Asia - Hong Kong 
Challenge
Dengue fever is a growing threat in Hong Kong, driven by the warm climate, abundant water bodies, and a role as a major transport and tourism hub.
Solution
Combine mosquito surveillance, targeted control measures, public education, and interdepartmental coordination to reduce dengue transmission risk.
Overview
Hong Kong’s Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) leads a multi-pronged strategy to reduce dengue fever risk through mosquito surveillance, targeted control, public education, and interdepartmental coordination.
Mosquito surveillance forms the foundation of the approach. The FEHD monitors mosquito activity using a network of 3,440 gravid traps1 across 64 survey areas, tracking the prevalence of Aedes albopictus (the Asian tiger mosquito), the primary vector of dengue fever. The government publishes the Gravidtrap Index monthly to inform the public and relevant agencies about mosquito distribution levels. The FEHD intensifies control measures, including fogging, larvicide applications, and elimination of breeding sites, when high mosquito activity is detected. The department eradicated approximately 69,000 mosquito breeding sites in 2020 alone, reflecting the government’s proactive approach to control (Legislative Council, 2021).
Public awareness and community engagement
Public awareness campaigns are a central part of the government’s anti-dengue strategy. Health talks, exhibitions, and educational materials encourage citizens to remove stagnant water, use insect repellents, and maintain hygiene. The government collaborates with schools, residential communities, and commercial sectors to promote anti-mosquito practices. The government also publishes regular updates on dengue cases and ovitrap indices, ensuring citizens remain informed about risks.
Interdepartmental coordination
The government established an Inter-departmental Coordinating Committee on Dengue Fever, bringing together representatives from health, environmental hygiene, housing, and education sectors. Regular inspections and coordinated action plans allow the committee to oversee vector control in housing estates, hospitals, schools, and construction sites.
The FEHD also runs a three-phase Anti-Mosquito Campaign each year, targeting high-risk areas such as public markets and recreational parks during seasonal outbreaks.
Travel advisories
Hong Kong’s role as a transport and tourism hub increases the risk of imported dengue cases. The Department of Health issues regular travel advisories and guidelines for returning travelers, advising them to wear protective clothing and apply insect repellent. Those who have visited dengue-affected areas should use insect repellent for 14 days after returning and seek medical attention if symptoms develop, helping prevent imported cases from triggering local outbreaks.
Climate change is extending the range of mosquito-borne diseases, and urban centers across Asia face growing exposure. Continued refinement of Hong Kong’s surveillance methods, community engagement, and cross-sector coordination will be central to managing that risk.
Footnotes
1Gravid trap: A mosquito trap designed to attract and capture gravid (egg-laying) female mosquitoes, typically using stagnant water and organic infusions to mimic breeding sites. It helps monitor mosquito populations and control disease vectors like the Aedes species (FEHD).
Acknowledgements
This report is based on publicly available information from the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Acknowledgement is given to the government, organizations, and researchers that made this knowledge accessible. Reported by IGES, edited and updated by AP-PLAT.
Related Links / References
Department of Health, (2003). Press Release, Sustained efforts to prevent dengue fever, issued on September 4, 2003
https://www.dh.gov.hk/textonly/english/press/2003/03_09_04.html
Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), Gravidtrap, Vector-borne diseases
https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/dengue_fever/index.html
Hong Kong Information Services Department (2024). Press Release, Update on dengue fever, issued at 17:15 (HKT), September 27, 2024
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202409/27/P2024092700370.htm
Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (2021). Mosquito prevention strategies
https://www.legco.gov.hk/research-publications/english/essentials-2021ise32-mosquito-prevention-strategies.htm
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