The Centre for Food Safety (CFS), established in 2006, is tasked to enhance food safety regulatory functions to raise public confidence in the level of food safety.
The CFS has nine sections responsible for various tasks, including food surveillance and certification, exercising import control and conducting inspections and tests on live food animals, assessing risks of certain categories of food, and disseminating food safety information. It also investigates food poisoning outbreaks on food premises and advises on food standards.
Safety Control of Imported Food
As most food supplies originate from outside Hong Kong, import control is an important part of the CFS's work.
The control process - comprising a pre-entry licensing system, verification of health documents and surveillance at import control points - basically applies to certain categories of high-risk food, such as game, meat, poultry, milk and frozen confections.
Safety Control of Imported Food in 2014
| Applications approved for import licence for frozen/chilled meat and poultry | 108,677 |
| Applications approved for import of game, meat and poultry | 3,034 |
| Applications approved for import of milk and milk products | 411 |
| Applications approved for import of frozen confections | 194 |
| Number of vehicles carrying vegetables inspected by the Man Kam To Food Control Office | 34,736 |
Part of the day-to-day task of ensuring food safety involves close liaison with consulates, Mainland and overseas food authorities, importers, the Customs and Excise Department and other relevant organisations.
Food Surveillance and Handling Food Complaints
Continuous monitoring, testing and law enforcement are keys to ensuring the safety of Hong Kong's food supplies. Food samples are tested at every stage in the supply process: from import and manufacture to wholesale and retail.
During the year, over 64,200 samples of food were taken for testing, which is about nine samples for every 1,000 people in Hong Kong.
Food samples undergo microbiological examinations, chemical analyses and radiation level tests to assess their conformity to legal standards and labelling requirements.
The Man Kam To Food Laboratory provides expeditious and comprehensive testing services, mainly on fresh produce imported from the Mainland. The testing services are divided into three categories:
- Analysis of pesticide residues in fresh vegetables and fruits. Testing parameters include isocarbophos, methamidophos and other organophosphorous pesticides, N-methyl carbamates and pyrethroids.
- Analysis of veterinary drug residues in raw milk. Testing parameters include aminoglycosides, beta-lactams, chloramphenicol, ceftiofur, lincomycin, macrolides, polypeptides, quinolones, sulfonamides, synthetic hormones, tetracyclines and trimethoprim.
- Analysis of melamine in samples of raw milk and pasteurised milk imported from the Mainland.
Enforcement actions are taken against unsatisfactory surveillance results. The data collected through the Food Surveillance Programme is also reviewed and analysed regularly to help topical studies, in addition to assessing the risk of specific foods and formulation of food safety strategies.
In 2014, a total of 4,596 food complaints were handled.
Statistics on the Food Surveillance Programme in 2014
(A) Testing of food samples
| Testing | Number# | Percentage# |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical | ||
| Test conducted | 45,757 | - |
| Satisfactory | 45,664 | 99.8% |
| Microbiological | ||
| Test conducted | 14,919 | - |
| Satisfactory | 14,874 | 99.7% |
| Radiation level | ||
| Test conducted | 3,414 | - |
| Satisfactory | 3,414 | 100% |
# Excluding 61,459 samples of imported Japanese food tested for radiation level in 2014.
(B) Enforcement of food labelling
| Food labels inspected | 55,160 |
| Written warnings issued | 150 |
| Prosecutions taken out | 212 |
Management of Food Incidents
The CFS monitors food incidents, both local and overseas, on a daily basis. Around 1,500 food incidents were identified in 2014. Upon identifying food incidents, the CFS will consider factors such as risk to consumers, local regulations and availability of the concerned food product before deciding on the most appropriate risk management actions.
