The Centre for Food Safety (CFS), established in 2006, is tasked to enhance food safety regulatory functions with an aim to raise public confidence in food safety. It comprises four divisions: Risk Management Division, Risk Assessment and Communication Division, Corporate and System Management Division and Administration Division.
The Risk Management Division is the operational arm charged with the responsibility of enhancing food safety assurance, including food surveillance and certification, investigation of food poisoning outbreak on food premises, exercising import control and conducting inspections and tests on live food animals while the Risk Assessment and Communication Division is the research and development arm responsible for conducting risk assessment, advising on food standards and providing food safety information to the public as well as the food industry. The Corporate and System Management Division is responsible for formulating long term strategies for information technology-enabled business transformation and mapping out strategic proposals on re-engineering business processes, operational procedures and information management, with a view to developing computerised systems that can better support data analysis and risk profiling. The Centre Administration Division provides administrative support to the centre.
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' 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, eggs, milk and frozen confections.
Safety Control of Imported Food in 2018
| Applications approved for import licence for frozen/chilled meat and poultry | 111,838 |
| Applications approved for import of game, meat, poultry and eggs | 3,285 |
| Applications approved for import of milk and milk products | 494 |
| Applications approved for import of frozen confections | 423 |
| Number of vehicles carrying vegetables inspected by the Man Kam To Food Control Office | 24,415 |
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.
Import control measures on Japanese food
The CFS adjusted the import control measures on Japanese food with effect from noon on 24 July 2018. According to the Food Safety Order, each consignment of vegetables, fruits, milk, milk beverages and dried milk from the four prefectures, namely Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba and Gunma, must be accompanied with radiation certificates issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan which will show the prefecture that the products come from and attest that the radiation levels of the products do not exceed the guideline levels of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). The exporter concerned must also hold and produce a valid exporter certificate issued by the MAFF to certify that those food products exported to Hong Kong are readily available for sale in Japan (i.e. the radiation levels of the food products comply with the Japanese levels which are more stringent than the Codex guideline levels) and are fit for human consumption as far as radiological protection is concerned.
The import ban on the abovementioned products from Fukushima remains in force.
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, about 66,000 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:
(i) Analysis of pesticide residues in fresh vegetables and fruits. Testing parameters include isocarbophos, methamidophos and other organophosphorous pesticides, N-methyl carbamates and pyrethroids.
(ii) 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.
(iii) 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 2018, a total of 5,801 food complaints were handled.
Statistics on the Food Surveillance Programme in 2018
(A) Testing of food samples
| Testing | Number# | Percentage# |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical | ||
| Test conducted | 43,455 | - |
| Satisfactory | 43,364 | 99.8% |
| Microbiological | ||
| Test conducted | 17,081 | - |
| Satisfactory | 17,056 | 99.9% |
| Radiation level | ||
| Test conducted | 5,483 | - |
| Satisfactory | 5,483 | 100% |
# Excluding 93,578 samples of imported Japanese food tested for radiation level in 2018.
(B) Enforcement of food labelling
| Food labels inspected | 55,564 |
| Prosecutions taken out | 75 |
Management of Food Incidents
The CFS monitors food incidents, both local and overseas, on a daily basis. Around 1,950 food incidents were identified from Food Incident Surveillance System in 2018. 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 103 trade alerts, 36 press releases on food incidents and 197 food incident posts were issued by the CFS in 2018.
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 170 investigations of food premises involved in foodborne disease outbreaks were carried out by the unit in 2018. The most commonly implicated causative agents in food poisoning outbreaks related to food premises were Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Norovirus. The contributing factors more frequently identified during investigations included inadequate cooking, contamination by raw food, improper holding temperature, improper storage of cooked food and contamination by food handlers.
Enforcement of 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 2018, there were totally 10,311 registered food importers and 9,033 registered food distributors.
Imported Game, Meat, Poultry and Eggs Regulations
The amended Imported Game, Meat, Poultry and Eggs Regulations (Cap. 132AK) (the Regulations) has come into operation since 5 December 2015 to regulate the import of eggs for better protecting Hong Kong from the threat of avian influenza (AI).
