Update on mosquito-borne diseases, dengue fever and chikungunya fever
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 14) announced the latest situation regarding dengue fever (DF) and chikungunya fever (CF). High temperatures and rainfall in summer are favourable for mosquito breeding, members of the public are reminded to take appropriate measures to prevent mosquito bites and mosquito breeding, both in Hong Kong and when travelling to areas affected by mosquito-borne diseases, in order to prevent mosquito-borne diseases.
The Centre for Health Protection, Photo source: reference image
Dengue fever
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From August 7 to yesterday (August 13), the CHP recorded one imported DF case. The patient had travelled to Malaysia during the incubation period.
Hong Kong has recorded 28 DF cases so far this year, comprising 26 imported cases and two local cases. A total of 59 DF cases were recorded last year (2025), all of which were imported cases. In 2024, 161 DF cases were recorded, comprising 156 imported cases and five local cases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global incidence of DF has markedly increased over the past two decades, posing a substantial public health challenge. In 2024, the WHO recorded over 14 million DF cases, which was a record number. In 2025, over five million cases and over 4 000 DF-related deaths were reported in over 90 countries/territories. From January to June 2026, around 1.6 million cases and over 700 DF-related deaths have been reported in 89 countries/territories. Some Asian countries (including Sri Lanka and Cambodia) are experiencing large outbreaks this year, with figures reaching record highs in recent years.
DF has been prevalent in many neighbouring tourist destinations all along. So far this year, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam each recorded over 70 000 cases; Cambodia and Malaysia each recorded over 40 000 cases; India recorded over 30 000 cases; and Singapore recorded over 1 900 cases. Meanwhile, according to the Guangdong Provincial Disease Control and Prevention Administration, Guangdong Province has recorded over 3 500 local cases in 2025. In 2026, as of June 30, Guangdong Province has recorded 30 local cases.
Detailed information on the latest DF situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, has been uploaded to the CHP's website.
Chikungunya fever
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From August 7 to yesterday, no new cases of CF had been recorded. Hong Kong has recorded two confirmed CF cases so far this year, both of which were imported cases. Hong Kong recorded a total of 82 confirmed CF cases last year. Among them, 11 were local cases and the rest were imported cases.
According to the WHO, a total of 502 264 CF cases and 186 CF-related deaths were reported in 41 countries/territories last year. Cases were reported in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe. According to the Guangdong Provincial Disease Control and Prevention Administration, in 2026, as of June 30, Guangdong Province has recorded 76 local cases.
Preventive measures to be taken by the public
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The CHP reminds members of the public to maintain good environmental hygiene, and to take appropriate measures to prevent mosquito bites and mosquito breeding, both in Hong Kong and when travelling to areas affected by mosquito-borne diseases, in order to prevent mosquito-borne diseases. Mosquito-borne diseases such as DF and CF are endemic in various countries worldwide. The risk of importation persists. Members of the public should check the situation at their destinations before travelling abroad, especially when travelling to Southeast Asian countries. Additionally, whether travelling or not, 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 Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) 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
Economic performance in second quarter of 2026 and latest GDP and price forecasts for 2026
The Government released today (August 14) the Half-yearly Economic Report 2026, together with the revised figures on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2026.
The Government Economist, Ms Irina Fan, gave an account of the economic performance in the second quarter of 2026 and the latest GDP and price forecasts for 2026.
Main points
The Hong Kong economy continued to expand robustly in the second quarter of 2026, underpinned by buoyant external trade and resilient domestic demand. Real GDP grew by 4.3% in the second quarter over a year earlier, following 5.9% growth in the preceding quarter. For the first half of 2026, real GDP grew by 5.1% over a year earlier, the strongest half-yearly performance in nearly five years.
Total exports of goods accelerated, surging by 28.9% year-on-year in real terms in the second quarter, thanks to the robust trade flows driven by strong global demand for artificial intelligence (AI)-related electronic products. Exports of services expanded solidly by 3.4% in real terms over a year earlier, with all major service groups continuing to expand.
Domestic demand remained resilient across consumption and investment. Private consumption expenditure expanded for the fifth consecutive quarter and rose solidly by 2.8% in real terms in the second quarter over a year earlier. Overall investment expenditure rose further by 4.4% in real terms over a year earlier, underpinned by a further visible increase in private sector investment spending.
The labour market remained stable in the second quarter. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%, same as the preceding quarter. The underemployment rate also remained unchanged at 1.6%. Average employment earnings continued to grow over a year earlier.
