HK residents warned about dengue fever

Residents of Hong Kong have been warned to take preventative measures to guard against dengue fever.

The mosquito-borne disease is rare in the territory, but a number of citizens have returned from holidays in other parts of Asia with it.

Among them was a 22-year-old woman who spent four days in hospital having developed symptoms on her return from a trip to Vietnam last month.

She took the total number of cases among Hong Kong residents to 41 this year, following the 58 in 2007. Centre for Health Protection (CHP) officials believe all cases were imported.

However, the CHP fears native cases could happen and has urged people to take steps to make sure mosquitoes are not given ideal breeding grounds.

These include covering all water containers and storage tanks, ensuring drains are not blocked, and putting used bottles and cans in bins with lids.

Meanwhile, Pacific Magazine has reported that several cases of serotype 4 dengue fever have been discovered in New Caledonia, the first time the strain has been identified on the island.

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