As eggs from infected birds could be contaminated with AI, regulating the import of poultry eggs will strengthen control of AI and further protect the health of Hong Kong people, which is also in line with international practices.
Under this regulatory arrangement, no one can import eggs into Hong Kong unless they produce a health certificate issued by an issuing entity from the place of origin recognised by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene to certify that the eggs are fit for human consumption; and obtain a permission in writing from a health officer of the FEHD by providing relevant information on the import of eggs to facilitate the CFS to track the actual importation and conduct surveillance on the eggs. Fully cooked eggs and eggs that constitute one of the ingredients of a compounded food item are excluded.
Anyone in breach of the Regulations following implementation will be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment.
Food 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 2018, VPHS inspected a total of 43 registered and associated farms and 36 processing plants on the Mainland. These included farms of poultry, pigs, cattle, and aquatic food animals.
Number of local and imported food animals inspected in 2018
| Type of animal | No. of animals inspected | No. of animal health certificates verified |
|---|---|---|
| Pigs |
1,574,131 |
36,842 health certificates and 8,950 admission forms for local pigs |
| Cattle |
17,162 |
1,671 health certificates |
| Goats |
3,513 |
32 health certificates |
| No. of urine samples collected in food animals for testing of prohibited and restricted chemicals | 44,423 |
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 2018, no consignment of pigs was tested positive for prohibited chemicals during the urine compliance tests. During the same period, 7,732 tissues and blood samples were collected from food animals for testing of veterinary drug residues and for disease surveillance. No consignment was tested positive for restricted chemicals during the tissue compliance tests.
The Quarantine Detector Dog Unit assists in interdicting illegal import of raw meat and eggs 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 and eggs 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.
For the export of food products of animal origin, 1,199 veterinary health certificates were issued in 2018 for products such as chicken powder, ice cream, mooncakes, Chinese dim sum, milk beverages and instant noodle. The value of these products totalled $687 million. They were exported to Mainland China, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Macao, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, 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' 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 2018, the CFS released the results of several risk assessment projects, namely: "Phthalates in Food", "Perchlorate in Tea and Tea Beverages", "Sodium and Energy Contents of Asian-style Noodles-in-soup Dishes" and "Sodium, Total Fat and Trans Fat Contents in Local Bread", with the latter two studies conducted jointly with the Consumer Council. An issue of "Risk-in-brief" (RIB) on "Microbiological Food Safety of Raw Vegetables Intended for Human Consumption" was also released on the CFS website to provide information on relevant food risk to the public.
Food Consumption Survey
Due to changes of dietary habits over time, it is necessary to update food consumption survey data from time to time. The CFS has commissioned a research firm to conduct the second Hong Kong population-based food consumption survey. After the completion of the pilot survey, the main fieldwork commenced in April 2018. Results of the survey can enhance the capacity of risk assessment work and facilitate the conduct of future Total Diet Study.
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 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 2018, 15,375 products are exempted. The promotion of nutrition labelling has become part and parcel of routine public education programme of the CFS.
The Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2014 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 came into operation on 13 December 2015 while those on nutrition labelling of follow-up formulae and prepackaged food for infants and young children took effect on 13 June 2016.
In order to better protect the health of infants and young children under the age of 36 months, and to facilitate effective regulatory control over nutrition and health claims on formula products and prepackaged food for infants and young children, the Government is working on legislative proposals for nutrition and health claims on these products taking into account views expressed during the public consultations, the latest international development as well as the World Trade Organisation's requirement.
Nutrient Information Inquiry System
The Nutrient Information Inquiry System (NIIS) is a web-based searchable database containing nutrient information (including energy and some 20 nutrients) on over 7,400 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.
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).
The Legislative Council has completed its scrutiny of the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (the Amendment Regulation), which stipulates the updated standards for metallic contamination in food, in October 2018. To come into operation on 1 November 2019, the Amendment Regulation will enhance the protection of public health, facilitate effective regulation and harmonise Hong Kong's standard with the international ones.
The Government has been reviewing the regulatory control of harmful substances in food. A designated working group under the Expert Committee on Food Safety was formed and continued to give advice on the task.
