Hong Kong at risk of imported cases of mosquito-borne Chikungunya fever: experts

Hong Kong is at risk of imported cases of a locally uncommon mosquito-borne disease after neighbouring Guangdong province recently experienced an outbreak, health authorities and experts have warned.

Experts on Thursday discussed the possibility of an outbreak in the city just a day after the Centre for Health Protection urged the public to be vigilant against chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne disease that can cause joint pain.

Over the border, the number of confirmed cases in Shunde, a district of Guangdong’s Foshan city, reached 478 as of Tuesday. All the patients have mild symptoms, with most of the cases being recorded in the towns of Lecong, Beijiao and Chencun.

Chikungunya fever is spread by mosquito bites, with cases typically developing fever and serious joint pain that can last for months or even years. Other potential symptoms include muscle pain, nausea and rashes.

“While the outbreaks are not in towns popular among Hongkongers … the frequent travel between Guangdong and Hong Kong means the risk of seeing imported cases has increased,” Dr Wong Hoi-kei, a senior medical and health officer from the centre, told a radio show.

Dr Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, an infectious diseases specialist, said he believed it was possible that Hong Kong could see imported cases that could then lead to sporadic infections.