Zika virus: can Hong Kong fend off threat from this silent menace?
Most people show no symptoms and will never know they have caught it – but the consequences for pregnant women could be dire
As the spread of the Zika virus is now being considered a “public health emergency of international concern” by the World Health Organisation, the question for Hongkongers is whether or not the city has what it takes to fend off a looming health crisis.
The lessons from the Sars virus outbreak in 2003 mean there is much expertise available in the city, from the vigilance of health authorities in blocking and containing previous epidemics, to the higher awareness among Hongkongers on infectious diseases.
But there are a few factors not in Hong Kong’s favour when it comes to containing a possible outbreak of the virus, which has been linked to birth defects in babies.
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For one, the city is experiencing wetter, hotter, and longer summers, making it more hospitable to the mosquitoes that carry the disease.
The majority of people who catch Zika show no symptoms, limiting the ability of border checks and virus surveillance and making early detection and quarantine measures almost impossible.