First Local Chikungunya Fever Case Reported in Hong Kong; Health Authorities Implement Control Measures

2025-10-26 19:40 Last Updated At：21:03

CHP investigates first local chikungunya fever case in Hong Kong

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that as of 4pm today (October 26), the CHP has recorded one new locally acquired case of chikungunya fever (CF), marking the first such case in Hong Kong. The CHP has initiated appropriate infection control measures together with various Government departments and relevant organisations, striving to prevent CF from taking root locally and minimise the public health impact of the disease in Hong Kong.

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CHP investigates first local chikungunya fever case in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

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CHP investigates first local chikungunya fever case in Hong Kong Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Latest case information

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The case involves an 82-year-old female living in Fung Tak Estate in Wong Tai Sin. She developed swollen and painful left ankle since October 18, and fever and limbs joint pain on October 22. She sought medical attention from a private doctor on the same day, and attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Kwong Wah Hospital the following day (October 23). She was admitted for treatment in a mosquito-free environment. The patient is now in stable condition. Her blood sample tested positive for the chikungunya virus upon laboratory testing. A preliminary investigation revealed that she visited Qingyuan in Guangdong in late August but had no travel history during the incubation period (two to 12 days prior to onset). The case is classified as a local case. The patient has four household contacts who are currently asymptomatic and under medical surveillance.

Government's comprehensive follow-up actions

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In response to the abovementioned local case, the CHP today has conducted inter-departmental meeting with various departments and relevant organisations, including the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Wong Tai Sin District Office (WTSDO) and Hong Kong Housing Authority, to ensure that all units implement various preventive and control measures in a speedy and orderly manner.

As at 5pm yesterday, Hong Kong has recorded a total of 46 confirmed CF cases. All are imported cases. None of the 46 patients lives near the abovementioned local case. Given that the activity areas of the 82-year-old patient are primarily within the estate, the CHP cannot rule out the possibility that unidentified infected patient(s) in the area may have transmitted the virus to mosquitoes in the estate, leading to her infection.

The CHP is implementing prevention and control measures according to epidemiological investigations and risk assessment, including providing medical surveillance and health advice to household contacts of the case or those with common exposure to the source of infection. The CHP will arrange for laboratory testingif they presented with relevant symptoms. The CHP officers and District Services & Community Care Teams(Care Teams) will contact about 8 000 households and carry out questionnaire surveys to understand and follow up their health conditions. The CHP urged the residents to seek medical advice or contact the CHP immediately if they presented with a fever, rash or joint pain since October 1.

The CHP will hold an online live seminar at 8.30pm tonight. Doctors will explain the symptoms of CF, how to prevent infection and how to properly use insect repellents. The CHP and WTSDO will organise a public health talk at the at Fung Tak Estate Community Centre at 8pm tomorrow (October 27) to enhance public understanding of this mosquito-borne disease and encourage active participation in prevention efforts to protect both oneself and others.

In addition, the CHP has set up a health consultation booth at 2/F, Fung Tak Shopping Centre, where assessments will be provided to residents with relevant symptoms from today. The CHP will also setup an inquiry hotline (2125 2373), which will operate from 9am to 8pm.

The CHP, together with the FEHD, have inspected various locations in the vicinity of patient's residence, conducted vector investigations and mosquito control operations to minimise the risk of local transmission. Furthermore, the CHP will issue letters to doctors, hospitals, schools and institutions, providing the latest information on CF and remaining them to be vigilant.

The FEHD and relevant departments have comprehensively enhanced the mosquito control operations in Hong Kong since July this year. In fact, overall mosquito infestation indices this year are lower than that of the previous years. The mosquito infestation index in September was 2.5 per cent, which decreased significantly from 9.5 per cent in June. The index available for October also remains at a low level. Regarding the investigation area of the local case, the latestarea gravidtrap index (AGI) in October was 1.7 per cent, while the AGI in September was 0.9 per cent, indicating the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes was not extensive. Among which, the FEHD has conducted vector investigations and targeted mosquito control operations against the imported cases. In light of the local case, the FEHD has immediately conducted follow-up actions, these measures include:

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. The Environment and Ecology Bureau will hold Steering Committee meeting to lead relevant departments to step up mosquito prevention and elimination measures; the district offices of the FEHD will hold interdepartmental meetings at district level to undergo risk assessment and conduct targeted measures.

The WTSDO is working closely with the CHP to disseminate information on CF, including arranging Care Teams to distribute leaflets and surveys to each household unit, contact Link to facilitate the setup of a health consultation booth at the shopping centre nearby, and arranging health talk for the residents to be held tomorrow night.

Latest surveillance data

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Since the beginning of 2025, and as of September 30, a total of 445 271 suspected and confirmed CF cases and 155 CF-related deaths have been reported in 40 countries/territories. Cases have been reported in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. CF outbreaks currently occur in many countries worldwide. Members of the public should check the situation of the destinations before travelling abroad.

Preventive measures taken by the public

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Severe symptoms and deaths caused by CF are extremely rare, with a mortality rate of less than one in 1 000. The occurrence of severe complications is mostly related to the patients' underlying health conditions. Elderly persons (particularly those aged 65 or above), young children (particularly infants under 1 year old), pregnant women and persons with chronic illnesses (such as hypertension, diabetes or heart disease) are at higher risk of developing complications after contracting CF and may require a longer recovery period. Therefore, members of the public (especially the abovementioned high-risk groups) are advised to seek medical advice promptly if they develop relevant symptoms, particularly a fever, sudden severe joint pain and skin rash, after visiting areas affected by CF.

