About 93% of respondents to a Department of Health survey consider themselves as having a role in the fight against mosquitoes, particularly through keeping the environment clean.

The survey shows members of the public are generally aware of the Dengue fever threat in Hong Kong - but their participation in the anti-mosquito campaign could have been more active.

Releasing the survrey results, Senior Medical & Health Officer of the Department of Health Dr SF Tsang called on members of the public to take persistent measures against mosquito breeding.

Dr Tsang said Government departments have been working closely in an all-out effort to prevent mosquito breeding. But the campaign will not succeed without the full and continuous support and co-operation from members of the public, Dr Tsang added.

The Department commissioned the survey between December 5 and 27 to evaluate the effectiveness of the Government's anti-mosquito/Dengue fever campaign. A total of 3,024 people, aged 15 to 64, were interviewed, with a response rate of  79%.

The survey gauged public awareness of Dengue fever and the Government's anti-Dengue fever campaign, the risk of Dengue fever and effectiveness of preventive measures in the eyes of the public, the public's perception on the roles of themselves and the Government in preventing and controlling the disease, and public participation in the anti-mosquito campaign.

So far this year, 11 imported Dengue fever cases have been reported - almost a fourfold increase over the same period in 2002. Dr Tsang said  that 20 local cases in and 24 imported cases were detected last year.

He urged members of the public, including those travelling to neighbouring regions where Dengue fever is prevailing, to take preventive measures to protect themselves against the disease.

"We need to take every possible means to prevent Dengue fever from becoming an endemic disease. The survey will help us fine-tune our anti-Dengue fever strategy so as to effectively control the disease and safeguard public health," he said.