The inter-departmental Pest Control Steering Committee (PCSC) held its 13th meeting today (June 22) to discuss the enhanced measures on pest control being adopted by the Government, as well as the strategies in response to the recent situation of mosquito infestation. 
 
Rodent control
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     At the meeting, representatives of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) briefed members on the various enhanced measures to be adopted on rodent surveillance, prevention and control. The new measures target different locations, such as public areas, public markets, rear lanes and private premises, etc, to raise the effectiveness of anti-rodent work. They include:
 

• reviewing the existing methodology of the Rodent Infestation Survey, exploring the feasibility of formulating a "composite rodent infestation rate", and studying and identifying indicators which can better reflect the effectiveness of anti-rodent work;
• developing a mobile application to enable staff of pest control service contractors to report operational data on-site;
• initiating night rodent control operations progressively in public areas across the city;
• extending the intensive anti-rodent operations, which are currently being conducted at 73 FEHD public markets after their operating hours every night, to all its 96 public markets and 11 hawker bazaars;
• studying measures to ensure that food business licensees will handle waste generated by their premises properly to mitigate the rodent problem (especially in rear lanes);
• developing a code of practice and checklist for property management companies, owners' incorporations, etc, as well as other departments, to provide them with guidance on rodent control work; and
• conducting inspections proactively under a risk-based approach at common parts of private residential estates, shopping malls and common parts of Government venues, etc, to locate signs of rodent infestation.

     The participation and collaboration of all departments are crucial to tackling rodent infestation. The meeting also discussed measures that various departments should undertake in a bid to improve the effectiveness of anti-rodent work in terms of surveillance, prevention and control.

Mosquito control
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     To strengthen the monitoring of mosquito infestation, the FEHD has all along been announcing the gravidtrap index and density index for Aedes albopictus to Government departments and members of the public. The FEHD has also formulated the classification levels for the gravidtrap index based on the percentage of the gravidtraps found positive with breeding of Aedes albopictus to reflect the extensiveness of their distribution. At the meeting, representatives of the FEHD reported that it had also formulated and announced the classification levels for the density index since March this year as an additional reference indicator to quantify the activity level of Aedes albopictus, such that all departments and the public can take appropriate preventive measures in a timely manner.
 
     As the rainy season approaches, the PCSC noted that, as in the past, the gravidtrap index in May was higher than that of the previous four months of this year. With reference to the trend of past years, the relevant index might continue to rise during summer. The PCSC reminded all departments to strengthen mosquito prevention and control measures promptly at the venues under their respective management, including inspecting the surrounding environments regularly, eliminating potential breeding places of mosquitoes, removing stagnant water, deploying mosquito trapping devices for trapping mosquitoes, and conducting regular ultra-low volume fogging operations to kill adult mosquitoes, etc. 
 
     Furthermore, the PCSC noted the recent dengue fever situation in Southeast Asia. In the event that a local dengue fever case is found in Hong Kong, all departments will take prompt response measures. The PCSC reminded the FEHD and all departments to stay vigilant and keep adopting anti-mosquito measures.
 
     The Government appealed to members of the public to keep their household and the community clean, with a view to improving environmental hygiene through concerted efforts.
 
     Representatives from three bureaux and 21 departments and organisations attended today's meeting.

Ends/Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:28

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