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.
The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems, and may visit the following pages for more information: the CF page of theCHPand theTravel Health Service, the latestTravel Health News,tips for using insect repellents, and the CHPFacebook Page,Instagram AccountandYouTube Channel, and also theMosquito Prevention and Control dedicated pageof the FEHD.
Source: AI-found images