In order to step up regulation of the safety of edible fats and oils and the recycling of "waste cooking oils", the Administration conducted a public consultation on the legislative approach. Since the proposed regulation involves amending various subsidiary legislations under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), the Administration has been implementing the law amendment work gradually. The maximum levels for metallic contaminants (arsenic and lead) in edible fats and oils have been included in the Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018.
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 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 four 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 (CLG) to collect feedbacks and suggestions on various food safety issues. Enrolled on a voluntary basis, members of the CLG 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. In view of the increasing popularity of using social media in communication, the CLG has started using the WhatsApp broadcasting function to distribute food safety information to its members to facilitate sharing of the information with friends and family members.
In order to assist the public to reduce dietary intake of salt and sugar, the CFS has been conducting a programme titled "Hong Kong's Action on Salt and Sugar Reduction". Through various communication tools and publicity activities, the programme emphasises the importance of salt and sugar reduction and encourages the public to develop and practise healthy dietary habits. Other than public announcements on television and radio, media interviews, leaflets, posters, websites, mobile application, roving exhibition, talks and seminars, the "Hong Kong's Action on Salt and Sugar Reduction Facebook page" and the Instagram page was launched in 2015 and 2018 respectively. The CFS also implements the "Salt/Sugar" Label Scheme for Prepackaged Food Products to help consumers identify low-salt, low sugar products more easily.
The Food Safety Day 2018 with the theme "Adopt Food Safety System – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)" was held to enrich the public and trade with food safety knowledge and strengthen tripartite collaboration among the Government, food trade and the public. As an international recognised system, HACCP is an effective and preventive way to perform food safety control by integrating the steps into each session of food production process. The CFS also conducted a series of talks for the trade and the public to further promote the concept of HACCP, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Five Keys to Food Safety.
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 2018 is the last year within the three-year term of 2016-18. As at end-December 2018, a total of 14 food trade associations and 1,423 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. Since 2014, the signatories have been 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.
The CFS has been designated as a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre (WHOCC) for Risk Analysis of Chemicals in Food since October 2010 and was last redesignated in October 2018. As a WHOCC, the CFS continues to contribute to the public health especially in food safety at the regional level, and support WHO activities under the 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. "The Food Incident Post" on the CFS website presents overseas food safety incidents that do not have major impact on local population. The monthly electronic publication "Food Safety Focus", also 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. 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 fortnightly e-news helps subscribers to keep abreast of the latest activities organised by the CFS and updated information/reports on food safety.
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 2018
| Item | 2018 |
|---|---|
| No. of educational/publicity programmes organised | 14 |
| No. of resource materials produced | 16 |
| Total attendance at public education/communication activities | 140,863 |
| No. of public enquiries handled | 4,034 |
| No. of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) seminars/workshops | 33 |
| Seasonal Food Surveillance |
|---|
| Lunar New Year food |
| Rice Dumplings |
| Mooncakes |
| Hairy Crabs |
| Lap-Mei |
| Poon Choi |
| Hotpot |
| Targeted Food Surveillance |
|---|
| Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Ready-to-eat Food |
| Salmonella in Ready-to-eat Food |
| Coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms in Ready-to-eat Food |
| Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-eat Food |
| Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens 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, meat to be eaten raw and frozen confections. Workshops and seminars are organised for managerial and operational staff of the target groups.
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 WHO. The Department works closely with the pest control trade with useful exchange of views to uphold the professional standards of pest control practices.
Management of vector-borne diseases
Vector-borne diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus infection, 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. Starting from July 2018, the number of areas covered by the dengue vector surveillance programme has been increased to 57. Mosquitoes collected from areas with Area Ovitrap Index (AOI) for Aedes albopictus over 10% would be tested for the presence of dengue virus. The average ovitrap index recorded in the community was 4.6%. The highest Monthly Ovitrap Index (MOI) forAedes albopictus recorded in the community was 15.7% (in July) and the highest port MOI was 2.7% (in July). The figures were similar to those of 2017. In addition, a long-standing control programme against malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, covering some 600 streams, returned favourable results in 2018, revealing no evidence of local transmission of malaria.
