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, management of food incidents including investigation of food poisoning outbreaks at food premises, exercising food import control and export certification, 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 export 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 at 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.

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Safety Control of Imported Food in 2019

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 Variation of Food Safety Order, the 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.

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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:

1. Analysis of pesticide residues in fresh vegetables and fruits. Testing parameters include isocarbophos, methamidophos and other organophosphorous pesticides, N-methyl carbamates and pyrethroids.
2. 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.
3. 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 2019, a total of 5,126 food complaints were handled.

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Statistics on the Food Surveillance Programme in 2019

(A) Testing of food samples

# Excluding 97,052 samples of imported Japanese food tested for radiation level in 2019.

(B) Enforcement of food labelling

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Management of Food Incidents

The CFS monitors food incidents, both local and overseas, on a daily basis. Around 2,040 food incidents were identified from Food Incident Surveillance System (FISS) in 2019. 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 91 trade alerts, 95 press releases on food incidents and 134 food incident posts were issued by the CFS in 2019.

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 at 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. A total of 260 visits cum investigations to food premises involved in food incidents were carried out by the unit in 2019. 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 three most frequently identified contributing factors in descending order were inadequate cooking, contamination by raw food and improper keeping temperature.

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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 2019, there were totally 10,696 registered food importers and 9,286 registered food distributors.

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Food Trader Portal

In order to enhance CFS' mode of operation through IT to support the work of its frontline staff and reinforce its capability in food import control, the Corporate and System Management Division is developing the Food Trader Portal (FTP) by phases. The FTP serves as a one-stop electronic communication platform between the CFS and food traders, through which food traders may complete registration as food importers or distributors under the law, submit applications for import licence and import permission and report arrival of certain imported food consignments round-the-clock. The CFS can also make use of the FTP to exchange information with food importers relating to food safety and import control.

The FTP has been implemented in phases, starting with the launch of the trader registration module in December 2019, which allows food traders to open FTP user accounts to receive food safety and import control notifications electronically and perform tasks online such as renewal of registration and updating of trader information. The functions of the FTP will be further enhanced in March 2020 with the introduction of online application for import licence for meat and poultry as well as import permission for game, meat (including prohibited meat) and poultry.

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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.

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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 2019, VPHS inspected a total of 45 registered and associated farms and 33 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 2019

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 2019, no consignment of pigs was tested positive for prohibited chemicals during the urine compliance tests. During the same period, 7,250 tissues, blood and swab samples were collected from food animals in slaughterhouses for testing of veterinary drug residues and for disease surveillance. Two samples were 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 seven quarantine detector dogs in the unit.

For the export of food products of animal origin, 1,397 veterinary health certificates were issued in 2019 for products such as chicken powder, ice cream, mooncakes, Chinese dim sum, milk beverages and instant noodle. The value of these products was $1,128 million. They were exported to the Mainland, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Macao, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, UK and USA.

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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 2019, the CFS released the results of several risk assessment projects, namely: "Organotin Compounds in Aquatic Products Available at Local Markets", "Sterigmatocystin in Food", "Sugar and Energy Contents of Common Non-indigenous Tea-Based Beverage in Hong Kong" and "Industrially produced Trans Fatty Acids Content in Local Foods", with the latter two studies conducted jointly with the Consumer Council. A new issue of "Risk-in-brief" (RIB) on "Organotin Compounds in Aquatic Products" 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. The main fieldwork of the survey commenced in April 2018 and continued in 2019. Results of the survey can enhance the capacity of risk assessment work and facilitate the conduct of future Total Diet Study.

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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 on 1 July 2010 and has been implemented smoothly.

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. The "Nutrition Labelling Workshop for Traders Selling Festive Foods - 2019" was conducted in September to remind traders selling festive foods to comply with the relevant legislation.

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 2019, 13,271 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 7,500 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.

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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 World Health Organization (WHO), the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations/ WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), and the Joint FAO/ WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR).

The Food Adulteration (Metallic Contamination) (Amendment) Regulation 2018 (the Amendment Regulation), which stipulates the updated standards for metallic contamination in food, came into operation on 1 November 2019. The amendments aim to enhance the regulatory control and update the standards with a view to better protecting public health, facilitating effective regulation and aligning Hong Kong's standard with the international ones. The CFS has conducted a series of technical meetings for the trade and other stakeholders before the commencement of the Amendment Regulation. The CFS has also prepared guidelines for the trade's reference.