Besides, the CFS will communicate with related health authorities, importers and distributors on the food incidents. If necessary, the CFS will take actions such as requesting the trade to stop sale, conducting testing as and when appropriate, warning the trade concerned and direct recall of products in question. The CFS will issue rapid alert to traders and inform them of the latest situation. It will also issue press releases to provide advice for consumers if the food incidents are of major public health concern locally. "Food Incident Post" might also be issued on the CFS website if it is anticipated that related food products might be acquired through e-trade, travel, or other personal reasons. A total of 62 trade alerts, 50 press releases on food incidents and 17 food incident posts were issued by the CFS in 2014.
Staffed by doctors and nurses, the Food Incidents Response and Management Unit of the Risk Management Section, in collaboration with the Centre for Health Protection, investigates outbreaks of food poisoning and food-borne infectious diseases on food premises, identifies the contributing factors and assists in tracing sources of suspected food. The unit also educates the food handlers about food, personal and environmental hygiene. Around 240 food premises were investigated by the unit in 2014. The most commonly implicated causative agents in food poisoning outbreaks related to food premises were Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus and Norovirus. The contributing factors more frequently identified during investigations included inadequate cooking, improper holding temperatures and contaminated raw food.
Food Safety Ordinance
The Food Safety Ordinance (Chapter 612) (the Ordinance), which strengthens food safety control to protect public health, commenced full operation on 1 February 2012. The Ordinance introduces a food tracing mechanism to help the Government trace the source of the food more effectively and take prompt action when dealing with food incidents. The food tracing mechanism includes a registration scheme for food importers and food distributors and a record-keeping requirement relating to movement of food. Under the Ordinance, food importers and distributors, other than those who have already registered or obtained a licence under other ordinances listed at Schedule 1 of the Ordinance, have to register with the Department. The Ordinance also provides power for the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene to make food safety orders to prohibit the import and supply of problem food and order the recall of such food. By the end of 2014, 8,103 food importers and 6,934 food distributors have been registered.
Safety Control of Live Food Animals
The Veterinary Public Health Section (VPHS) and the Slaughterhouse (Veterinary) Section are mainly responsible for import control and conducting disease surveillance programmes on live food animals with public health significance.
Implementing the concept of "from farm to table", veterinary staff members visit registered farms exporting to Hong Kong to understand their husbandry practices. In 2014, VPHS inspected a total of 49 registered farms and 36 processing plants on the Mainland. These included farms of chickens, ducks, pigeons, geese, pigs, cattle, fish, shellfish and hairy crabs.
During the year, 1.2 million live chickens and other poultry were imported into Hong Kong. These animals were subjected to quarantine and inspection procedures by VPHS staff at the designated entry point -- Man Kam To Control Point.
Number of imported food poultry inspected and blood samples tested in 2014
| Type of poultry | No. of poultry imported | Samples taken from imported live poultry for testing of avian influenza (AI) (including H5 and H7) | No. of animal health certificates verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chickens and other poultry | approx. 1,239,400 | 21,321 | 845 |
Number of local and imported food animals inspected in 2014
| Type of animal | No. of animals inspected | No. of animal health certificates verified |
|---|---|---|
| Pigs | 1,712,358 | 40,141 health certificates and 7,945 admission forms for local pigs |
| Cattle | 18,602 | 1,727 health certificates |
| Goats | 5,371 | 49 health certificates |
| No. of urine samples collected in food animals for testing of prohibited and restricted chemicals | 49 593 |
The Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Chemical Residues) Regulation prohibits the use of certain chemicals, including clenbuterol, and restricts the residue levels of a number of chemicals in food animals. In 2014, no pig was tested positive for prohibited chemicals during the urine compliance tests. During the same period, 7,400 tissues and blood samples were collected from food animals for testing of veterinary drug residues and for disease surveillance. One consignment of pigs was tested positive for restricted chemicals during the tissue compliance tests.
The Quarantine Detector Dog Unit assists in interdicting illegal import of raw meat at all land border control points by means of hand-carries by inbound passengers as well as mass transit by trucks. The unit serves to safeguard public health by avoiding meat from unknown sources which may contain contagious and zoonotic pathogens such as E. coli O157 and avian influenza, to be imported into Hong Kong. There are four quarantine detector dogs in the unit. During the year, a total of 109 illegal meat import cases were detected.
