30 Secondary Students to Join Young Astronaut Training Camp in Mainland

30 secondary students to depart for Mainland to join Young Astronaut Training Camp

A send-off ceremony for the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2026 was held at the Hong Kong Science Museum today (July 16). Thirty selected secondary students will set off for Beijing, Jiuquan, and Xi'an from July 23 to July 31 for a nine-day training programme.They will visit key aerospace science and astronomical facilities and have opportunities to meet with aerospace experts and astronauts to learn more about the development of the country's aerospace programmes and its distinguished achievements.

Addressing the send-off ceremony, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said that with the strong support of the country, Dr Lai Ka-ying, the first payload expert from Hong Kong, was selected to participate in the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight mission, becoming the first astronaut from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. All Hong Kong citizens and he felt thrilled and proud. Mr Chan encouraged the participants of the Young Astronaut Training Camp to seize this hard-won opportunity, to strive to equip themselves well during this journey, and to one day, in various ways, represent the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in participating in the national space endeavours, thereby applying what they have learned to contribute to the society.

Officiating guests included the Second-level Investigation and Research Officer of the Education and Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Dr Yan Weizhi; Vice-Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Mr Ricky Tsang; the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau; the Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Douglas So; the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Ms Manda Chan; the President of the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre, Mr Hsu Hoi-shan; Vice-Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Mr Charles Cheung; and the Museum Director of the Hong Kong Science Museum, Mr Patrick Lau.

Launched in 2009, the Young Astronaut Training Camp has entered its 15th edition, with a total of 420 students participating over the years. The recruitment this year started in March and received an overwhelming response. After three rounds of the selection process, which included a quiz, a three-day training camp and an interview, 30 students from Secondary Two to Secondary Five were selected as Young Astronauts out of around 200 applicants from more than 110 secondary schools.

The participants will visit various aerospace and astronomical facilities, including the China Astronaut Research and Training Center and the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Students will learn more about the selection and training processes of astronauts, and acquire first-hand experience of astronaut training and aerospace medicine projects. This year's programme marks the first visit to the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology, where participants will look at the research and development of rocket engines. They will also visit the Xinglong Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatories to view large-scale optical telescopes, including the Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope, and to have a deeper understanding our country's cutting-edge astronomical research.

The training camp is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, in association with the China Space Foundation and the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. It is organised by the Hong Kong Space Museum and sponsored by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce. For details of the training camp, please visit the website of the Hong Kong Space Museum at hk.space.museum/en/web/spm/activities/yatc.html.

The camp is also one of the programmes under the Chinese Culture Promotion Series.

A send-off ceremony for the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2026 was held at the Hong Kong Science Museum today (July 16). Photo shows representatives of the participating students sharing their expectations for the camp. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

A send-off ceremony for the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2026 was held at the Hong Kong Science Museum today (July 16). Photo shows Vice-Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Mr Ricky Tsang (first row, sixth left), the Curator of the Hong Kong Space Museum, Dr So Chu-wing (first row, sixth right), and the Young Astronauts. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, attended the send-off ceremony of the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2026 jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce today (July 16). Photo shows Mr Chan witnessing the oath-taking by the Young Astronauts. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, attended the send-off ceremony of the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2026, jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce today (July 16). Photo shows (from fourth left) the Second-level Investigation and Research Officer of the Education and Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Dr Yan Weizhi; Mr Chan; Vice-Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce Mr Ricky Tsang; the Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Douglas So; the President of the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre, Mr Hsu Hoi-shan, and other guests officiating at the send-off ceremony. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, speaks at the send-off ceremony of the Young Astronaut Training Camp 2026, jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce today (July 16). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases third batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (July 17) released the third batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in July, covering 23 survey areas, as follows:

