Latest news with #JosephTsangKay-yan
The Star
08-08-2025
- Health
- The Star
Imported chikungunya cases will rise steadily in Hong Kong, expert warns
Hong Kong is expected to experience an increase in imported chikungunya fever cases, a leading specialist has said, calling on the public to avoid travelling to high-risk areas after the city recorded three more infections. Dr Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, co-chairman of the Hong Kong Medical Association's advisory committee on communicable diseases, issued the warning on Thursday, following several days of heavy downpours, which also raised concerns about an increased risk of local transmission. 'Imported cases [of chikungunya fever] are expected to increase steadily,' Tsang told a radio programme, two days after the city experienced its second-longest black rainstorm warning on record. 'Residents should also be responsible and do their best to avoid visiting high-risk areas.' The disease expert said that since many Hongkongers lived in Guangdong province, where infections were rising, the number of imported cases would increase if people returned to the city for treatment. Chikungunya fever is spread by mosquito bites, with those infected typically developing fever and joint pain that can last for months or even years. Other potential symptoms include muscle pain, nausea and rashes. Tsang explained that the heavy rainfall earlier this week could easily bring about stagnant water that favoured mosquito breeding, further increasing the risk of more cases in the city. Asked whether the possibility of local transmission was now higher, he said mosquito control measures would be key in determining whether the city would see a cluster or a local outbreak. Besides the government, the public should also share responsibility for preventing the spread of the disease by paying attention to mosquito control measures and avoiding high-risk areas, Tsang said. Those who had been to high-risk areas were advised to monitor related symptoms and continue to spray mosquito repellent for 14 days after returning to the city. He said that around 15 to 35 per cent of infected people had mild symptoms in the first seven days of the illness, which might not be easily noticed. If they moved around in the community, there was a chance they could spread the disease. Tsang also said that those who experienced serious joint pain and fever should seek medical treatment, adding that the disease's after-effects could last for a few months and some patients might suffer from chronic arthritis. Following the city's first imported chikungunya fever case in six years last week, three new cases were confirmed on Wednesday – a woman returning from Foshan in Guangdong, and a father and son who had travelled to Bangladesh. Health authorities have classified the latter two cases as imported because the father and son spent the entire incubation period in Bangladesh. The breeding of Aedes albopictus, a type of mosquito that can transmit chikungunya fever and other diseases, in about 70 per cent of the 61 areas under monitoring in July has reached a 'fairly extensive' or higher level, according to the latest available data from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Higher-risk areas include Ma Wan, Lam Tin, Sau Mau Ping, Yuen Long Town, Kwai Tsing and Sham Shui Po. Experts called on authorities to step up mosquito control measures in these areas after the torrential rains. Residents of Lei Tung Estate, located in Ap Lei Chau, one of the 61 monitored areas, said they were not too worried about the disease and would take steps to protect themselves. At the entrance of the bustling Lei Tung Shopping Centre, members of the Southern District Care Team were spotted distributing leaflets that explained how to eliminate stagnant water and prevent mosquitoes. They also handed out mosquito repellent patches earlier in the day. 'We are not too worried about the confirmed chikungunya case because the community's preventive measures are very thorough,' said a 70-year-old retiree, surnamed Ng. She also said that she had already applied mosquito repellent and urged other residents to take care of their health. Ng and her neighbours were also engaging with community workers to help raise awareness about mosquito control measures. Library assistant Ng Chun-ming, 21, said: 'Even though I often get bitten by mosquitoes, I'm not really worried ... maybe I don't have enough knowledge about [chikungunya] fever.' Care team member Lisa Cheng, 76, said that some pest control measures had been implemented on Thursday. Further measures are scheduled to be carried out on August 8, 18 and 29, but will be postponed if it rains. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
Bangkok Post
08-08-2025
- Health
- Bangkok Post
Imported chikungunya cases will rise steadily in Hong Kong, leading expert warns
Hong Kong is expected to experience an increase in imported chikungunya fever cases, a leading infectious disease specialist has said, calling on the public to avoid travelling to high-risk areas after the city recorded three more infections. Dr Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, co-chairman of the advisory committee on communicable diseases of the Hong Kong Medical Association, made the warning on Thursday, following several days of heavy downpours, which also raised concerns about an increased risk of local transmission. "Imported cases [of chikungunya fever] are expected to increase steadily," Dr Tsang told a radio programme. "Residents should also be responsible and do their best to avoid visiting high-risk areas." He said that since many Hong Kongers lived in Guangdong province, where infections are rising, the number of imported cases would increase if those infected returned to the city for treatment. Chikungunya fever is spread by mosquito bites, with cases typically developing fever and joint pain that can last for months or even years. Other potential symptoms include muscle pain, nausea and rashes. He added that the recent heavy rainfall, citing the city's second-longest black rainstorm warning on record on Tuesday, could easily cause stagnant water that favoured mosquito breeding, further increasing the risk of having more cases in the city. Asked if the possibility of local transmission was now higher, Dr Tsang said mosquito control measures would be a key factor in determining whether the city would see a cluster or local outbreak. Besides the government, he said that the public should share responsibility for preventing the spread of the disease by paying attention to mosquito control measures and avoiding high-risk areas. Those who have been to high-risk areas are advised to monitor related symptoms and continue to spray mosquito repellent for 14 days after returning to the city, Dr Tsang said. He said that around 15% to 35% of infected people had mild symptoms in the first seven days of the illness, which may not be easily noticed. If they move around in the community, there is a chance they could spread the disease, according to Dr Tsang. He also said that those who experienced serious joint pain and fever should seek medical treatment, as the disease's after-effects might last for a few months and some patients might suffer from chronic arthritis. Following the city's first imported chikungunya fever case in six years last week, three new cases were confirmed on Wednesday, comprising a woman returning from Guangdong province's Foshan, as well as a father and son who travelled to Bangladesh. Health authorities have classified the latter two cases as imported because the father and son spent the entire incubation period in Bangladesh. The breeding of Aedes albopictus, a type of mosquito that could transmit chikungunya fever and other diseases, in about 70% of the 61 city areas under surveillance in July has reached a "fairly extensive" or higher level, according to the latest available data from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Higher-risk areas include Ma Wan, Lam Tin and Sau Mau Ping, Yuen Long Town, Kwai Tsing and Sham Shui Po, with experts calling on authorities to step up mosquito control measures after the torrential rains. Residents of Lei Tung Estate, located in Ap Lei Chau, one of the 61 areas under surveillance, said they were not too worried about the disease as they would take steps to protect themselves. At the entrance of the bustling Lei Tung Shopping Centre, members of the Southern District Care Team were spotted distributing leaflets that clarified how to eliminate stagnant water and prevent mosquitoes. They also handed out mosquito-repellent patches earlier in the day. "We are not too worried about the confirmed chikungunya case because the community's preventive measures are very thorough," a 70-year-old retiree, surnamed Ng, said. She also said that she had already applied mosquito repellent and urged other residents to take care of their health. Ng and her neighbours were also engaging with the community workers to help raise awareness about mosquito control measures. Library assistant Ng Chun-ming, 21, said: "Even though I often get bitten by mosquitoes, I'm not really worried ... maybe I don't have enough knowledge about the fever. Care team member Lisa Cheng, 76, said that the pest control measure had already been done once on Thursday.