Types of raw meat and number of cases detected by quarantine detector dogs in 2014
| Types of raw meat | No. of cases | Quantity (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| Meat | 61 | 176.53 |
| Poultry | 14 | 34.04 |
| Assorted Meat and Poultry | 34 | 171.03 |
For the export of food products of animal origin, 107 veterinary health certificates were issued for products such as chicken powder, ice cream, mooncakes, and instant noodle. The value of these products totalled $97 million. They were exported to Australia, Belgium, Canada, Macao, New Zealand, the Netherlands, UK and USA.
Risk Assessment
Risk assessment forms the scientific basis, in a risk-based food safety control model, for risk management and risk communication. It includes systematic estimation and evaluation of the likelihood and severity of the adverse health effects resulting from exposure to food-borne hazards based on the best available scientific evidence. A typical risk assessment consists of four steps - hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment and risk characterisation.
Researches, projects and literature studies are part of the CFS's risk assessment work. In addition, food safety incidents and issues, both inside and outside Hong Kong, are monitored and assessed on a daily basis. These allow the CFS to respond promptly and proactively in order to protect the public from exposing to hazards that are considered harmful to humans.
Risk Assessment Projects
During 2014, the CFS embarked on several risk assessment projects, namely: "Study on Microbiological Quality of Sushi and Sashimi in Hong Kong", "Dietary Exposure to Non-Dioxin Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls of Hong Kong Adult Population", "Salmonella in Food Commonly Containing Raw or Lightly Cooked Eggs" and "Nutrient Content of Children's Meals in Hong Kong". The latter two were conducted jointly with the Consumer Council.
Information on food risk is provided to the public through a series of "Risk-in-brief" (RIB) papers, which are posted on the CFS website. In 2014, a new issue of RIB on "Bracken Ferns and Carcinogen" was released.
Food Consumption Survey
The Government commissioned the Chinese University of Hong Kong to conduct the first territory-wide population-based Food Consumption Survey to collect information on the food consumption patterns of the general public. The final report and relevant information is available from the CFS website. Results of the survey have enhanced the capacity of risk assessment work and facilitated the conduct of the Total Diet Study.
Total Diet Study
Total Diet Study (TDS) is internationally recognised as one of the most cost-effective ways to estimate the dietary exposure to a range of chemicals or nutrients of different population sub-groups. It allows the CFS to proactively assess whether specific chemicals would pose a risk to public health. In addition, it provides a scientific basis for formulating food safety strategies, undertaking surveillance and monitoring of food and food products, establishing regulatory standards for food and identifying deficiencies in the food safety regulatory regime. Moreover, as TDS also measures the amount of chemicals ingested by people of different age and sex groups, it enables the identification of the population groups that are most vulnerable and facilitates the formulation of action plans tailor-made for these groups. In 2014, the CFS released the last two reports, organochlorine pesticide residues and minerals. The first Hong Kong TDS has been completed.
Nutrition Labelling
To assist consumers to make healthier food choices, encourage the trade to adopt sound nutritional principles in food production and regulate misleading or deceptive nutrition claims, a Nutrition Labelling Scheme (the Scheme) was launched. The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment: Requirements for Nutrition Labelling and Nutrition Claim) Regulation 2008 (the Amendment Regulation) was enacted by the Legislative Council on 28 May 2008 and the Scheme has been implemented smoothly since 1 July 2010.
In order to assist the trade and laboratory service providers to understand and comply with the Scheme, online resources (including technical guidance notes, trade guidelines, frequently asked questions, Nutrition Label Calculator, etc.), telephone hotline and helpdesk service are provided to traders. A prepackaged food product with annual sales volume not exceeding 30,000 units, which does not carry nutrition claims on its label or in any advertisement, can be exempted from the nutrition labeling requirements stipulated in the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations (Cap. 132W) under the Small Volume Exemption scheme. As of the end of 2014, there are 16,604 products exempted.
