No suspected cases of chikungunya fever have been found after authorities screened at least 450 people in a high-risk area linked to Hong Kong’s first local infection of the mosquito-borne disease, a health official has said, urging residents with mild symptoms to seek medical advice.
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The call was made on Monday as authorities plan to hold an interdepartmental meeting on citywide mosquito control, a day after Hong Kong reported the first local case in Diamond Hill. Three schools in the neighbourhood are being inspected to curb the spread of the disease.
Centre for Health Protection controller Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin said at least 450 residents in the Diamond Hill area were assessed on Sunday, with no suspected cases found, but stressed that investigations were still ongoing.
“Because we now have our first case, there could be others still in the incubation period, or people who already have symptoms but did not visit a doctor because they were unaware of the symptoms of chikungunya,” Tsui told a radio programme.
“We are taking the initiative to actively investigate, which should give us a higher chance of spotting more cases.”
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The first local case, an 82-year-old woman living in Fung Tak Estate of Diamond Hill, had no travel record during the 12-day incubation period. She is now hospitalised and is in a stable condition.