JE vector surveillance programme has been conducted since 2013 to monitor the distribution of Culex tritaeniorhynchus at selected areas in Yuen Long district and the programme was extended to cover seven different districts in October 2015. In 2018, the number of districts covered was further increased to eight and a total of 816 Culex tritaeniorhynchus were collected. No JE virus was detected in these samples.
During the year, the Department conducted 909,247 inspections with 63,635 mosquito breeding places found and eliminated, 58 warning letters issued, and 206 summonses taken out. Legal action was taken against those who allowed mosquitoes to breed on their premises.
In view of the 29 local cases of dengue fever in 2018, the Department deployed additional anti-mosquito teams to sustain the efforts in mosquito control throughout year. The four Pest Control Inspection Teams stepped up inspection of construction sites and enforcement action against mosquito breeding. As at 31 December 2018, the Department had instituted 206 prosecutions against mosquito breeding found in relevant premises under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), comprising 197 cases involving construction sites and nine cases involving other premises. Additional resources were also deployed to carry out intensive mosquito preventive and control exercises across the territory, including conducting the All-out Anti-mosquito Operation from 16 August to 15 October, with a view to suppressing the adult mosquito population and eradicating any possibly infected mosquitoes. Starting from 12 September, two additional phased AOI are released every month on FEHD website to keep the public abreast of the latest situation of mosquito infestation and facilitate them as well as relevant government departments and property management companies to take timely anti-mosquito measures. 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 2018. Anti-mosquito measures were strengthened while educational and publicity work continued with emphasis on eliminating breeding places of mosquitoes.
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 (RIR) (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 RIR obtained in 2018 was 3.4% which indicated that rodent infestation was generally under control.
Inspections and disinfestations are also carried out regularly to contain rodent problems. During the year, the Department handled 11,663 reports of rodent problem with 66 written warnings issued, and collected 44,378 dead rodents (16,504 trapped and 27,874 poisoned). More than 9,129 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 2018 were 0.08 and 0.24 respectively. Studies were also carried out in on-street markets to monitor the rat-flea situation and the overall rat-flea index was found to be 0.17. (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. In addition, the Department conducted two rounds of anti-rodent operations in designated target areas in various districts in April and October 2018 respectively, each lasting for two months. Multi-pronged strategies, including stepping up rodent disinfestation work, cleaning services and enforcement action in designated target areas, were adopted to combat the rodent problem. The special operations concluded with fruitful results.
As improper handling of food remnants and food handling activities at rear lanes by food premises are major contributing factors to the rodent infestation problem, the Department conducted a special operation against irregularities of food premises from mid December 2018 to mid January 2019 to step up enforcement action and enhance the effectiveness of the anti-rodent operation in designated target areas.
Given the public attention towards rodent infestation in public housing estates, the Department conducted joint inspections with the staff of Housing Department (HD), offered professional advice and technical guidance on rodent prevention and control and supported HD in carrying out anti-rodent work in target public housing estates with rodent infestation problems.
Application of New Technologies in enhancing pest control
The Department has actively explored ways to enhance surveillance and control of mosquitoes and rodents. For dengue vector surveillance, studies are being conducted to improve the design of the ovitraps with a view to obtaining quantitative data on density of Aedes albopictus. Furthermore, a new mosquito control method using adult mosquito itself as carrier for distributing insecticides that prevents larvae from developing into adult mosquitoes in the water bodies is being tested.
Regarding rodent prevention and control, the Department is conducting studies on the use of night vision or thermal imaging cameras to capture video images with the use of artificial intelligence to monitor the extent of rodent activities. Field tests of new rodent trapping devices driven by pressurised gas are also being carried out.
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 2018, 717 mosquito surveys were conducted, with MOI consistently below 2.0%. The rat-flea index recorded from rat-flea studies was zero.
Cross-boundary Co-operation
As infectious diseases know no physical boundaries, close ties have been established among Guangdong, Zhuhai, Shenzhen, 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, biting midges, cockroaches, ants, wasps and ticks. In 2018, 52,821 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.