On the education front, the CFS continued its publicity and education efforts in promoting the Nutrition Labelling Scheme.
Formula products and foods intended for infants and young children under the age of 36 months
The Legislative Council has completed its vetting of the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2014 in October 2014. The Regulation comprises requirements on nutritional composition of infant formulae and nutrition labelling of infant formulae, follow-up formulae and prepackaged food for infants and young children. The requirements on nutritional composition and nutrition labelling of infant formulae will come into operation on 13 December 2015 after a 18-month grace period. The requirements on nutrition labelling of follow-up formulae and prepackaged food for infants and young children will come into operation on 13 June 2016 after a two-year grace period.
Nutrient Information Inquiry System
The Nutrient Information Inquiry System (NIIS) is a web-based searchable database containing nutrient information (including energy and 18 nutrients) on over 7,000 food items which are of relevance and interest to the local community. It is available free of charge with two functions: a Food Nutrient Finder (for people who want to browse and search for information about a specific food or nutrient) and a Food Nutrient Calculator (for people who want to estimate the nutrient intake from selected foods using the available data from NIIS). The information provided is for personal non-commercial use and reference to make healthy food choices. New foods and more interactive features (e.g. information display, food/ nutrient selection) are added in the Food Nutrient Finder. Besides energy and 18 nutrients, trans fat (also in the main database), iodine and alcohol (for alcoholic beverages only) in some local foods are also presented in separate tables, if available.
Food Standards
Setting food standards is an integral part of risk management in food safety. In setting new local food standards, the CFS takes reference from international food standards established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and scientific evaluations performed by internationally recognised authorities, such as the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), and the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR).
To better protect public health, facilitate effective regulatory control of pesticide residues in food and promote harmonisation between local and international standards, the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap. 132CM) (the Regulation), made by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene commenced on 1 August 2014. The CFS has been providing briefings, training and guidelines for different sectors to prepare them for the new Regulation during the two-year grace period.
In 2011, the CFS commenced work to review the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) Regulations (Cap. 132V) and revise the Microbiological Guidelines for Ready-to-eat food. Two designated Working Groups under the Expert Committee were formed and continued to give advice on these tasks. During the amendment to the Microbiological Guidelines, local stakeholders including the trade were consulted and the revised Guidelines were endorsed by the Expert Committee. After submitting to the World Trade Organization for notification, the Microbiological Guidelines for Food became effective in August 2014.
In response to local food safety issues triggered by the substandard lard incident in Taiwan in 2014, the Administration has decided to strengthen regulation of the safety of edible fats and oils and the recycling of "used cooking oil" in Hong Kong through inter-departmental efforts.
Genetically Modified Food
Genetically modified (GM) food refers to food or a food ingredient that is, or is derived from, an organism in which genetic material has been modified using modern biotechnology. GM food currently available in the international market has passed safety assessments of food safety regulatory authorities and is not likely to present risks to human health.
Since July 2006, the CFS has issued "Guidelines for Voluntary Labelling of GM Food" to the trade, encouraging the trade to adopt a voluntary labelling system for GM food. In collaboration with the Government Laboratory, two quantitative GM food testing methods were developed during the year under the capacity building programme. The CFS also focuses on public education on GM food. Relevant information is conveyed to the public through publications such as GM Food Newsletter.
Risk Communication
Effective communication with stakeholders is of pivotal importance in the area of food safety. Adopting a risk analysis approach in food safety control, the CFS recognises that communication is a crucial two-way process and that tripartite collaboration among the food trade, the public and the Government is vital in upholding food safety in Hong Kong. The Risk Communication Section provides the point of contact for stakeholders as well as operates various forms of interactive forums, platforms and programmes to enable the food trade and the public to actively contribute to food safety.
