Update on chikungunya fever
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 5pm today (August 11), no new imported case of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded. The CHP reminded members of the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene and to take mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and when travelling outside Hong Kong. Those who suspect they may be infected with CF should seek medical advice promptly and avoid self-testing, which can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Public should not undergo self-tests
"Currently, there are no rapid test products on the market that have been certified by international health authorities for public use in self-testing for CF. Noting that some online advertisements claim to sell rapid test products for CF that can be used by the public for self-testing, the DH has immediately contacted the manufacturer concerned, who subsequently confirmed that the product is not intended for self-testing by the public. The manufacturer has also notified the suppliers in Hong Kong to suspend retail sales of the product in Hong Kong," said the Controller of the CHP, Dr Edwin Tsui.
Dr Tsui reminded the public to promptly seek medical advice if they suspect they are infected with CF and not to conduct testing on their own as this may delay proper clinical treatment. He also urged the public not to self-medicate, particularly with aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen), as these drugs may cause serious side effects, for example, increasing the risk of haemorrhage. In general, children should not take medications containing aspirin to relieve fever or other symptoms because it may lead to "Reye's syndrome", a serious and potentially fatal complication.
Furthermore, the DH noted that a local research institution is actively developing rapid test products for CF. The DH has proactively contacted the institution concerned to learn more about the performance and quality of these test products, and hasencouragedthe institutionto apply tolist theirtested productsundertheDH'svoluntary"Medical Device Administrative Control System".
Continuously strengthening prevention and control
Hong Kong has recorded a total of five confirmed CF cases this year, all of which are imported cases, as well as one possible case. From 2016 to 2019, Hong Kong recorded between one and 11 imported cases annually.
"According to the information from the Guangdong Provincial Disease Control and Prevention Administration, in the past week (August 3 to 9), there were 1 387 new CF cases in Guangdong, a significant decrease compared to the previous two weeks, which reported 2 892 cases (July 27 to August 2) and 2 940 cases (July 20 to 26) respectively. All cases were mild, with no severe or fatal cases reported. However, we must remain vigilant and continue to adopt a multipronged approach to prevent local transmission," Dr Tsui said.
The CHP's Port Health Division continues to step up inspections at boundary control points and to remind cross-boundary public transport operators and other relevant parties to ensure good environmental hygiene and effective implementation of anti-mosquito measures. Furthermore, staff members of the Port Health Division distribute leaflets to travellers, conduct temperature screening for inbound travellers, conduct health assessment for travellers with fever or related symptoms, and refer them to hospitals for follow-up when necessary.
To raise the awareness among the elderly about preventing CF, the Visiting Health Teams under the Elderly Health Service of the DH have been advising the elderly on CF prevention and travel health at the health talks conducted at District Elderly Community Centres and Neighbourhood Elderly Centres. They have also reminded residential care homes for the elderly to enhance mosquito control measures. The DH's Maternal and Child Health Centres, Student Health Service Centres and Special Assessment Centres also advise pregnant women, infant carers and students on symptoms and preventive measures of CF.
To strengthen support for ethnic minority communities, essential information on CF has also been translated into 10 ethnic minority languages (including Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Sinhala and Bengali) and uploaded to the CHPwebsite.
Dr Tsui reminded members of the public to adopt precautions in the rainy season against mosquito-borne diseases. Proper use of DEET-containing insect repellents or other effective active ingredients can effectively 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 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 andpicaridin. When using any insect repellent, the public should follow the usage instructions and precautions on the product label.
In addition, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) 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 soft drink cans and lunch boxes. The FEHD also advises members of the public and estate management bodies 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
Update on chikungunya fever
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (December 13), no new cases of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 79 confirmed CF cases this year. Among them, 11 were local cases, and the rest were imported cases.
Given that some local cases of CF have visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails or the surrounding area, the trails are currently closed until further notice. As the CHP and the relevant government departments are conducting large-scale mosquito control and prevention efforts along the trails, the CHP continues to appeal 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.
Government's comprehensive follow-up actions
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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). All doctors and hospitals in Hong Kong should closely monitor whether their patients present with compatible symptoms and arrange blood tests for those concerned. The CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch will provide free testing services.
Specifically targeting confirmed cases who visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails or the surrounding area, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has been continuously conducting intensive fogging operations to eliminate adult mosquitoes along the hiking trails. 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 bring 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 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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TheFEHDand relevant departments have comprehensively enhanced the mosquito control operations in Hong Kong since July this 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 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
