Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao collaborate to prevent and control mosquito-borne disease, Chikungunya fever
In response to recent cases of Chikungunya fever (CF) recorded in Foshan of Guangdong and Macao, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 22) said that Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have been carrying out joint prevention and control of communicable disease involving the three places in accordance with the well-established liaison and communication mechanism. The CHP will continue to work closely with the health authorities in Guangdong Province and Macao, and will take appropriate preventive and control measures according to risk assessment to prevent the spread of CF in Hong Kong and protect public health.
Collaboration of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao on disease prevention and control
"Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao have been working closely in communicable disease prevention and control, emergency response, and the co-operation mechanism for disease prevention and control. Owing to the communicable disease notification mechanism established by the three places, the CHP has kept abreast of the latest situation of CF in Guangdong Province. Although no confirmed CF cases have been recorded in Hong Kong so far this year, the increase in temperature and rainfall in summer is expected to aggravate mosquito infestation in Hong Kong. Additionally, people travel more frequently during summer holidays, including to regions where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic. Consequently, there is an increased risk of imported cases and local transmission of mosquito-borne diseases, such as CF and dengue fever. Members of the public are advised to take precautionary and personal protection measures against mosquitoes, both locally and when travelling outside Hong Kong," said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.
Measures to cope with risk of importation of mosquito-borne disease
Dr Tsui added that, in order to cope with the risk of imported case of mosquito-borne disease, the CHP's Port Health Division has stepped up inspections at the boundary control points to ensure good environmental hygiene and effective implementation of anti-mosquito measures. The Port Health Division also conducts temperature screening for inbound travellers. Any travellers with fever will be assessed on health conditions and referred to hospitals for follow up when necessary. The CHP will also maintain close liaison with relevant stakeholders, such as airlines and the travel industry, to provide the latest disease information and health advice in a timely manner.
In addition, the CHP has issued a letter to all doctors and hospitals in Hong Kong to provide them with the latest epidemiological information and appeal them to watch out for CF-related symptoms among those who return to Hong Kong from outbound travel. If CF cases are detected, they should be immediately referred to hospitals for treatment and reported to the DH in accordance with the established mechanism, so that the DH can initiate epidemiological investigations, and implement prevention and control measures.
In view of the recent outbreak of CF in neighbouring areas, the Hospital Authority (HA) has reminded healthcare professionals to be vigilant in early identification of patients for timely diagnosis and management of patients. Its hospitals and clinics have also been reminded to step up mosquito control measures to prevent mosquito breeding. The CHP will continue to work closely and maintain communication with the HA to make timely response. Once a suspected case is detected, the HA will activate the surveillance and notification mechanism and report the case to the CHP immediately.
The DH will continue to step up health education on mosquito-borne diseases, including disseminating travel health advice to travellers and enhancing public education on the prevention of CF through various online and offline channels. The interdepartmental Pest Control Steering Committee will convene a meeting tomorrow (July 23) to review the latest situation of mosquito proliferation and the anti-mosquito work of departments, and to plan for the anti- mosquito work for the future.
Information on CF
The symptoms of CF are similar to those of dengue fever. Patients with CF typically presented with fever and joint pain. Other common symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. While most patients recover on their own, in some cases, joint pain may persist for several months or even years. The mortality rate of CF is generally lower than that of dengue fever. From 2016 to 2019, between one and 11 CF cases were recorded in Hong Kong each year. All of which were imported cases. There have been no CF cases in Hong Kong since 2020.
According to the World Health Organization, CF cases have been recorded in more than 110 countries/regions. As of early June this year, over 220 000 cases had been reported in 14 countries/regions worldwide (including the Mainland, Taiwan and Singapore which are popular tourist destinations for Hong Kong citizens). Of these cases, about 80 were fatal.
According to the announcement of the Foshan Municipal Health Bureau, as of July 20, there were 2 285 CF confirmed cases in Foshan. The majority of cases (2 158 cases) were in Shunde District, primarily in Lecong, Beijiao and Chencun towns; 69 cases in Chancheng District, primarily in Shiwan Town, Zumiao and Zhangcha Street; and 58 cases in Nanhai District, primarily in Guicheng Street. All cases were mild, with no severe or fatal cases so far. Regarding Macao, the first CF case this year was recorded on July 18. The patient travelled to Shunde during the incubation period and was classified as an imported case.
Update on chikungunya fever
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (January 4), 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