The 46th Session of Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA), attended by representatives from more than 80 countries and organisations, was successfully held in Hong Kong between 17 and 21 March). It was the first Codex meeting held in Hong Kong. China has hosted CCFA since 2006 and the Centre for Food Safety assisted the CCFA secretariat to organise the meeting in Hong Kong. As a subsidiary body of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), CCFA is responsible for setting the regulatory standards for individual food additives at the international level. The CAC, jointly established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health Organization, develops food safety standards, codes of practice and guidelines, which have become the global reference point for consumers, food producers and processors, national food control agencies and the international food trade.
The CFS organised an International Symposium on Safety and Uses of Food Additives on 16 March 2014. The Symposium aimed at providing a forum to examine the current development in the safety evaluation, uses and regulation of food additives.
The trade consultation forum, first held in July 2006, has become a regular function for the trade to meet with the Centre to exchange latest information, views and developments in food safety. It is held five to six times a year to collect views on food safety matters and comments on food safety control measures as well as risk communication activities. As for the consumers, the Centre works actively with the Consumer Liaison Group to collect feedbacks and suggestions on various food safety issues. Enrolled on a voluntary basis, members of the Group communicate with the Centre from time to time through various forms of meetings as well as formal and informal communications to help shape the Centre's communication strategies.
The CFS continued to promote the Nutrition Labelling Scheme to the general public through a multitude of activities. To enhance consumers' understanding of nutrition labels and assist them to make good use of nutrition information, CFS has launched a new nutrition labelling training kit and conducted training workshops with a view to enhancing the understanding of nutrition labels and promoting the proper use of information on labels among its educational partners (teachers and staff of community organisations) and their target groups (such as students and the elderly). On top of that, CFS co-organised with the Education Bureau the "Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition", with the support from the Committee on Home-School Co-operation, to strengthen the knowledge of secondary school students about food safety and nutrition labels so that they can practise proper food handling and become adept at using nutrition labels in their daily life. Fifty secondary schools enrolled in the competition.
The Food Safety Charter has been jointly developed by the CFS and the food trade since 2008. It facilitates the food trade to incorporate appropriate measures in their day-to-day practices and encourages the trade to commit to providing quality services grounded on food safety to their patrons. The year 2014 is within the three–year term of 2013 - 15. As at end of December 2014, a total of 23 food trade associations and 1,818 licensed food premises have signed up to the Charter. Members of the public can identify the signatories by the Food Safety Charter certificates and stickers on display in their food premises. As a new initiative in 2014, the signatories are invited to participate in the "Reduce Salt, Sugar, Oil. We Do!" programme by preparing food with less salt, sugar or oil and creating an environment conducive for customers to make healthier choices.
On the side of food safety promotion activities, the CFS launched a media and communication campaign themed "Safe and Smart Ways to Cook" to promote safer cooking methods, advising the public and the food trade on how good cooking habits can prevent or reduce the formation of harmful substances during the cooking process. To kick start a series of activities, the Food Safety Day 2014 with the theme "Safe and Smart Ways to Cook" was held at Chiang Chen Studio Theatre, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on 4 July. Other publicity activities included a new set of TV and radio Announcements in the Public Interest, a series of public and trade talks between July and December jointly organised with food trade associations. The final round of the Secondary School Food Safety and Nutrition Labelling Quiz Competition and Award Presentation Ceremony were also held on the Food Safety Day 2014.
The CFS as one of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centres for Risk Analysis of Chemicals in Food since October 2010 is destined to contribute to the public health especially in food safety at the regional level. The Centre continued to support WHO activities under their designated activity areas.
