Update on dengue fever

Chp reports increase in dengue fever cases, urges public to maintain hygiene and mosquito control measures locally and during travel to prevent spread

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 28) reported the latest number of dengue fever (DF) cases, and urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.

From June 21 to yesterday (June 27), the CHP recorded one imported DF case; the patient had been to Malaysia during the incubation period.

As of yesterday, 31 cases of DF, including 29 imported and two local cases, had been recorded in 2024. In 2023, 62 imported cases of DF were recorded.

According to the World Health Organization, the global incidence of DF has markedly increased over the past two decades, posing a substantial public health challenge. In 2023, ongoing transmission, combined with an unexpected spike in DF cases, had resulted in close to an historic high of over 5 million cases and more than 5 000 dengue-related deaths reported in over 80 countries/territories. The latest surveillance data shows that there is an increase in DF cases noted in some places in Asia (such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) compared to the same period last year. Since the beginning of 2024, the Americas, including Brazil, Argentina and Peru, have recorded over 9 million cases, a record number. Detailed information on the latest DF situation in Hong Kong, as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas, has been uploaded to the CHP website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf).

"Apart from general measures, travellers returning from areas affected by DF should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to a doctor," a spokesman for the CHP said.

The public should take heed of the following advice on mosquito control:

DEET-containing insect repellents are effective and the public should take heed of the tips below:

* For children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent.

The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems and may visit the following pages for more information: the DF page of theCHPand theTravel Health Service, the latestTravel Health News,tips for using insect repellents, and the CHPFacebook PageandYouTube Channel.

Source: AI-generated images

2024 honours list and justices of the peace (jps) appointments revealed in government gazette - 502 honours awards and 59 jp appointments announced today.

The 2024 Honours List and Justices of the Peace (JPs) appointments are published in the Government Gazette today (July 1).

For the Honours List, a total of 502 persons have been awarded by the Chief Executive this year. Details are as follows:

Award

Number

(a) Grand Bauhinia Medal (GBM)

5

(b) Gold Bauhinia Star (GBS)

12

(c) Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS)

24

(d) Distinguished Service Medals for the disciplined services and the ICAC

14

(e) Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS)

40

(f) Meritorious Service Medals for the disciplined services and the ICAC

46

(g) Medal of Honour (MH)

105

(h) Chief Executive's Commendation for Community Service

86

(i) Chief Executive's Commendation for Government/Public Service

170

502

The citations of the award recipients of the 2024 Honours List are provided in Appendix 1.

A Government spokesman said, "The award recipients come from different walks of life with diverse backgrounds. They have made significant contributions to Hong Kong, benefitting various domains and sectors of the community, including public and community service, education, medical and public health, finance, trade and industry, innovation and technology, charity, arts and culture, sports, housing, transport, construction and urban development, environment, religion, labour and welfare, women and youth affairs, and professional services. The Chief Executive expresses gratitude and extends congratulations to all award recipients, and hopes that they will continue to excel in their own fields and serve the community."

The presentation ceremony for the awards will be held later this year.

Moreover, a total of 59 persons have been appointed as JPs by the Chief Executive, of whom 42 were appointed under section 3(1)(b) of the Justices of the Peace Ordinance (Cap. 510) (commonly referred to as Non-official JPs), and 17 were appointed under section 3(1)(a) of the same ordinance (commonly referred to as Official JPs).

The main function of JPs is to visit correctional institutions, detention centres or other institutions to ensure their effective management and that no individual is unfairly treated or deprived of his or her rights. JPs will ensure that complaints lodged by individuals are handled in a fair and transparent manner.

The name list of JPs appointed under section 3(1)(b) and section 3(1)(a) of the Justices of the Peace Ordinance is provided in Appendix 2.

Source: AI-generated images