Press Releases

Sustainable territory-wide effort to control mosquito population

The Anti-mosquito Steering Committee (AMSC) today (October 10) vows to devote sustained effort to control the growth of mosquito population and minimise the spread of dengue fever in the next wet season.

AMSC chairman, Mrs Carrie Yau, who is also the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food Bureau, also urged the public to team up with the Government in this sustained anti-mosquito campaign to greatly reduce the risk of the infectious disease to spread out in Hong Kong.

Mrs Yau told a media session after the steering committee's first meeting that the Government had accorded high priority to work related to anti-mosquito campaign and would extend it into the winter season.

"Relevant Government departments and agencies will stage concerted effort to comb all possible mosquito breeding places in the next few months before the coming of spring to reduce the mosquito population.

"Controlling the mosquito population, according to our experts, is the most effective way in tackling this mosquito-borne disease. It would be impossible to eradicate dengue fever in the territory but we can minimise its risk," she said.

The steering committee was set up last week to escalate the fight against the mosquito problem following 36 reported cases of dengue fever, 20 of them were locally contracted.

Its main objectives are: to oversee the policy, strategies and directions of the territory-wide campaign and the implementation of the Inter-departmental Co-ordinating Committee on Dengue Fever; and to map out comprehensive and sustainable strategy on anti-mosquito operation, preventive measures and publicity to maintain public alertness on the disease.

Mrs Yau noted members of the steering committee supported the broad spectrum of disease and vector control measures being pursued by the Department of Health (DH) and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) - the two core departments leading the fight against dengue fever and mosquito problems.

In order to strengthen vector surveillance, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will make public the mosquito-breeding index (i.e. percentage of ovitraps found to have larvae laid) on a regular basis.

The FEHD will review the distribution of ovitraps to ensure that they are all strategically located and increase the number.

"This will not only facilitate government departments in taking timely mosquito control actions at the sites but also enable members of the public to learn about the risk of mosquito bites at different times of the year," Mrs Yau said.

On disease surveillance and control, Mrs Yau said the Government would continue to closely monitoring dengue fever cases in Hong Kong. All medical professionals are at present required by statute to report suspected and confirmed cases in a timely manner.

She said: "We keep them up-to-date on the latest development of the disease through bulletins, letters and the Internet. Our laboratories will continue to carry out blood sample tests, other diagnostic work as well as seroprevalence studies.

"On the international front, the DH will set up liaison with the World Health Organisation and overseas health authorities with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of the preventive and control measures adopted locally."

Mrs Yau said the steering committee was aware that actions counted as much as strategies and plans. In this connection, various departments have taken the initiative to set additional operational targets for the coming months. The followings are some of the targets:-

* The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has issued new instructions to its frontline staff and cleansing contractors to place emphasis on anti-mosquito efforts in regular cleansing operations. It will deploy a special cleansing team to carry out focused anti-mosquito operations for some 60 venues every week.

* The Lands Department will complete the first round of grass-cutting and rubbish clearance on identified black spots covering more than 250 sites by this month and a second round by January/February 2003.

* The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will launch a 13-week intensive clean-up operation in all country parks starting from this month.

* The Highways Department will step up inspections on all roadwork sites, roads/drains, road slopes, highway structures and depots to eliminate mosquito-breeding places.

* The Housing Department will form a special cleansing task force in each estate to carry out weekly inspections to identify black spots for mosquito breeding.

Mrs Yau noted community involvement has been an indispensable part of an effective disease surveillance and vector control strategy.

At present, more than 15 government agencies are involved in anti-mosquito operations. For the convenience of the public, the steering committee agreed that a one-stop dedicated hotline (2868 0000) run by FEHD should provide advice on mosquito control and handle public enquiries. Any member of the public who wish to know more about dengue fever and preventive measures may visit the website of FEHD at www.info.gov.hk/fehd and DH at www.info.gov.hk/dh.

Mrs Yau noted the Home Affairs Bureau/Department have been actively disseminating messages at the community level on mosquito control and prevention of dengue fever through its community networks.

The Steering Committee also agreed that operations by various departments should be focused in areas with potential for mosquito breeding such as urban populated areas, urban and other vacant sites, and old tenement buildings.

"As a new initiative, the Home Affairs Department will approach Owners' Incorporations and Mutual Aid Committees to seek their co-operation in the anti-mosquito drive, in particular in keeping common parts of building clean and undertaking proper refuse management," she said.

The Steering Committee has also endorsed a proposal to set up a working group under the Clean Hong Kong District Promotion Committee to actively involve District Councils and other district organisations in the territory-wide anti-mosquito exercise.

To help assess public awareness on dengue fever and mosquito elimination, the FEHD and DH will conduct community-based surveys. These surveys will help adjust control measures from time to time.

In her closing remark, Mrs Yau called on a concerted community effort to support the anti-mosquito campaign.

She said: "I wish to take this opportunity to make an appeal to the public. In preventing dengue fever outbreaks and combating mosquito problems, the Government cannot do it alone. We need your partnership, your support and your assistance to fulfill these all-important public health goals. While we cannot rule out the emergence of sporadic cases in Hong Kong, by working together, we can certainly minimise the risk of dengue fever in our territory."

Meanwhile, the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong, endorsed the steering committee's strategy to launch a comprehensive and territory-wide campaign against the mosquito problem.

"The steering committee is facing a tough task to contain the growth of mosquito in the territory but with a concerted and sustainable effort from our community, I am confident that the problem will be contained.

"The strategy to control mosquito population is in the right direction as it is by far the most effective way to tackle possible spread of dengue fever," he said.

Thursday, October 10, 2002