The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that as of 5pm today (November 18),the CHP has recorded one new imported case of chikungunya fever (CF).
Latest case information
--------------------------
The case involves a 26-year-old male living alone in Yau Tsim Mong District. Initial investigation revealed that during his solo trip to India between November 5 and 15, he developed a fever and joint pain on November 8 and 9 respectively. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department at Kwong Wah Hospital yesterday (November 17) and was admitted for treatment in a mosquito-free environment. His blood sample tested positive for chikungunya virus upon laboratory testing. He is currently in stable condition.
Since the patient stayed in India during his incubation period, the CHP considered that he was infected overseas. The case is classified as imported. The CHP will report the case to the relevant health authority.
Latest surveillance data
--------------------------
Hong Kong has recorded a total of 64 confirmed CF cases this year. Among them, four were local cases, and the rest were imported cases.
According to information from the Guangdong Provincial Disease Control and Prevention Administration, the recent outbreak of CF has shown a sustained downward trend. There were 48 new CF cases in Guangdong last week (November 9 to 15), showing a further decrease compared to the previous week (November 2 to 8), which reported 107 cases. The cases last week were mainly reported in Jiangmen (14 cases) and Shenzhen (12 cases). All cases were mild, with no severe or fatal cases reported.
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.
Government's comprehensive follow-up actions
-----------------------------------------------------
Regarding the recently announced local case involving a 68-year-old female who lives in Tung Hei Court in Shau Kei Wan, the CHP is still conducting genome analysis.
The CHP urged the residents living in the vicinity of Tung Hei Court to seek medical advice or contact the CHP immediately if they presented with a fever, rash or joint pain since October 15. The CHP collaborated with the Eastern District Services & Community Care Teams to distribute leaflets on CF prevention and questionnaire surveys to about 3 000 households in the affected areas in the vicinity of Tung Hei Court to remind residents to monitor for relevant symptoms and maintain good environmental hygiene at home.
As of 5pm today, the CHP has conducted assessments for over 4 900 individuals through the health consultation booth on 2/F, Hing Tung Shopping Centre in Shau Kei Wan, its inquiry hotline (2125 2373), questionnaire surveys and door-to-door visits at Tung Hei Court. No new symptomatic persons have been identified in the past three days. Four individuals with mild symptoms previously have been arranged to undergo blood tests, and all testednegative for the chikungunya virus. Given the significant decrease in the number of citizens visiting the health consultation booth recently and all individuals who underwent blood tests at the booth concerned have negative results, the operating hours of the booth will be adjusted starting tomorrow (November 19) based on actual needs. Please refer to the CHP'swebpagefor the actual operating hours of the health consultation booth.
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and 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 cases, 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
----------------------------------------------------
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 the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the latest Travel Health News,tips for using insect repellents, and the CHP Facebook Page, Instagram Account and YouTube Channel, and also the Mosquito Prevention and Control dedicated page of the FEHD.
Source: AI-found images
