After world-first case of human contracting rat disease in HK, authorities face questions on rodent control

Authorities are scurrying to counter complaints that government efforts to tackle Hong Kong’s rat population are inadequate, after a recent rare case of a rat-borne disease ratcheted up pressure on the rodent problem.

Secretary for Food and Health, Sophia Chan, today fielded reporters’ questions about the issue defending the current approach while noting authorities would study whether “new methods” could be used to strengthen rat control, according to a government statement.

According to RTHK, infectious disease expert, Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, criticised the government’s index used to monitor rodents.

Yuen said the metric — which delivers regular updates on infestation levels based on the Food and Environmental Hygiene Departments’ baiting program  — was not a true reflection of the problem.

Chan, however, said the index was not the only used to determine how to find “black spots” and tackle the population.

“As I have just emphasised, [the index] is only one of the measures in providing information. People in the districts, including our staff of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, District Council members and also residents, know very well where the black spots are and places where there are lots of rats.

“This information will be provided to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Other than the overall work of rodent control, they are also doing focused work.”

That means they target a number of streets where there are black spots, and they would put more efforts in those streets, including education, cleaning and enforcement.

Chan’s comments come after district councillors in Wong Tai Sin distributed 3,500 cleaning kits to locals to improve hygiene in the area.

The area is home to a man who recently contracted a case of rat hepatitis E, believed to be the first recorded instance of that strain infecting a human.

Chan said the government would continue to explore new ways of cracking down on the city’s rodents.

“As far as new technology is concerned, we have already asked the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to explore further new methods in terms of surveillance and killing rats in the community,” she said.

“Once they come up with some new measures and new technologies that should be evidence-based and fit in the context of the community, I will be most happy to provide more resources for them to go forward with the work of strengthening rodent control.”



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on