After Sars and bird flu, Hong Kong risks dengue fever

Hong Kong (AsiaNews/SCMP) – Health authorities have warned that the risk of an explosion of  dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness, has greatly increased in Hong Kong. The disease has taken more than 250 victims in Indonesia in the last months.  Dengue fever produces sickness with high temperatures, viral infections to severe and fatal hemorrhagic desease.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department said that in the last months the number of mosquitoes bearing the illness - the aedes albopictus, or  "tiger mosquito" – has increased considerably, surpassing t40 percent on the index in some areas, considered an 'alarming' level of risk.  Ho Yuk-yin, a consultant for  the department, attributed the proliferation of the mosquitoes to heavy rainfall, high humidity and warm temperatures this year in Hong Kong.  According to  the expert, "An anti-mosquito campaign  is very important and the participation of the public is crucial."  The tiger mosquito, in fact, breeds especially in small pools of stagnant water that can form in places like lunchboxes, containers, bottles, tires, and wheelbarrows.  Dr. Lo Wing-lok, President of the Medical Association and a legislator representing the medical sphere in Parliament, said that "Public education is important, such as warning people about the dangers of stagnant water."  There is also misinformation about the illness spreading especially in rural areas.

In addition to a campaign for sensitizing the public,  Hong Kong is taking concrete measures against the spread of the mosquitoes, such as spraying insecticides in public areas and issuing warnings on  stagnant water.  So far, Hong Kong is not among the 100 countries where dengue fever dengue is endemic.  In 2002, an explosion of the disease caused 44 cases.  In 2003, only one infection was reported.  (MR)

• hong
• kong
• china
• health
• prevention
• medicine