The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today that it will strengthen information dissemination and mosquito control work, with a view to further reducing the risk of chikungunya fever (CF) transmission.

The FEHD has been regularly announcing the gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus on its webpage. To allow more citizens to quickly grasp the mosquito infestation situation, the department said it will announce the latest gravidtrap index through press releases and social media platforms.

In addition, to minimise the risk of CF transmission, the FEHD will extend its intensified mosquito control work, which was originally activated when the area gravidtrap index reaches 20%, to cover areas where the index falls between 10% and 20%.

Specifically, the FEHD will conduct detailed risk assessments in the areas concerned to identify locations with higher mosquito infestation risks, followed by intensive and targeted mosquito control work in collaboration with relevant departments and stakeholders.

The FEHD will also notify the nearby housing estates, advising property management agents and residents to stay vigilant and join hands in taking mosquito prevention and elimination measures.

Separately, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) recorded one new imported case and one probable case of CF today.

The confirmed imported case involves a 66-year-old woman with underlying illnesses, living in Kwai Tsing District. Initial investigations revealed that she had travelled alone to Foshan in Guangdong Province between July 24 and August 5. Having developed a fever, rash and joint pain since August 6, she went to Yan Chai Hospital yesterday for treatment and was then hospitalised. The patient is currently in a stable condition. Her blood sample tested positive for CF virus upon laboratory testing.

As regards the probable case, the patient is a 22-year-old woman with good past health, living in Eastern District. Initial investigations revealed that she had travelled overseas between July 16 and August 4 (July 16 to 28: Madagascar; July 28 to August 3: Mauritius; August 3 to 4: Malaysia) before arriving back in Hong Kong on August 4.

The patient recalled a history of mosquito bites in Madagascar. She developed a fever, headache and multiple joint pain in Madagascar since July 25 and a rash over four limbs since July 30, but her fever subsided before returning to Hong Kong. On August 4, she went to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital due to joint pain and was admitted for treatment the following day. She was discharged yesterday.

The patient’s blood sample collected on August 4 tested negative in nucleic acid testing, while another sample collected on August 5 tested positive today for immunoglobulin M antibodies to the CF virus. The CHP explained that this case is likely a recovered case, adding that it will arrange for a blood sample to be collected from the patient next week for a second antibody testing.