With a view to assisting local food traders to ensure food safety and enhance food quality throughout the deep-frying process, the CFS has commissioned a local university to conduct a study and devise a set of ''Trade Guidelines on the Use of Deep-frying Oil'' (the Guidelines) which were published in October 2019.

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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 an important platform for the Centre to meet with the trade 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. In addition, the CFS has collaborated with the trade to set voluntary sodium reduction targets for prepackaged white bread and wholemeal bread to facilitate the product reformulation work of trade members.

The Food Safety Day is an annual signature event organised by the CFS. It was held on 2 June 2019 under the theme of "Empower Consumers to Ensure Food Safety". A series of activities including exhibition, sharing sessions, stage performance and game booths were arranged to encourage public engagement in food safety issues. The CFS has also launched a set of publicity initiatives, including food safety talks in order to enrich the food safety knowledge of the public and the trade.

The CFS has organised a biennial event "Food Safety Seminar for Trade" to provide a forum for interactive exchange of information and views on important food safety issues in Hong Kong between the Government and food trade. It is envisaged that food safety control can be further enhanced among the local food trade through effective communication and collaboration. There were 12 topics under four different aspects in 2019, namely Food Legislation and Guidelines, Control Measures and System Implementation, Food Safety Promotion and Producing Safe and Healthy Food.

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. As at the end of December 2019, a total of  five food trade associations and 934 licensed food premises have signed up to the Charter for the 2019 term. Members of the public can identify the signatories by the Food Safety Charter certificates and stickers on display in their food premises. The "Reduce Salt, Sugar, Oil. We Do!" programme under the Charter has merged with the new initiative "Blessed with Less" , launched by the Food and Health Bureau, in 2019 to continue promoting low salt and sugar in diet.

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. 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 2019

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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 frozen confections, "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 and frozen confections. Workshops and seminars are organised for managerial and operational staff of the target groups.

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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.

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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. In 2019, the average ovitrap index recorded in the community was 5.1%. The highest Monthly Ovitrap Index (MOI) for Aedes albopictus recorded in the community was 16.0% (in June) and the highest port MOI was 2.6% (in June). The figures were similar to those of 2018. In addition, a long-standing control programme against malaria-transmitting mosquitoes, covering some 600 streams, returned favourable results in 2019, 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. The programme was extended to cover seven different districts in October 2015 and further extended to eight districts in 2018. In 2019, a total of 1,243 Culex tritaeniorhynchus were collected. No JE virus was detected in these samples.

During the year, the Department conducted 847,088 inspections with 65,795 mosquito breeding places found and eliminated, 223 warning letters issued, and 173 summonses taken out. Legal action was taken against those who allowed mosquitoes to breed on their premises.

In view of a local case of dengue fever in 2019, the Department deployed additional anti-mosquito teams to sustain the efforts in mosquito control. The four Pest Control Inspection Teams stepped up inspection of construction sites and enforcement action against mosquito breeding places. As at 31 December 2019, the Department had instituted 173 prosecutions against mosquito breeding found in relevant premises under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), comprising 162 cases involving construction sites and 11 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 since 15 April 2019, with a view to suppressing the adult mosquito population and eradicating any possibly infected mosquitoes. Three 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 2019. Anti-mosquito measures were strengthened while educational and publicity work continued with emphasis on eliminating breeding places of mosquitoes.

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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 2019 was 4.2% 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 11,329 reports of rodent problem with 90 written warnings issued, and collected 53,986 dead rodents (23,727 trapped and 30,259 poisoned). More than 12,963 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 2019 were 0.17 and 0.57 respectively. Studies were also carried out in peripheral areas of estate type housing to monitor the rat-flea situation and the overall rat-flea index was found to be 0.04. (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 May and November 2019 respectively, each lasting for eight weeks. 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 has conducted a special operation against irregularities of food premises since 20 May 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 have been 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 has also been tested and found to be effective in reducing adult mosquito density. The FEHD has deployed the device in their routine mosquito control operation and also recommended other government departments to use the device in venues under their purview for suppressing adult mosquito density.

Regarding rodent prevention and control, the Department conducted feasibility trials on the use of night vision and thermal imaging cameras to capture video images with the use of artificial intelligence to monitor the extent of rodent activities. Initial trial results showed that both technologies were able to monitor rodent activities effectively. The Department will extend the scale of the trial for thermal imaging camera with a view to developing a quantitative indicator for rodent infestation and effective rodent control operations.

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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 2019, 726 mosquito surveys were conducted, with MOI consistently below 1.0%. The rat-flea index recorded from rat-flea studies was zero.

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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 communications through 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.

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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 2019, 50,199 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.

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