Editorial | To prevent the spread of chikungunya, public awareness is critical
Hong Kong residents must do their part to avoid bites and remove sources of water that serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes
Mosquitoes have long been a fact of life in subtropical Hong Kong and the focus of intense efforts to control the insects and diseases they carry.
Recent heavy rain will inevitably boost mosquito populations. The public must support the fight by avoiding insect bites and working to remove standing water where mosquitoes breed.
The first case in Hong Kong was confirmed on August 2 with a 12-year-old Kwun Tong boy contracting the disease, which is behind the outbreaks in mainland China. He had travelled with his mother to the Shunde district of Foshan in Guangdong province in late July and was bitten by mosquitoes there.
Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday confirmed three new cases: a woman, 79, from Southern district who visited Foshan last month, and a 55-year-old man and his 10-year-old son, who live in Kwai Tsing district, who had travelled to Bangladesh between July 12 and August 3.
Chikungunya fever’s symptoms are similar to but milder than dengue fever. Symptoms can persist for months in high-risk individuals such as the elderly.