https://www.scmp.com/rss/522175/feed The latest news and top stories on the Centre for Health Protection. A prominent Hong Kong-based governmental agency, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) is dedicated to the effective prevention and control of diseases. Established in 2004 following the SARS outbreak, it operates under the Department of Health. Its main areas of focus include communicable disease surveillance, emergency response, infection control, public health laboratory services and health promotion. The CHP is recognised... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong has stepped up health screenings for air passengers arriving from Africa as part of a contingency plan to guard against Ebola, after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an outbreak of the deadly infectious disease on the continent a “public health emergency of international concern”. Local health authorities also said on Sunday that they would strengthen public awareness and education, while stressing that the “immediate health impact of Ebola disease on the local population... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353895/hong-kong-ramps-health-checks-travellers-africa-after-ebola-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353895/hong-kong-ramps-health-checks-travellers-africa-after-ebola-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 13:46:27 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Residents at a private housing estate in Hong Kong have stepped up pest prevention measures as authorities investigate the city’s first human case of rat hepatitis E recorded this year. Janitors were seen deep-cleaning public areas at the 25-block Laguna Verde estate in Hung Hom on Sunday, with sanitation efforts also encompassing the area’s waterfront promenade park, planters and the nearby shopping centre. A day earlier, health authorities revealed that a 42-year-old patient was found to have... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353870/estate-residents-step-cleaning-after-citys-first-rat-hepatitis-case-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353870/estate-residents-step-cleaning-after-citys-first-rat-hepatitis-case-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 08:13:14 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Health authorities are investigating a human case of rat hepatitis E – the first recorded in Hong Kong this year – and have urged the public to observe good hygiene practices and use effective rodent control measures. A spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Saturday that the case involved a 42-year-old man with chronic liver disease, whose blood sample tested positive for the virus on May 5. “Based on current epidemiological data, the CHP considered that the patient was... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353818/man-infected-rat-hepatitis-e-hong-kongs-first-case-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3353818/man-infected-rat-hepatitis-e-hong-kongs-first-case-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 10:03:35 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The hantavirus cluster that took a deadly toll on a cruise ship far away in the Atlantic has understandably been of great concern to many in Hong Kong. Fears have grown globally since the phrase “human-to-human transmission” was used to describe what happened on board the MV Hondius after it set sail from Argentina on April 1. Given densely populated Hong Kong’s experience with Covid, Sars and other illnesses, it is good that the city authorities have been on the alert since at least three... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3353166/hong-kong-treating-hantavirus-outbreak-reasonable-caution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3353166/hong-kong-treating-hantavirus-outbreak-reasonable-caution?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 22:45:04 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong health authorities are seeking more information from the World Health Organization (WHO) on an outbreak of a deadly hantavirus strain capable of limited human-to-human transmission reported on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, while ramping up efforts to prevent the rare disease from reaching the city’s shores. The Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection revealed on Thursday that it had contacted the WHO about the hantavirus cluster found on the MV Hondius after the vessel... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352801/hong-kong-seeks-more-details-who-hantavirus-outbreak-cruise-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3352801/hong-kong-seeks-more-details-who-hantavirus-outbreak-cruise-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 14:03:26 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. The end of April marked the end of Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month, offering a reminder that one disease deserves greater attention in Asia: nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a type of head and neck cancer. NPC has a strikingly uneven geography. It remains endemic in East and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3352014/why-lifestyle-medicine-belongs-asias-nasopharyngeal-cancer-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3352014/why-lifestyle-medicine-belongs-asias-nasopharyngeal-cancer-conversation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong will try out a “mosquito-to-control-mosquito” strategy next year, under which the insect males are infected with bacteria to prevent their offspring from reaching maturity, following the city’s first local dengue fever case in over a year. Announcing the strategy on Sunday, Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene Donald Ng Man-kit said the government would consider stepping up mosquito control measures with a lower threshold, as the population of the insects had risen more rapidly... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351465/hong-kong-plans-new-mosquito-control-trial-after-first-dengue-case-2024?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3351465/hong-kong-plans-new-mosquito-control-trial-after-first-dengue-case-2024?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 07:25:48 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Health authorities will provide free measles vaccinations to Hong Kong airport workers from Friday, following the detection of three cases among aircraft maintenance staff. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) warned on Thursday of the “relatively high” risk of measles transmission at the aviation hub, citing the high volume of travellers passing through there and the sizeable proportion of non-local-born workers who might not have received measles jabs in childhood. “In order to prevent... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351189/hong-kong-airport-staff-offered-free-measles-jabs-bid-prevent-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351189/hong-kong-airport-staff-offered-free-measles-jabs-bid-prevent-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:52:14 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li The first locally recorded case of dengue fever in Hong Kong in more than a year indicates that undiagnosed imported cases may lead to an outbreak in the coming months, a health official has warned, while stressing that the risk is preventable. The warning by Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable disease branch, came after the dengue fever case – involving a patient with no travel history – was recorded in Tai Po last Thursday. “The first local dengue fever... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350971/first-local-dengue-case-could-lead-outbreak-coming-months-health-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350971/first-local-dengue-case-could-lead-outbreak-coming-months-health-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:41:47 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong health authorities are investigating a third measles case involving an aircraft maintenance worker at the airport, saying his infection is epidemiologically linked to those of two colleagues. The Centre for Health Protection said on Monday night that the latest patient, a 37-year-old man, was likely to have contracted the disease at his workplace. It said all three cases worked for the same company at the airport, adding that the latest patient was involved in aircraft maintenance and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350799/hong-kong-health-authorities-investigate-third-measles-case-among-airport-staff?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3350799/hong-kong-health-authorities-investigate-third-measles-case-among-airport-staff?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:56:06 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying A nine-year-old Hong Kong girl has contracted a rare bacterial infection and is fighting for her life in hospital after visiting Japan during the Easter holiday, with health authorities contacting the other tour group members as a precaution. The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Friday that the girl, who was in a critical condition in the paediatric intensive care unit of Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung, began showing symptoms of invasive meningococcal infection including... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349708/girl-9-critical-condition-meningococcal-infection-after-holiday-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349708/girl-9-critical-condition-meningococcal-infection-after-holiday-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:09:15 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Earlier this year, the Centre for Food Safety noted that a number of Hongkongers had fallen ill after eating raw oysters, and pointed out that the norovirus is a pathogen of concern in such cases. There are food safety and hygiene regulations in place regarding raw oysters, so how... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348883/hong-kong-consumers-need-not-be-sea-when-it-comes-oysters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348883/hong-kong-consumers-need-not-be-sea-when-it-comes-oysters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words I refer to the letter, “Why BMI should be just one data point among many” (March 25). The Department of Health shares a common goal with our community: the well-being of everyone in Hong Kong. We truly welcome feedback and perspectives which help raise awareness and bring us... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348178/bmi-starting-point-not-whole-story-hong-kongs-weight-management-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3348178/bmi-starting-point-not-whole-story-hong-kongs-weight-management-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Elderly Hongkongers and people with chronic illnesses should protect themselves from health problems arising from high humidity by using dehumidifiers and removing mould, a doctor and a community advocate have said, as damp conditions are expected to persist until the end of the week. They said the public should be better informed about the health risks posed by the damp weather, cautioning that high moisture encouraged mould that could cause breathing difficulties in asthmatics, while humid and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347907/warning-over-mould-and-infections-hong-kong-set-more-damp-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347907/warning-over-mould-and-infections-hong-kong-set-more-damp-days?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:30:07 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Authorities have launched an investigation into a potential food poisoning cluster that has affected 53 trainees understood to be from the Hong Kong Police College. The Department of Health said on Saturday that 48 male and five female trainees, aged 20 to 40, had developed symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and fever since Thursday evening. It did not name the police college in its statement, only referring to the location as a training institute. A source confirmed to the South... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345824/health-authorities-probe-possible-food-poisoning-cluster-police-college?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345824/health-authorities-probe-possible-food-poisoning-cluster-police-college?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 12:12:01 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong has launched its first action plan on weight management, aiming to reduce the proportion of people who are overweight or obese to less than half the population in three years from the current 51.3 per cent of adults. On Wednesday, World Obesity Day, the Department of Health announced more than 40 measures, ranging from installing more weighing scales in government venues to exploring the inclusion of novel weight-loss injections in the drug formulary, in a bid to reverse the rising... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345436/hong-kong-launches-3-year-action-plan-help-residents-fight-flab?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3345436/hong-kong-launches-3-year-action-plan-help-residents-fight-flab?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:48:43 +0000 Ng Kang-chung,Theodora Yu Ng Kang-chung,Theodora Yu Some Hong Kong restaurant operators have urged authorities to clearly tell the public about the origins of problematic raw oysters following a spate of food poisoning cases, so that diners can make informed decisions in the lead-up to Lunar New Year, their peak business season. Consumers are becoming increasingly wary about oysters, with some restaurants saying demand has plunged amid calls from health officials for diners to avoid consuming them raw as the number of norovirus-related food... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343555/share-where-risky-oysters-are-authorities-urged-after-food-poisoning-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3343555/share-where-risky-oysters-are-authorities-urged-after-food-poisoning-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 02:50:35 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying,Danny Mok,Theodora Yu Lo Hoi-ying,Danny Mok,Theodora Yu Some recent food poisoning cases in Hong Kong have been linked to raw oysters supplied by a company in Spain, prompting authorities to instruct the food trade to suspend imports and sales from the firm. The Centre for Food Safety revealed the latest results of its investigation into dozens of recent food poisoning cases on Friday night – hours after a restaurant chain told the South China Morning Post that raw oysters consumed by diners who fell ill came from France and were supplied by a Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3343376/hong-kong-diners-urged-avoid-raw-oysters-more-food-poisoning-cases-found?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3343376/hong-kong-diners-urged-avoid-raw-oysters-more-food-poisoning-cases-found?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:31:43 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Norovirus has fallen under the spotlight in Hong Kong following a series of food poisoning cases linked to raw oysters in eateries since January, with the latest incident added to the list taking place at the five-star Mandarin Oriental hotel. Between January 18 and Monday, the Centre for Health Protection recorded 37 food poisoning cases affecting 115 people. Of these, 33 cases – involving 101 individuals – were linked to norovirus. Epidemiological findings showed that all those affected by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3343086/does-eating-raw-oysters-put-hongkongers-risk-norovirus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3343086/does-eating-raw-oysters-put-hongkongers-risk-norovirus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong authorities have ordered the food trade to stop selling raw oysters supplied by two local companies and a South Korean firm after their products were linked to 21 suspected food poisoning cases in the city. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) on Tuesday night revealed the results of an investigation into a spate of food poisoning incidents in recent weeks. Individuals involved in 10 cases had consumed oysters supplied by Seojun Mulsan Co Ltd in... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3343096/hong-kong-hotel-removes-seafood-items-its-restaurants-amid-food-poisoning-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3343096/hong-kong-hotel-removes-seafood-items-its-restaurants-amid-food-poisoning-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 13:32:22 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Eight people have fallen ill after eating seafood at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Hong Kong, adding to a spate of food poisoning cases in recent weeks. The five men and three women developed diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting and fever between 25 and 75 hours after dining in two groups at the Clipper Lounge in the hotel on Connaught Road Central on January 31 and February 2. The Centre for Health Protection said four sought medical advice but none required hospitalisation. All were now in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342971/8-people-fall-ill-after-eating-seafood-hong-kongs-mandarin-oriental-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3342971/8-people-fall-ill-after-eating-seafood-hong-kongs-mandarin-oriental-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:53:16 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong’s health authorities are investigating two food poisoning clusters linked to five people falling ill after eating raw oysters, adding to dozens of cases recorded in recent weeks. Officials also reminded residents on Sunday to maintain personal hygiene, as norovirus was more active in the winter months from December to March. The Centre for Health Protection reported that the latest two epidemiologically linked food poisoning clusters involved Chef’s Cuts at The Southside shopping... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3342825/hong-kong-food-poisoning-cases-linked-raw-oysters-spike-27-1-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3342825/hong-kong-food-poisoning-cases-linked-raw-oysters-spike-27-1-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:10:30 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Vaccine scepticism is as old as the disease-fighting jabs themselves, but recently it has been a subplot in the political drama in the United States. Now, even globally respected advice from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has been changed. Understandably, many Hong Kong parents have been left confused after the US rolled back a long-standing recommendation for a universal birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Instead of being a routine mandatory shot, it is now listed as a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342609/hong-kong-right-hold-line-against-us-vaccine-scepticism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342609/hong-kong-right-hold-line-against-us-vaccine-scepticism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing A one-year-old girl may have suffered food poisoning after consuming Nestlé infant milk formula, Hong Kong authorities have said, while revealing they have received about 50 reports of children feeling unwell amid a growing contamination scare. The Centre for Food Safety separately ordered the immediate removal of 390 cans of Aptamil Profutura DUO Advance 1 (800g) from shelves, as officials expanded a citywide recall to include a second batch of the milk powder imported from Germany. The Centre... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3342731/hong-kong-toddler-suspected-have-fallen-ill-tainted-milk-formula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3342731/hong-kong-toddler-suspected-have-fallen-ill-tainted-milk-formula?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:25:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s health authorities have warned of a recent “drastic increase” in norovirus-related food poisoning incidents that are all related to raw oyster consumption, with 20 of them being recorded over the past 2½ weeks. The Centre for Health Protection said on Thursday that it had received 23 reports of food poisoning, involving 69 patients, since January 18. Among them, 20 cases affecting 57 people were related to norovirus, which typically causes food poisoning and acute... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3342562/drastic-increase-food-poisoning-cases-hong-kong-linked-raw-oysters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3342562/drastic-increase-food-poisoning-cases-hong-kong-linked-raw-oysters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:29:34 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial A small outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus in India has prompted health alerts across Asia – including screening of inbound passengers in Hong Kong – because of the disease’s high fatality rate. Thankfully there are factors so far against the virus’ spread beyond Kolkata, the capital of the state of West Bengal. They include reports of containment, low transmissibility and the absence of a direct air link with Kolkata, where the central authorities say there are only two confirmed cases and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3341661/hong-kong-right-remain-vigilant-against-nipah-virus-spread?