The Risk Communication Section has also put in place a range of mechanisms to keep the public and the trade informed of food safety issues in a timely and proactive manner. The "Rapid Alert System" delivers prompt email/fax messages to the food trade explaining food incidents, providing advice and enquiry phone numbers. Food alerts are issued on the CFS website and via electronic means when food incidents of major public health concern are identified. Information on food safety and health is also disseminated through the social media such as Facebook and YouTube to facilitate communication and interaction with the public. "The Food Incident Post" on the CFS website presents overseas food safety incidents that do not have major impact on local population. The CFS has launched a "Food Safety" mobile application on 15 April to help people who are on the move keep abreast of the latest news and information on food safety. The Food Safety app enables users to set up their own archives to store food safety information according to personal preference for later perusal or review. Users can also retrieve food safety topics of interest by searching keywords, and share food safety information via email and online social media. The monthly electronic newsletter "Food Safety Focus" posted on the CFS website covers current local and overseas food safety issues and actions undertaken by the CFS. It also provides professional and easy-to-understand information on various food hazards and related public health risks. Quarterly publications, "Food Safety Bulletin" and "Food Safety Express", target the general public and the trade respectively. Starting from 2009, the CFS issues the Food Safety Reports monthly instead of bimonthly. In addition, reports on six Seasonal Food Surveillance projects and six Targeted Food Surveillance were also issued in 2014. The fortnightly e-news helps subscribers to keep abreast of the latest activities and information.
The Risk Communication Section handles enquiries on food safety. It also publicises the results of food surveillance and risk assessment studies and relevant health advice. The CFS maintains a wide range of resource materials including guidelines, pamphlets, posters and exhibition boards, as well as topical giveaway items for consumption of the public and the trade. Members of the public may also contact the Communication Resource Unit of the Section for customised support on food safety initiatives.
Summary of Risk Communication Activities in 2014
| Item | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of educational/publicity programmes organised | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| No. of resource materials produced | 84 | 78 | 75 | 56 | 51 |
| Total attendance at public education/communication activities | 199,098 | 208,285 | 178,763 | 158,247 | 159,824 |
| No. of public enquiries handled | 6,441 | 5,948 | 4,312 | 4,443 | 3,694 |
| No. of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) seminars/workshops | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| Seasonal Food Surveillance |
|---|
| Lunar New Year food |
| Rice Dumplings |
| Mooncakes |
| Hairy Crabs |
| Lap-Mei (First Phase) |
| Microbiological Quality of Poon Choi |
| Targeted Food Surveillance |
|---|
| Preservatives in Preserved Fruits and Vegetables |
| Sulphur Dioxide in Meat |
| Listeria Monocytogenes in Ready-to-eat Food |
| Clostridium perfringens in Ready-to-eat Food |
| Staphylococcus aureus in Ready-to-eat Food |
| Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Ready-to-eat Food |
HACCP-based Food Safety Plan
The adoption of a food safety plan (FSP) was continually promoted during the year. The FSP is a proactive food safety assurance model based on the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). Promotional programmes are devised for specific trade sectors, including "poon choi" suppliers, caterers for elderly homes, schools and child-care centres and food premises selling siu mei, supplying lunch boxes, sushi, sashimi, raw oyster and meat to be eaten raw. Workshops and seminars are organised for managerial and operational staff of the target groups.
Members of the public have also been included in the publicity programme as a better informed public is an added incentive for the trade to implement HACCP principles.
Food hygiene seminars and workshops were held from March to December to introduce the concept of food risk and to highlight the FSP as an important risk management measure for the trade and the public.
Pest Control
The FEHD is the Government's adviser on pest control matters and is responsible for handling problems of pests affecting public health. In meeting this goal, the Department adopts an integrated approach, putting equal emphasis on the effective use of pesticides and continuous improvements in environmental hygiene. It regularly updates its control methodologies and technologies, making reference to the latest recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO). The Department works closely with the pest control trade in upholding the professional standards of pest control practices by offering professional support and advice.
Management of vector-borne diseases
Vector-borne diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis (JE), chikungunya fever, plague, scrub typhus, urban typhus, spotted fever and hantaan disease, continue to pose a threat to Hong Kong. Working with the Department of Health, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Home Affairs Department, the FEHD serves as an executive arm in the prevention and control of the above-mentioned vector-borne diseases. Investigations are initiated immediately once a disease is reported, followed by appropriate vector control measures.