District	Survey Area	July 2026
		First Phase Gravidtrap Index	First Phase Density Index
Central and Western	Kennedy Town and Shek Tong Tsui	9.6%	1.2
Eastern	Shau Kei Wan and Sai Wan Ho	28.6%	1.3
Kwun Tong	Kowloon Bay	7.3%	2.8
	Kwun Tong Central	0.0%	N/A
Yau Tsim	Tsim Sha Tsui East and King's Park	9.3%	1.0
Sha Tin	Ma On Shan	28.1%	1.1
	Sha Tin Town Centre and Fo Tan	9.3%	1.0
Tai Po	Tai Po East	15.4%	1.0
Tuen Mun	So Kwun Wat	17.2%	1.2
	Tuen Mun West	4.0%	1.0
Yuen Long	Tin Shui Wai	12.0%	1.0

District	Survey Area	July 2026
		Area Gravidtrap Index	Area Density Index
Eastern	North Point and Quarry Bay	13.8%	1.5
Southern	Aberdeen and Ap Lei Chau	14.7%	1.6
Wan Chai	Tin Hau and Causeway Bay	5.8%	1.5
	Wan Chai	3.7%	1.0
Kowloon City	Kai Tak	24.2%	1.5
	Kowloon City	4.7%	1.0
Yau Tsim	Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei	6.3%	1.1
Sha Tin	Tai Wai	0.0%	N/A
Kwai Tsing	Kwai Chung East	7.2%	1.3
	Tsing Yi South	7.1%	1.0
Tsuen Wan	Tsuen Wan Town	6.9%	1.5
Tuen Mun	Tuen Mun South	9.2%	1.9

The FEHD continues to carry out a series of measures, including:

• convening special meetings of the interdepartmental task forces on anti-mosquito work to co-ordinate relevant departments and stakeholders, such as construction site contractors, schools and property management companies, in strengthening venues' mosquito control work;
• conducting risk assessments to identify locations with more serious mosquito infestation to carry out intensive and targeted mosquito control work, including stepping up inspections, eliminating mosquito breeding and potential breeding grounds, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at appropriate locations;
• organising exhibitions with the relevant departments and stakeholders, and distributing leaflets and posters; and
• notifying residential estates that have subscribed to the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, advising property management companies and residents to stay vigilant and work together in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures.

During the follow-up actions and following the discovery of stagnant water or stagnant water containers at two parks, five public housing estates and three private housing estates in Eastern District, Southern District, Kowloon City District, Sha Tin District, Tai Po District and Yuen Long District, the FEHD has issued a total of 10 statutory notices to the responsible persons-in-charge, requiring the clearance of such items within a specified timeframe. In addition, the FEHD has initiated two prosecutions against the relevant construction site contractors following the discovery of mosquito breeding at two construction sites in Eastern District and Kowloon City District.

Public participation is crucial to the effective control of mosquito problems. The FEHD appeals to members of the public to continue to work together in strengthening personal mosquito control measures, including:

• tidy up their premises and check for any accumulation of water inside the premises;
• remove all unnecessary water collections and eliminate the sources;
• check household items (those placed in outdoor and open areas in particular), such as refuse containers, vases, air conditioner drip trays, and laundry racks to prevent stagnant water;
• change water in flower vases and scrub their inner surfaces thoroughly, and remove water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week;
• properly cover all containers that hold water to prevent mosquitoes from accessing the water;
• properly dispose of articles that can contain water, such as disposable meal boxes and empty cans; and
• scrub drains and surface sewers with alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

Starting in August 2025, following the completion of the surveillance of individual survey areas, and once the latest gravidtrap index and the density index are available, the FEHD has been disseminating relevant information through press releases, its website and social media. It aims to allow members of the public to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation and strengthen mosquito control efforts, thereby reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

Following recommendations from the World Health Organization and taking into account the local situation in Hong Kong, the FEHD sets up gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne diseases have been recorded in the past, as well as in densely populated places such as housing estates, hospitals and schools to monitor the breeding and distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can transmit CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has set up gravidtraps in 62 survey areas of the community, with a surveillance period of two weeks. During the surveillance period, the FEHD will collect the gravidtraps once a week. After the first week of surveillance, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards inside the retrieved gravidtraps for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to compile the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the second week of surveillance, the FEHD will instantly check the glue boards for the presence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Data from the two weeks of surveillance will be combined to obtain the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas, as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures, are available on the department's webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).

FEHD releases third batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases third batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases third batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD releases third batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases