The overall rodent infestation rate for 2020 was 3.6%, lower than the 4.2% recorded in 2019, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department announced today.

It added that the rates of all districts were below 10% for 2020, suggesting that rodent infestation was not extensive during the survey period in most districts.

Apart from the district rodent infestation rates, the department from this announcement onwards will release the rodent infestation rates of all survey locations in each district to better inform the public.

Since the second half of 2020, the number of survey locations increased from 41 to 50, and the number of baiting points from 2,300 to 2,700 to cover more locations that may be infested with rodents, such as new development areas, residential areas, back alleys and industrial areas.

At the same time, the department has implemented mitigation measures at survey locations with a more serious rodent infestation, followed by a new survey round. The figures significantly decreased, showing the mitigation measures to be effective.

In addition, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department is working with the Lands Department to distribute rodent infestation data on survey locations to various departments through the Government’s Geospatial Information Hub platform by mid-2021, so that those departments can deploy targeted rodent prevention and control operations at their responsible sites.

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department is also carrying out a citywide anti-rodent campaign. The first phase started in early January and ended on March 12, while the 10-week second phase will start in July. Rodent control work and inspections are stepped up in target areas, including markets, municipal services buildings, hawker bazaars, typhoon shelters, lanes adjacent to food premises and other problematic spots and their peripheries.

The department will conduct an eight-week anti-rodent operation in designated target areas in various districts after each phase of the citywide anti-rodent campaign this year. Thermal cameras will be used to detect rodent activities in all designated target areas and survey locations where the infestation is more severe.

It will also step up public education and publicity targeting different sectors of the community, including co-organising promotional activities with District Councils, to encourage citizens to actively participate in the anti-rodent campaigns.