Risk Assessment and Surveillance of Mosquitoes
Hong Kong is under the constant threat of dengue fever. Mosquito breeding grounds in the community and the port areas are monitored continually. The ovitrap indices obtained from these locations are released to the parties concerned and the public to increase community participation in controlling the vector and heighten awareness of the mosquito problem. In 2014, the average ovitrap index recorded in the community was 4.1%. The highest Monthly Average Ovitrap Index (MOI) recorded in the community was 12% (in May) and the highest port MOI was 2.5% (in June). These reflected that the mosquito problem was under control. In addition, a long-standing control programme against malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, covering some 600 streams, returned favourable results in 2014, revealing no evidence of local transmission of malaria.
During the year, the Department conducted 769,376 inspections with 49,425 mosquito breeding places found and eliminated, 146 warning letters issued, and 59 summonses taken out. Legal action was taken against those who allowed mosquitoes to breed on their premises.
In view of the three local cases of dengue fever in late October and November 2014, the Department deployed additional anti-mosquito teams to sustain the efforts in mosquito control throughout the winter months till March 2015. The Department also stepped up publicity to remind the public of the importance of mosquito control work in all seasons.
Anti-mosquito campaign
An inter-departmental Anti-mosquito Campaign was launched in three phases in 2014. Anti-mosquito measures were strengthened with educational and publicity work, and there was a continued emphasis on eliminating breeding places.
Risk Assessment and Surveillance of Rodents
To keep track of the extent of rodent infestation, rodent infestation surveys have been conducted since 2000. The Rodent Infestation Rate (the percentage of bait consumed by rodents, obtained from different places at different times) is used to assess rodent problems at different places so as to take prompt action to prevent their proliferation. The overall Rodent Infestation Rate obtained in 2014 was 3.2% which indicated that rodent infestation was under control.
Inspections and disinfestations are also carried out regularly to contain rodent problems. During the year, the Department handled 6,624 reports of rodent problem with 21 written warnings issued, and collected 31,837 dead rodents (11,945 trapped and 19,892 poisoned). More than 6,285 rat holes were filled.
Moreover, the Department monitors the rat-flea index of waterfront and land port areas to assess the risk of plague transmission. The overall rat-flea indices of waterfront and land port areas under surveys in 2014 were 0.27 and zero respectively. Studies were also carried out in rural/semi-rural villages to monitor the rat-flea situation and the overall rat-flea index was found to be 0.02. (The WHO states that a Rat-flea Index greater than 1 represents an increased plague risk for humans if the plague bacillus has been introduced into a country or region.)
Anti-rodent campaign
In addition to routine rodent control measures, the Department engages community participation in its efforts to control rodents through the annual territory-wide inter-departmental Anti-rodent Campaign. The campaign was promoted through a number of channels, including theme talks and exhibitions.
Airport Disease Vectors Surveillance
Hong Kong is renowned for its vibrant international airport. To ensure that it is free from dengue fever and plague vectors, monitoring stations have been set up at various points in accordance with international health regulations. In 2014, 740 mosquito surveys were conducted, with MOI consistently below 1.6%. The rat-flea index recorded from rat-flea studies was zero. A total of 102 advisory letters were issued.
Cross-boundary Co-operation
As infectious diseases know no physical boundaries, close ties have been established among Guangdong Province, Macao and Hong Kong in the fight against such diseases and the disease vectors. In addition to regular meetings between the parties at senior administrative and professional levels, an exchange programme involving professionals from Guangdong and Hong Kong is in place to promote mutual understanding and cross-fertilisation of expertise. Information on disease vectors surveillance in port areas is also exchanged regularly.
Other Pest Control Programmes
Other than mosquitoes and rats, the Department controls, by disinfestations, other pests such as flies, fleas, mites, cockroaches, ants, wasps and ticks. In 2014, 87,543 disinfestation operations using pesticides were carried out. Staff are deployed to patrol refuse collection points, rear lanes and hygiene black spots to spray insecticides, as necessary, and remove items attracting flies.