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| Dengue is spread by the aedes mosquito. |
The Hong Kong government has renewed its calls for people to be wary of dengue fever (DF) as new cases continued to increase, with the number for the last nine months exceeding the total for the whole of 2024.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health that with seven cases reported from the week of Sept. 27 to Oct. 3, there are now 77 reported in the past 10 months, compared with 62 for the whole of last year. Of the new cases, 73 are imported and only four are local.
At the same time, DF is raging in countries from where cases originated.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
“The latest surveillance data shows that there is an
increase in DF cases noted in some places in Asia (such as Indonesia, Malaysia
and Singapore) compared to the same period last year,” CHP said.
In Indonesia, the top source of this year’s cases at 17 so
far, reported 454,576 cases as of last July 15 against 114,720 last year, according
to Indonesian Ministry of Health figures cited by a CHP report.
The biggest number of DF cases worldwide is Brazil, with 6,533,585
cases reported by is Ministry of Health as of Oct 1.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
CHP thus singles out travelers from these countries in its advisory.
"Apart
from general measures, travelers returning from areas affected by DF should
apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling
unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to a doctor,"
the CHP said.
The CHP also said it has issued a letter to doctors to
enhance their alertness for DF cases.
As to the public, it issued the following advice on the control
of mosquitos, which spread the disease:
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
- Thoroughly check all gully traps, roof gutters, surface channels and drains to prevent blockage;
- Scrub and clean drains and surface channels with an alkaline detergent compound at least once a week to remove any deposited mosquito eggs;
- Properly dispose of refuse, such as soft drink cans, empty bottles and boxes, in covered litter containers;
- Completely change the water of flowers and plants at least once a week. The use of saucers should be avoided if possible;
- Level irregular ground surfaces before the rainy season;
- Avoid staying in shrubby areas; and
- Take personal protective measures such as wearing light-colored long-sleeved clothes and trousers, and apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing or uncovered areas of the body when doing outdoor activities.
The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems and
may visit the following pages for more information: the DF page of the CHP and
the Travel Health Service (https://www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/popup/popup_dengue.html)
, the latest Travel Health News (https://www.travelhealth.gov.hk/english/outbreaknews/outbreaknews.html),
tips for using insect repellents (https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/38927.html),
and the CHP Facebook Page and YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/ChpGovHkChannel).
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