Asset market conditions in Hong Kong in the second quarter were broadly supportive of both consumption and investment sentiment. The residential property market extended its positive momentum in the second quarter, with buoyant trading activity and further increases in overall flat prices. As for the local stock market, while the market saw fluctuating movements and the Hang Seng Index (HSI) closed the second quarter lower than at end-March, trading activity remained vibrant, with average daily turnover rising visibly by over 20% in the second quarter over a year earlier. Meanwhile, fund-raising activities through initial public offerings (IPO) were vibrant. These reflected investors' enthusiasm for frontier technology and AI-related assets. Going into the third quarter, the HSI recouped some lost ground to close at 25 440 on August12.
Consumer price inflation rose slightly but stayed moderate. The underlying Composite Consumer Price Index (Composite CPI) rose by 1.7% in the second quarter over a year earlier, accelerating from 1.4% in the preceding quarter, driven mainly by a sequential increase in fuel-related components following elevated international oil prices since late-February. Price pressures in other components remained largely subdued.
Looking ahead, the Hong Kong economy should see solid growth in the second half of 2026. The vibrant global demand for AI-related electronic products is expected to continue supporting Hong Kong's merchandise trade performance, and related logistics services should benefit from this momentum as well. Exports of services are also expected to benefit from sustained growth in visitor arrivals, alongside steady demand for financial and business services in Hong Kong. Domestic demand is expected to stay firm, supported by stable labour market conditions, and solid business and consumer sentiment. Nonetheless, external headwinds persist. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain fluid, with potential spillovers to energy markets and global inflation. Inflation dynamics in major economies, the policy trajectories of major central banks, and trade protectionism among advanced economies warrant close attention. Risks associated with the rapid expansion of global AI investment also require monitoring.
Taking into account the stronger-than-expected actual outturn in the first half of the year and the near-term outlook, the real GDP growth forecast for 2026 as a whole is revised up to 3.5% – 4.5%, from 2.5% – 3.5% in the May round of review. The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation.
On the inflation outlook, consumer price inflation is expected to rise in the coming months as the earlier surge in international oil prices continues to feed through. The lingering geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have increased the uncertainty of inflation outlook. Meanwhile, price pressures in other areas remain largely contained, which should keep overall inflation at a moderate level. Taking into account the actual inflation outturn in the first half of the year and the factors mentioned above, the forecasts for the underlying and headline consumer price inflation rates for 2026 are maintained at 2.5% and 2.6% respectively, same as those in the May round of review.
Details
GDP
According to the revised figures released today by the Census and Statistics Department, real GDP grew by 4.3% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026 (same as the advance estimate), following 5.9% growth in the preceding quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, real GDP fell somewhat by 0.6% in the second quarter (same as the advance estimate), having increased visibly by 2.9% in the preceding quarter (Chart).
The latest figures on GDP and its major expenditure components up to the second quarter of 2026 are presented in Table 1. Developments in different segments of the economy in the second quarter are described below.
External trade
Total exports of goods saw accelerated growth of 28.9% year-on-year in real terms in the second quarter, up from 23.8% in the preceding quarter. The strong export growth was underpinned by robust trade flows, driven by strong global demand for AI-related electronic products. Analysed by major market and with reference to external merchandise trade statistics, exports to the Mainland continued to register double-digit growth. Exports to Association of Southeast Asian Nations markets sustained their momentum and accelerated, and those to many other Asian economies also expanded at a faster pace. Exports to the United States grew markedly, and those to the European Union recorded solid growth. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, total exports of goods rose notably further by 7.0% in real terms in the second quarter.
Exports of services expanded solidly by 3.4% in real terms in the second quarter over a year earlier, after rising by 3.3% in the preceding quarter. Exports of all major service groups continued to expand. Specifically, exports of transport services, financial services, and business and other services recorded accelerated growth, supported by vibrant performance in cross-boundary traffic and financial service activities. Exports of travel services continued to expand, driven by solid growth in inbound tourism. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, exports of services increased by 1.2% in real terms in the second quarter.
Domestic sector
Private consumption expenditure rose solidly by 2.8% in real terms in the second quarter over a year earlier, after an increase of 4.9% in the preceding quarter and recording the fifth consecutive quarter of expansion. All major categories of consumption expenditure in the domestic market increased in the second quarter compared with a year earlier. On aseasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, private consumption expenditure rose by 0.6% in real terms in the second quarter. Meanwhile, government consumption expenditure was broadly unchanged in real terms in the second quarter compared with a year earlier, after rising by 2.8% in the preceding quarter. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter basis, government consumption expenditure decreased by 1.9% in real terms in the second quarter.
