'People Fleeing Covid-19 Bringing Home Dengue'

A public health expert on Thursday said an “unusual” local case of dengue fever might be the result of a large number of people fleeing back to Hong Kong amid the coronavirus pandemic in recent weeks.

The Centre for Health Protection had expressed concern after an 84-year-old resident of Yuen Long came down with dengue, months before the rainy summer season when infections are more common.

Dr Leung Chi-chiu, the chairman of the advisory committee on communicable diseases at the Hong Kong Medical Association, noted that some people had recently returned from places where the mosquito-borne disease is widespread.

“In the last month, we have a lot of people returning from different parts of the world, including some tropical and subtropical areas, not only from Asia, but also from South America,” he said.

“The people carry the virus into Hong Kong and the local mosquitoes transmit it to the local population,” he said.

He added that the disease is spreading more rapidly around the world in view of hotter weather because of global warming.

However, Leung said he is confident that a local outbreak can be prevented as authorities step up anti-mosquito measures. He also urged people to stay vigilant if they go to the countryside.

The Centre for Health Protection recorded about 200 imported cases of dengue fever and one local infection in 2019.

In 2018, there was a local outbreak of the disease, with about 30 people contracting the virus.