First chikungunya fever case in 6 years raises transmission risk in Hong Kong

Health authorities in Hong Kong will not rule out the possibility of local chikungunya fever transmissions after the city recorded its first imported case since 2019, involving a boy who returned from outbreak-hit Foshan in mainland China.

The Centre for Health Protection confirmed the case of the disease on Saturday, weeks after a surge in infections was recorded in neighbouring Guangdong province.

Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the centre’s communicable disease branch, said the 12-year-old patient travelled with his mother to Shunde district in Foshan between July 17 and 30, during which he was bitten by mosquitoes.

The boy, who lives in On Tat Estate in Kwun Tong, was in good health previously.

On Thursday, the boy developed a fever, rash and joint pain and visited a private doctor before being admitted to United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong on Friday. The patient’s blood sample tested positive for the disease on Saturday morning.

The boy was in a stable condition, Au said, adding that his mother and another family member who was living with them had not shown any symptoms.