Update on mosquito-borne illness, dengue fever and chikungunya fever
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The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (May 1) revealed the current scenario concerning dengue fever (DF) and chikungunya fever (CF). As temperature levels slowly increase and humidity boosts, developing beneficial conditions for mosquito breeding, members of the general public are advised to take proper procedures to avoid mosquito bites and mosquito breeding, both in Hong Kong and when taking a trip to locations impacted by mosquito-borne illness, in order to avoid mosquito-borne illness.
Dengue fever
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From April 24 to the other day (April 30), the CHP taped one imported DF case. The client had actually taken a trip to Vietnam throughout the incubation duration.
Concerning the regional DF case revealed previously, the CHP has actually carried out health evaluations for around 700 people, consisting of employees at the exact same building and construction website as the client and homeowners of the very same housing estate. None have actually shown any signs. The CHP has actually not gotten any reports of believed DF cases epidemiologically connected to that regional case.
Hong Kong has actually tape-recorded 17 DF cases up until now this year, consisting of 16 imported cases and one regional case. An overall of 59 DF cases were tape-recorded in 2015 (2025 ), all of which were imported cases. In 2024, 161 DF cases were taped, consisting of 156 imported cases and 5 regional cases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide occurrence of DF has actually considerably increased over the previous twenty years, positioning a considerable public health obstacle. In 2024, the WHO taped over 14 million cases, which was a record number. From January to July 2025, over 4 million cases and over 3 000 DF-related deaths were reported in 97 countries/territories.
DF prevails in lots of neighbouring traveler locations. In 2025, Indonesia, India and Vietnam each taped over 120 000 cases; Malaysia and Thailand each taped over 50 000 cases; and Singapore tape-recorded over 4 000 cases. As of April 19, the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention taped 69 cases in Guangdong Province this year, consisting of 4 in your area contaminated cases. Guangdong Province tape-recorded over 3 500 in your area contaminated cases in 2025.
Comprehensive details on the most recent DF circumstance in Hong Kong, in addition to neighbouring and abroad nations and locations, has actually been published to the CHP’s site.
Chikungunya fever
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From April 24 to the other day, no brand-new cases of CF had actually been taped. Hong Kong has actually tape-recorded 2 validated CF cases up until now this year, both of which were imported cases. Hong Kong taped an overall of 82 validated CF cases in 2015. Amongst them, 11 were regional cases, and the rest were imported cases.
Given that the start of 2025, and since December 10, 2025, an overall of 502 264 CF cases and 186 CF-related deaths have actually been reported in over 40 countries/territories. Cases have actually been reported in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. As of April 19, the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention taped 3 cases in Guangdong Province this year, consisting of one in your area contaminated case.
Preventive steps to be taken by the public
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According to the current security information from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), the mosquito invasions in Hong Kong aggravated in April. In addition, the typical temperature level and rains in April this year were greater than those of the exact same duration in 2015, producing beneficial conditions for mosquito development and breeding. The CHP advised members of the public to preserve excellent ecological health, and to take suitable procedures to avoid mosquito bites and mosquito breeding, both in Hong Kong and when taking a trip to locations impacted by mosquito-borne illness, in order to avoid mosquito-borne illness.
Mosquito-borne illness such as DF and CF are endemic in numerous nations worldwide. The threat of importation continues. Members of the general public must examine the scenario at their locations before taking a trip abroad, particularly when taking a trip to Southeast Asian nations. In addition, whether taking a trip or not, members of the general public ought to utilize DEET-containing bug sprays or other reliable active components effectively to avoid mosquito bites, however the following safety measures must be taken when utilizing them:
- check out the label guidelines thoroughly initially;
- use right before getting in a location with a danger of mosquito bites;
- use on exposed skin and clothes;
- usage DEET of approximately 30 percent for pregnant ladies and approximately 10 percent for kids (for kids who take a trip to nations or locations where mosquito-borne illness are endemic or epidemic, and where direct exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can utilize DEET-containing bug sprays with a DEET concentration of as much as 30 percent);
- use sun block initially, then bug spray;
- reapply just when required and follow the guidelines; and
- in addition to DEET, there are other bug sprays offered on the marketplace including various active components, such as IR3535 and picaridin. When utilizing any bug spray, the general public needs to follow the use directions and safety measures on the item label.
The FEHD likewise interest members of the general public to continue to remain alert and collaborate to perform mosquito avoidance and control steps early, consisting of examining their homes and environments to get rid of possible breeding premises, altering water in vases and scrubbing their inner surface areas, getting rid of water in dishes under potted plants a minimum of when a week, and correctly dealing with containers such as empty cans and lunch boxes. The FEHD likewise encourages members of the general public and home management firms to keep drains pipes without clog and level all malfunctioning ground surface areas to avoid the build-up of water. They need to likewise scrub all drains pipes and surface area drains with an alkaline cleaning agent a minimum of when a week to get rid of any mosquito eggs.
The general public must call 1823 in case of mosquito issues, and might go to the following pages to find out more: the CF page of the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the most recent Travel Health News, suggestions for utilizing bug sprays, and the CHP Facebook Page, Instagram Account and YouTube Channel, and likewise the Mosquito Prevention and Control devoted page of the FEHD.