The Government will adopt a more proactive and sustainable approach to containing the spread of Dengue fever.

Anti-mosquito Steering Committee Chairman Carrie Yau, who is also the Permanent Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food, made the announcement today. She added that the public should play a more active role in anti-mosquito operations.

She said the decision takes into account the growing global prevalence of the disease as well as the occurrence of sporadic imported cases in Hong Kong.

Dry season mosquito problems contained

Mrs Yau said the monthly ovitrap indices, which show the extent of mosquito problems in different districts, for the first quarter were on average less than 1%.

Consistent with the seasonal pattern for the last three years, the breeding index went up to 11.4 % last month, which was far below the corresponding index for last April (30.2%).

Nevertheless, there is no room for complacency, Mrs Yau said, adding that the community needs to step up its efforts before the peak breeding season in June and July.

Community needs to step up efforts

The public should also eliminate outdoor pools of stagnant water after torrential or prolonged rains as mosquitoes like to lay their eggs in such places. International experts have referred to the post-rain period as a golden time for mosquito proliferation.

Compared with previous years, the majority of the area ovitrap indices were on the low side last month. Of the 38 surveyed localities, only eight areas - Tai Po, Kennedy Town, Tung Chung, Kwai Chung, Lo Wu, Cheung Chau, Wong Tin Sin and Ma Wan - were found to have indices exceeding 20%.

While concerned departments will intensify territory-wide anti-mosquito measures in addition to the locality-specific control operations, the committee has set major operational targets for the coming quarter.

Major targets set for future operations

The targets are construction sites, illegal cultivation blackspots, environmental blackspots, recreational sites, alleys, private streets and housing estates.

The Education & Manpower Bureau will encourage schools to establish dedicated patrol teams to inspect school premises for mosquito breeding grounds and to identify major breeding sources in the vicinity for follow-up action.

On community participation, the Department of Health recently conducted a telephone survey of public awareness of Dengue fever. 

About 3,000 people responded to the survey, and they are generally aware of the threat of Dengue fever as well as the Government's anti-mosquito campaigns.

Measures re-oriented for better results

However, the committee saw the need for re-focused or enhanced efforts on three fronts:

* Introducing more skills and hands-on programmes to the public so that all sectors can take concrete and practical measures. The Education & Manpower Bureau and Home Affairs Department will work with the community and schools on mosquito prevention;

* Reaching out to certain target groups such as public housing residents, unemployed and retired persons to disseminate information and help them to protect themselves; and,

* Raising public awareness of the penalty for mosquito breeding - the maximum penalty for mosquito breeding in one's premises is $25,000. The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department has instituted around 60 prosecutions against mosquito breeding so far this year and will step up publicity on relevant laws and court rulings.

12 cases reported this year

This year 12 confirmed Dengue fever cases were reported. All were imported - 11 had a history of travel to Southeast Asia and one to South Asia.

For last year, 44 confirmed cases were reported, of which 24 were imported.