Overall investment expenditure in terms of gross domestic fixed capital formation rose further by 4.4% year-on-year in real terms in the second quarter, though decelerating from 18.3% growth in the preceding quarter. The deceleration was mainly due to a slowdown in public sector expenditure on building and construction, which primarily reflected the lumpiness of milestone-based payments in the quarter. Private sector investment expenditure nevertheless stayed robust and increased visibly further in the second quarter, marking its third consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Growth was supported by continued visible rise in expenditure on acquisitions of machinery, equipment and intellectual property products, further surge in costs of ownership transfer amid active property transactions, and a return to moderate growth in expenditure on building and construction, reversing its downward trend.
Labour sector
The labour market remained stable in the second quarter. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%, same as the preceding quarter. The underemployment rate also remained unchanged at 1.6%. The average monthly employment earnings of full-time employees (excluding foreign domestic helpers) showed sustained growth of 2.3% in nominal terms over a year earlier.
Asset markets
Asset market conditions in Hong Kong in the second quarter were broadly supportive of both consumption and investment sentiment. The residential property market extended its positive momentum in the second quarter. The number of transactions, in terms of the total number of sale and purchase agreements for residential property received by the Land Registry, rose visibly by another 19% over the preceding quarter to 22 156 in the second quarter, the highest quarterly level in fourteen years, and markedly higher than a year ago by 32%. Overall flat prices went up notably further by 3% during the second quarter, translating into a year-to-date gain of 8%. Overall flat rentals also stayed resilient, rising by another 2% in the second quarter.
The local stock market saw fluctuating movements in the second quarter. The HSI closed the quarter at 22 881, 7.7% lower than at end-March. Nonetheless, trading activity remained vibrant, with average daily turnover rising visibly by 21.8% year-on-year to $289.5 billion in the second quarter. Meanwhile, IPO fund-raising activities were vibrant. These reflected investors' enthusiasm for frontier technology and AI-related assets. Going into the third quarter, the HSI recouped some lost ground to close at 25 440 on August 12.
Prices
Consumer price inflation rose slightly in the second quarter, driven mainly by a sequential increase in fuel-related components following elevated international oil prices since late-February. Price pressures in other components remained largely subdued, keeping overall inflation at a moderate level. The underlying Composite CPI rose by 1.7% in the second quarter over a year earlier, accelerating from 1.4% in the preceding quarter. Including the effects of the Government's one-off relief measures, the headline Composite CPI rose by 1.9% year-on-year in the second quarter, up from 1.6% in the preceding quarter.
Latest GDP and price forecasts for 2026
Looking ahead, the Hong Kong economy should see solid growth in the second half of 2026. The vibrant global demand for AI-related electronic products is expected to continue supporting Hong Kong's merchandise trade performance, and related logistics services should benefit from this momentum as well. Exports of services are also expected to benefit from sustained growth in visitor arrivals, alongside steady demand for financial and business services in Hong Kong. Domestic demand is expected to stay firm, supported by stable labour market conditions, and solid business and consumer sentiment. Nonetheless, external headwinds persist. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain fluid, with potential spillovers to energy markets and global inflation. Inflation dynamics in major economies, the policy trajectories of major central banks, and trade protectionism among advanced economies warrant close attention. Risks associated with the rapid expansion of global AI investment also require monitoring.
Taking into account the stronger-than-expected actual outturn in the first half of the year and the near-term outlook, the real GDP growth forecast for 2026 as a whole is revised up to 3.5% – 4.5%, from 2.5% – 3.5% in the May round of review (Table 2). The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation.
On the inflation outlook, consumer price inflation is expected to rise in the coming months as the earlier surge in international oil prices continues to feed through. The lingering geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have increased the uncertainty of inflation outlook. Meanwhile, price pressures in other areas remain largely contained, which should keep overall inflation at a moderate level. Taking into account the actual inflation outturn in the first half of the year and the factors mentioned above, the forecasts for the underlying and headline consumer price inflation rates for 2026 are maintained at 2.5% and 2.6% respectively, same as those in the May round of review (Table 2).
The Half-yearly Economic Report 2026 is now available for online download, free of charge at www.hkeconomy.gov.hk/en/situation/index.htm.The Report of the Gross Domestic Product by Expenditure Component, which contains the GDP figures up to the second quarter of 2026, is also available for browse and download, free of charge on the homepage of the Census and Statistics Department, www.censtatd.gov.hk.
Source: AI-found images
