Source: South China Morning Post - 11 May [Excerpts]: Dengue fever sweeping through Southeast Asia is threatening Hong Kong as more cases are being imported, a medical expert warns. The mosquito-borne disease has killed nearly 500 people in Indonesia this year and has left tens of thousands seriously ill. It has also claimed lives in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. Up to the end of March, Hong Kong had four recorded cases - one from Thailand, one from Vietnam and two from Indonesia. The number is already nearly half last year's total of 10 cases and the concern is that as the disease peaks during Southeast Asia's forthcoming rainy season, more people will bring the virus to Hong Kong, says Dr Lo Wing-lok, infectious disease expert for the Hong Kong Medical Association.
Four cases in three months is already "quite high", he said. "But it's not entirely unexpected because there are so many cases in neighbouring regions." There have been no recorded local cases, although dengue fever only became a notifiable disease in Hong Kong in 1994 when there were three cases. In 1995 there were six cases.
A Department of Health spokesman said a campaign against mosquito breeding had been launched. Sponsored by the two municipal councils, the aim is to remove stagnant water to eliminate the mosquitoes' favoured breeding grounds." --Clyde Markon <docmarkon@worldnet.att.net> VIA ProMED-mail <promed@usa.healthnet.org>.