Hong Kong – FEHD releases seventh batch of gravidtrap indexes for Aedes albopictus in July (with pictures)

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (August 6) launched the seventh batch of gravidtrap indexes and density indexes for Aedes albopictus in July, covering 19 study locations, as follows:

The FEHD continues to perform a series of steps, consisting of:

• interdepartmental partnership: assembling unique conferences of the interdepartmental job forces on anti-mosquito work to co-ordinate appropriate departments and stakeholders( such as building website professionals, schools and residential or commercial property management business)in enhancing mosquito control work at locations;
• exact danger evaluations: performing extensive and targeted mosquito control work at areas with more major mosquito problems, consisting of stepping up evaluations, getting rid of mosquito breeding and possible breeding premises, using larvicides, performing misting operations to eliminate adult mosquitoes, and putting mosquito trapping gadgets at proper areas;
• promo and education: arranging exhibits with pertinent departments and stakeholders, and dispersing brochures and posters to boost public awareness of mosquito control and avoidance; and
• fast alert system: alerting domestic estates that have actually registered for the gravidtrap Rapid Alert System, and encouraging residential or commercial property management business and locals to remain watchful and interact in taking mosquito avoidance and removal procedures.

Throughout the follow-up actions and following the discovery of stagnant water or stagnant water containers at 3 parks, 4 public real estate estates, 4 personal real estate estates, 2 shopping center and a public center in Central and Western District, Kwun Tong District, Sham Shui Po District, North District and Kwai Tsing District, the FEHD has actually released an overall of 14 statutory notifications to the accountable persons-in-charge, needing the clearance of such products within a defined timeframe. The FEHD has actually started 2 prosecutions versus the appropriate building and construction website specialist and the estate management business following the discovery of mosquito breeding at a building website and a public housing estate in Sham Shui Po District and Wong Tai Sin District.

Public involvement is important to the efficient control of mosquito issues. The FEHD attract members of the general public to continue to interact in reinforcing individual mosquito control procedures, consisting of:

• clean up their properties and look for any build-up of water inside the properties;
• eliminate all unneeded water collections and remove the sources;
• check home products (those put in outside and open locations in specific), such as refuse containers, vases, a/c drip trays, and laundry racks to avoid stagnant water;
• modification water in flower vases and scrub their inner surface areas completely, and eliminate water in dishes under potted plants a minimum of as soon as a week;
• effectively cover all containers that hold water to avoid mosquitoes from accessing the water;
• effectively get rid of short articles that can consist of water, such as non reusable meal boxes and empty cans; and
• scrub drains pipes and surface area sewage systems with alkaline cleaning agent a minimum of as soon as a week to get rid of any mosquito eggs.

Beginning in August 2025, following the conclusion of the security of specific study locations, and when the current gravidtrap index and the density index are readily available, the FEHD has actually been sharing pertinent details through news release, its site and social networks. It intends to enable members of the general public to rapidly understand the mosquito problem circumstance and reinforce mosquito control efforts, thus lowering the danger of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

Following suggestions from the World Health Organization and taking into consideration the regional scenario in Hong Kong, the FEHD establishes gravidtraps in districts where mosquito-borne illness have actually been taped in the past, in addition to in largely inhabited locations such as real estate estates, health centers and schools to keep an eye on the breeding and circulation of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, which can send CF and dengue fever. At present, the FEHD has actually established gravidtraps in 62 study locations of the neighborhood, with a security duration of 2 weeks. Throughout the security duration, the FEHD will gather the gravidtraps when a week. After the very first week of monitoring, the FEHD will instantly analyze the glue boards inside the recovered gravidtraps for the existence of adult Aedine mosquitoes to assemble the Gravidtrap Index (First Phase) and Density Index (First Phase). At the end of the 2nd week of monitoring, the FEHD will immediately examine the glue boards for the existence of adult Aedine mosquitoes. Information from the 2 weeks of security will be integrated to get the Area Gravidtrap Index and the Area Density Index. The Gravidtrap and Density indexes for Aedes albopictus in various study locations, along with info on mosquito avoidance and control steps, are offered on the department’s web page (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/Dengue_Fever_Gravidtrap_Index_Update.html#).