To facilitate the work of the health authorities on prevention and control of mosquito-borne infectious diseases, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) will launch chemical mosquito elimination work in about 170 municipal facilities under its management starting from March. The work aims to lower the chance of mosquito breeding, so the public and tourists can use the mentioned facilities safely. As mosquito and insect activity increases when the temperature rises, IAM calls on the public to actively facilitate the mosquito elimination work by removing stagnant water regularly and jointly prevent mosquito infestation.

In response to the early warm weather, IAM has planned its mosquito elimination work in municipal facilities in advance. According to the plan, IAM has arranged workers to carry out regular mosquito elimination work at least twice a month in about 170 locations under its management, including parks, leisure areas, hawker areas, markets and cemeteries, during the periods from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in the morning or from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at dusk from March to November. The work includes spraying pesticide to kill adult mosquitoes and putting granular anti-mosquito pesticide in areas prone to water accumulation, such as gutters and rainwater catch pits, to prevent mosquito breeding. Meanwhile, IAM will also maintain close communication with the Health Bureau and timely adjust the frequency of the mosquito elimination work according to the trend of the local ovitrap index.

Removing sources of breeding, supplemented by chemical means of mosquito elimination, is the most effective way to eliminate mosquito infestation. IAM calls on the public to actively take part in the mosquito elimination work by paying attention to environmental hygiene and removing stagnant water regularly, so as to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. At the same time, IAM advises the public to wear light-coloured clothing and put on mosquito repellent containing DEET on the exposed parts of their bodies when they carry out outdoor activities to prevent mosquito bites.