Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan today inspected the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department's anti-mosquito measures at the hillside near Princess Margaret Hospital in view of recent imported malaria cases.

Mr Tse noted that anopheline mosquito transmitting malaria is not commonly found in Hong Kong and the risk of local transmission of malaria is extremely low.

However, he stressed that malaria is a serious infectious disease which can be fatal if not treated early, adding that the public must not lower its guard because of the relatively low risk. 

The department has stepped up its vector prevention and control work in high-risk places, including conducting vector investigation, strengthening vector prevention and control work in rivers and streams in areas within a two-kilometre radius from the residence of patients and the places they visited, eg the airport, relevant quarantine hotels, quarantine centres and hospitals.

It has also applied larvicide at appropriate locations so that anopheline mosquitoes cannot breed and survive.

The environment chief also appealed to members of the public to work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures at their homes and surroundings, thereby keeping hazards at bay.