Editorial | Hong Kong is right to step up action to prevent chikungunya spread

Hong Kong’s first-ever case of locally acquired chikungunya prompted health authorities to warn people who live in the same neighbourhood as the 82-year-old patient that they face higher risks of infection. The authorities said anti-mosquito work would be stepped up, especially around the estate in Diamond Hill where the patient lived and was likely to have been bitten by virus-carrying insects. Health officials say that even though the flying range of the Aedes mosquito is short, a radius of 200 metres from the block where the woman lived includes 8,000 households and 10,000 residents who are at risk of infection if bitten by mosquitoes.

All 46 cases previously reported this year were imported. While rarely fatal, infection with chikungunya can lead to symptoms such as fever, rash and joint pain and prolonged fatigue. Measures put in place in response to the first local infection include the distribution of leaflets and questionnaires about possible symptoms to help uncover unreported or “hidden” cases, and liaising with three local schools.

Elderly residents of the patient’s block are understandably worried, saying the area is infested with mosquitoes. Unsurprisingly, some may think the authorities are overreacting to this first-ever local infection, particularly since the city last recorded chikungunya cases in 2019. However, it can be argued that because the city has reported its first local case while mainland China has been fighting its largest documented outbreak – mainly in Guangdong province – that should remind the authorities to be better prepared. So far, the government has rightly taken timely preventive measures. It is also up to residents to support the fight by taking protective steps to avoid bites and removing standing water, which is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.