Update on chikungunya fever
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (December 29), no new cases of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases this year. Among them, 11 were local cases, and the rest were imported cases.
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, the trails are currently closed until further notice. Relevant government departments continue to conduct large-scale mosquito control and prevention efforts along the trails, 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 of a case involving a person who had visited the Tsing Yi Nature Trails on November 30, 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 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 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 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 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.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP), Photo source: reference image
HA fully prepared to implement public healthcare fees and charges reform enhancing patient protection, rationalising healthcare services and promoting sustainable development
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (December 29) that the HA is fully prepared to implement the public healthcare fees and charges reform starting January 1, 2026. The HA is confident that the full implementation of these measures will enhance patient protection, rationalise public healthcare services, and promote sustainable development of the public healthcare system.
The HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, said, "We believe that once the measures of fees and charges reform are fully implemented, the current service imbalances in public hospitals can be gradually straightened out and the protection for patients, especially those who are poor, acute, serious or critical, can be enhanced. This will enable sustainable development of public healthcare services to cope with the various challenges posed by Hong Kong's ageing population."
The HA will remain committed to the original intention of the reform when implementing the new measures, which are:
(i) Commitment will not be lessened: the Government's commitment to public health will remain unchanged. All gains from the reform will be wholly utilised for public healthcare services;
(ii) Co-payment for those who can afford it and for those with mild conditions: the Government will reasonably expand and enhance the co-payment mechanism;
(iii) Enhancement and reduction: protection for poor, acute, serious or critical patients will be enhanced, and wastage will be reduced;
(iv) High subsidisation: the high level of subsidy will be maintained after the reform, with the target of maintaining the 90 per cent overall public subsidisation rate; and
(v) Gradual and orderly progress: the objective will be achieved in a progressive and orderly manner in five years.
The HA Chief Executive, Dr Libby Lee, said: "All HA systems, including patient registration, payment, clinical services, the mobile application "HA Go", and other internal systems have been thoroughly tested. All systems will officially switch to the new fees and charges mode at midnight on January 1. The HA will closely monitor operations across all public hospitals to ensure smooth implementation of the reform."
The HA Head Office and clusters have previously conducted training sessions and drills for healthcare professionals, simulating various contingency scenarios to ensure staff members are familiar with the arrangements and can respond effectively to different situations. The HA Major Incident Control Centre will also be activated to closely monitor operations at all public hospitals during the initial implementation phase of the reform, enabling immediate co-ordination and responses when necessary.
Public hospitals have deployed additional manpower, including service ambassadors, dedicated teams, and volunteers to station at outpatient clinics, shroffs and pharmacies for answering patient inquiries, assisting with payments, appointments, and applications for medical fee waivers. The HA has set up hotlines in each cluster (see Annex I) for patients to inquire about the fees and charges reform arrangements. The HA has been notifying patients of the new arrangements through the mobile application "HA Go" and SMS messages. Patients can also visit the HA website to learn about the new arrangements (see Attachement).
Over the past several months, the HA has continuously engaged community stakeholders through different platforms to explain the reform details and gather their feedback. HA representatives have met with current Legislative Council Members and Members-elect of Legislative Council to explain and address various perspectives on the new fees and charges arrangements. District briefing sessions have also been held, utilising the extensive community network of District Council Members to help citizens understand the information and supportive measures of the reform.
The HA also places great emphasis on patient group feedback. The HA has organised various activities in recent months, including patient forums, focus groups, and hospital workshops to enhance patients' understanding of the reform details and arrangements, aiming for a smoother implementation. The patient engagement activities have involved in-depth and targeted discussions on different aspects of the reform. Valuable opinions and feedback collected through focus groups will serve as reference for the HA's continuous service improvement and optimisation of fees and charges reform. Patient representatives have also participated in hospital workshops to gain firsthand experience of consultation procedures, appointment and payment arrangements for non-urgent radiology and pathology services, further deepening patients' understanding.
The HA expresses gratitude to all sectors of society for their active discussions and valuable input since the announcement of the public healthcare fees and charges reform in March, contributing to the continuous refinement of the reform details. The HA would also like to remind the public that some information circulating in the public discourse may not be accurate and could lead to misunderstandings about the reform. We encourage the public to refer to the official information released by the HA to avoid any misconceptions.
Following the implementation of the reform, the HA will comprehensively strengthen protection for patients in need through various initiatives: enhancing the medical fee waiving mechanism, relaxing eligibility criteria of means tests for Samaritan Fund safety net applications, and introducing a cap on annual spending of $10,000 for public medical fees and charges (excluding self-financed items). These measures will extend assistance to more patients in need, ensuring no one will be denied adequate medical care due to a lack of means. The enhanced protection is not only taking care of the underprivileged groups, but also preventing middle income people from impoverishment due to illness. The number of beneficiaries is expected to increase significantly from the current 300 000 to approximately 1.4 million people. Additionally, about 600,000 individuals eligible for Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients, Old Age Living Allowance recipients aged 75 or above, and Residential Care Service Voucher holders at co-payment Level 0 will continue to receive full medical fee waivers. In total, an estimated 2 million people will benefit from these enhanced patient protection measures.
The HA reminds patients that the fees and charges reform will officially commence on January 1, 2026. Patients are advised to familiarise themselves with the new fees and charges arrangements (see Annex II) before visiting public hospitals or outpatient clinics. Some medical service procedures may also be modified. Patients are welcome to inquire about the service arrangements, and all staff members are ready to provide assistance.
Source: AI-found images
