Hong Kong has taken lessons from Hungary to help curb the growing threat of rodent-borne diseases.
It is conducting a pilot anti-rodent study in selected villages, drawing on experience in the European country.
A paper prepared for the Legislative Council panel on environmental affairs says there have been 43 reported cases of rodent-related diseases in Hong Kong in the first nine months of this year, one fewer than for all of last year and nearly triple 2000's tally.
It says Hungarian pest-control experts had found they could control rats by exploiting their territorial behaviour and 'neophobia' - fear of anything new or unusual - as part of a control programme.
Rats usually choose a territory bounded by physical barriers such as roads, exposed open spaces, playgrounds and the like. Once rats occupying a particular area had been eliminated, it could usually be kept rodent-free by various control measures.
For the Hong Kong scheme, staff of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will lay poisoned baits in selected areas. The infestation rate will be monitored for a year and maintained at low levels by control measures.