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 soft drink 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.

To strengthen support for ethnic minority communities, essential information on CF has also been translated into 10 ethnic minority languages (namely Hindi, Nepali, Urdu, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Sinhala and Bengali) and uploaded to the CHPwebsite.

The public should call1823in 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.

Government Task Forces Intensify Support Efforts for Wang Fuk Court Fire Victims in Tai Po.

Government announces updates on follow-up work on Tai Po fire

The three task forces set up by the Government for the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po - the Task Force on Investigation and Regulation, the Task Force on Emergency Support and Fund-Raising, and the Task Force on Emergency Accommodation Arrangements - are making full efforts to follow up on the support, relief, and investigation work related to the incident. Details are as follows:

Financial and welfare support

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For the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, established by the Government, donations received are about $3.4 billion as of noon today (December 15). With the start-up capital of $300 million from the Government, the fund's total has now reached around $3.7 billion. The fund will be used to assist residents in rebuilding their homes and providing long-term and sustained support.

The Government earlier announced that a living allowance from the Support Fund will be provided to each affected household, and the amount has been increased from $50,000 to $100,000. As of today, 1 883 cases have been processed. In addition, the Government will provide families of each deceased victim with a token of solidarity of $200,000, as well as $50,000 to cover funeral costs. As of today, a total of 130 cases have been processed. The allowance will be disbursed in phases.

Social workers from the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have been in contact with more than 1 980 affected households, providing the "one social worker per household" follow-up service to more than 4 900 residents. The SWD will maintain liaison with the affected households to provide all necessary assistance while fully supporting the relief work of the Government.

In addition, the Government also provides support and assistance to foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) affected by the fire. The Labour Department has been maintaining close liaison with the Consulates-General of the Philippines and Indonesia in Hong Kong to co-ordinate and follow up on the relevant work. Besides providing tokens of solidarity of $200,000 and funeral grants of $50,000 to families of each deceased FDH, as well as injury grants of $50,000 or $100,000 to injured FDHs, the Government has disbursed a special subsidy of $20,000 to 110 FDHs employed at Wang Fuk Court.

Meanwhile, the Immigration Department (ImmD) has made special arrangements for FDHs whose employers are unable to continue their employment contracts due to the fire. Under these arrangements, affected FDHs are allowed to remain in Hong Kong for three months as visitors to seek new employers (extendable if necessary), without having to return to their places of origin first. The ImmD will also waive the relevant fees for their extension of stay.

Accommodation support

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As of this morning, a total of 1 336 residents have been accommodated, through the co-ordination of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, in youth hostels, camps, or hotel rooms. Another 3 247 residents are currently living in transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau, units from the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), or Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun.

Currently, there is still an abundant supply of more than 1000 units that can provide affected residents with longer term accommodation. The transitional housing and HKHS projects in different districts can altogether provide around 400 units at the moment. Besides, Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun and Runway 1331 at Kai Tak can provide a supply of around 900 units.

In consideration of the extremely urgent situation of the residents affected by the fire incident, a special arrangement of a full rent exemption has been made earlier by the Housing Bureau to provide accommodation support to those affected residents moving into transitional housing or HKHS projects. In other words, if needed, the affected residents can stay for a longer period of time. The Government will continue to support the affected residents in terms of accommodation, and the residents in need do not have to worry about the relevant rental expenses or the duration of stay.

In addition, staff from the operating organisations of transitional housing and HKHS, as well as volunteers have been working around the clock to furnish the units with essential supplies, striving to meet the needs of the residents. All the currently available units in transitional housing and HKHS projects are equipped with furniture and appliances such as bed frames, mattresses, induction cookers and water heaters, etc, enabling the residents to settle in comfortably. At the same time, a number of organisations have proactively stationed their staff in some projects to provide residents in need with various forms of support. Taking T-Loft@Kai Tak in Kai Tak and T-Loft@Lok Wo in Ma On Shan as examples, the operators have not only arranged social workers to provide emotional support and assist with daily needs for the affected residents, but also set up dedicated emotional support stations within these projects. Volunteers were organised to serve on shifts, providing ongoing companionship and care to the affected residents, standing with them through the difficult time.

Relief supplies and donations

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Thesupplies donation online platform, established by the Government and the information technology sector, continues to operate, facilitating the registration of supplies donations from organisations and the public. The Government has so far received over 1 800 registrations, of which approximately 30 per cent were submitted by organisations, whereas the others were contributed by the public. The various registered donation items include food and beverages, clothing, daily necessities, bedding, and electrical appliances. The Government is actively assessing residents' actual needs through the relevant policy bureau, government departments, and service organisations for the matching of donated supplies in order to distribute appropriate items in phases to places in need. So far, about 23 000 donation items covering various categories have been distributed to different places. The matching and distribution of supplies will continue.

Regulation and inspection work

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The Development Bureau (DEVB) announced on December 11 a new mechanism for sampling and testing scaffold nets for external walls in Hong Kong. The DEVB is moving ahead in full steam the supporting arrangements to ensure that there are sufficient designated laboratories and a suitable site for off-site sampling work.

First Local Chikungunya Fever Case Reported in Hong Kong; Health Authorities Implement Control Measures

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