Chikungunya fever poses ‘medium to high risk' of local transmission, warns Hong Kong health official
Albert Au, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), said on an RTHK radio show on Thursday that Guangdong province had seen a 'localised outbreak' of chikungunya fever over the past few weeks following some imported cases.
Based on the CHP's communication with Guangdong authorities, the southern Chinese province has logged around 6,100 cases so far, Au said.
About 90 per cent of the cases were recorded in Foshan, but other cities such as Guangzhou, Zhongshan, and Dongguan have reported cases too, he added.
While Hong Kong has not recorded any cases so far, authorities are 'on high alert,' Au said.
'It is a time for summer holidays, and Hongkongers love to travel to Guangdong province. With frequent travel, there is a high risk of imported cases,' the health official said.
'Hong Kong has more mosquitoes during summer,' he added. 'So if there are imported cases, there is a medium to high risk that it will lead to local transmission.'
According to the CHP, chikungunya fever is most commonly transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Aedes mosquitoes.
While the vector Aedes aegypti is not found in Hong Kong, Aedes albopictus, another species that can also spread the disease, is commonly found in the city.
Chikungunya fever causes rare fatalities, and its symptoms are milder than those of dengue fever, another mosquito-borne disease.
However, chikungunya fever carries a higher transmission potential than dengue fever, Au said.
Mosquito control measures
Meanwhile, the Housing Department has stepped up measures to prevent and control mosquitoes in public housing estates in Hong Kong due to the chikungunya outbreak in Guangdong.
According to a statement on Thursday, the department is conducting fogging operations to eliminate adult mosquitoes and has taken measures such as removing stagnant water and water-holding containers and keeping drains clear of blockages to prevent water accumulation.
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