No New Chikungunya Cases Reported in Hong Kong; Two Confirmed Cases This Year, All Imported

Update on chikungunya fever

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced that, as of 5pm today (February 5), no new cases of chikungunya fever (CF) had been recorded.

Latest surveillance data

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Hong Kong has recorded two confirmed CF cases so far this year, all of which were imported cases. Last year, Hong Kong recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases. 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.

Continuously strengthening prevention and control

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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 (including the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Kwai Tsing District Office, Lands Department, Drainage Services Department, and Civil Engineering and Development Department) have been continuously conducting comprehensive mosquito control and environmental remediation work along the trails. 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 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 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

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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.

Source: AI-created image

DH responds to Ombudsman's direct investigation operation report

Regarding the report on the direct investigation operation released by the Office of The Ombudsman today (February 5) on the "effectiveness of administrative support provided for complaint handling by Secretariat of Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) under Department of Health (DH), and DH's regulatory role", the DH responds as follows:

The Government appreciates the Ombudsman's attention to the work of the MCHK and its valuable suggestions. The Government accepts and will actively follow up on the recommendations in the report, striving to assist the MCHK in optimising its complaint-handling mechanism, enhancing operational efficiency, and improving service quality.

The MCHK is a statutory body established under the Medical Registration Ordinance (MRO) (Cap. 161) to handle matters relating to the professional development of medical practitioners, maintain healthcare standards and protect patients in accordance with the powers conferred by legislation. The DH has consistently provided the MCHK with Secretariat staff or other resources to support the MCHK in fulfilling its duties under the MRO and relevant subsidiary legislation.

In its report, the Ombudsman expressed concerns about the MCHK's current mechanism and the progress in complaint handling, and put forward a number of recommendations for improvement, some of which will involve legislative amendments. In this regard, the Health Bureau had previously indicated that it would propose amendments to the MRO in response to the report submitted by the MCHK and its operational needs in order to ensure that the mechanism keeps pace with the times and meets the needs of society.

Regarding other recommendations made by the Ombudsman concerning the administrative arrangements of the MCHK and its Secretariat, the DH will invite the MCHK to review and refine the existing arrangements based on the Ombudsman's recommendations. Furthermore, the DH will strengthen communication with the MCHK regarding the Secretariat's overall performance of administrative support, staffing and resource requirements, as well as performance management of Secretariat staff to enhance the Secretariat's operational efficiency.

The DH stressed that the medical professioninHong Konghave all along upheld the principle of professional autonomy. The Government will assist the MCHK in discharging its statutory duties through legislative amendments, and other administrative and resource support, thereby further enhancing the professional standards and conduct of doctors to safeguard the interests of public and patients.

Source: AI-found images