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3341661/hong-kong-right-remain-vigilant-against-nipah-virus-spread?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong health authorities have warned parents not to “blindly follow” overseas changes to childhood immunisation schedules, including for the hepatitis B birth dose, after the United States scaled back routine vaccine recommendations for infants. The city’s Centre for Health Protection issued the warning on Wednesday in response to a controversial overhaul by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr Albert Au Ka-wing, head of the Centre for Health Protection’s communicable... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341491/dont-blindly-follow-us-changes-infant-vaccines-hong-kong-tells-parents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341491/dont-blindly-follow-us-changes-infant-vaccines-hong-kong-tells-parents?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 03:34:40 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hongkongers should avoid travelling to West Bengal, which is battling an outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus, an infectious diseases expert has warned, with an Indian community leader in the city predicting a short-term impact on family and business trips. The community leader also sought to reassure the public, dismissing fears that the outbreak in India would significantly affect Hong Kong in the long term. “There is a large and thriving Bengali community in Hong Kong. Those who are planning... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341460/hongkongers-urged-avoid-indias-west-bengal-amid-outbreak-deadly-nipah-virus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341460/hongkongers-urged-avoid-indias-west-bengal-amid-outbreak-deadly-nipah-virus?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:31:28 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong’s flu vaccination rates among most age groups are below the 70 per cent threshold needed for herd immunity even as the winter influenza season approaches, a leading government medical adviser has warned. Professor David Hui Shu-cheong, chairman of the government’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases, on Saturday reminded the public to get vaccinated ahead of Lunar New Year, when social gatherings are frequent. He noted that 70 to 80 per cent of severe flu cases among... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341085/flu-vaccination-rates-lag-hong-kong-winter-peak-nears-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3341085/flu-vaccination-rates-lag-hong-kong-winter-peak-nears-expert-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 03:32:02 +0000 Ambrose Li,Connor Mycroft Ambrose Li,Connor Mycroft This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The Hong Kong Observatory issued its third frost warning in as many days on Friday, with cool and dry weather expected to continue over the weekend. Ground frost was likely to occur on Saturday morning in isolated areas of the New Territories, the forecaster said. Similar warnings were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339257/cold-snap-deepens-hong-kong-temperatures-plunge-2-degrees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339257/cold-snap-deepens-hong-kong-temperatures-plunge-2-degrees?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 02:38:54 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Hong Kong has emerged from its summer flu season, which started late and extended into the new year, but a health official is urging the public to get vaccinated immediately to stave off a looming winter surge. This year’s summer influenza season began in early September and reached its peak in mid-to-late October. It lasted about four months, with authorities putting the death toll at 345 people, including three children. Dr Edwin Tsui Lok-kin, controller of the Centre for Health Protection,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339232/hong-kongs-late-summer-flu-season-over-official-says-jabs-still-vital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3339232/hong-kongs-late-summer-flu-season-over-official-says-jabs-still-vital?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 14:31:17 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong health authorities have urged the public to get the latest seasonal influenza vaccine ahead of the next wave of the flu virus, as temperatures in the city dropped to their lowest so far this winter. The appeal by the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) on Saturday coincided with similar calls by an infectious disease specialist, who expressed concerns over the low vaccination rates in the population. The warnings came as temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory in Tsim Sha Tsui dropped... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338621/hongkongers-urged-get-flu-vaccinations-city-braces-winter-virus-wave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338621/hongkongers-urged-get-flu-vaccinations-city-braces-winter-virus-wave?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 11:57:31 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen About 300,000 Hong Kong residents will be offered free hepatitis B screenings early next year, as the city aims to meet a set of international goals to eliminate the disease as a public health threat by 2030. The screening scheme will run in parallel with authorities’ other measures to tackle hepatitis, as Hong Kong launched its viral hepatitis action plan for the next five years. “We can say that fighting hepatitis means tackling liver cancer at its root,” Dr Bonnie Wong Chun-kwan, a consultant... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338148/300000-hongkongers-be-offered-free-hepatitis-b-screenings-early-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338148/300000-hongkongers-be-offered-free-hepatitis-b-screenings-early-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 08:13:49 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft The emergence of a so-called “super flu” has gripped global headlines, prompting authorities in Hong Kong to urge residents to get vaccinated. Amid the spate of infections, a local research team also found that 99 per cent of residents lacked sufficient antibodies needed to protect themselves from the new strain. With many people travelling for the Christmas holiday, the Post breaks down what the new super flu is, whether it is as dangerous as it sounds and what you can do to protect... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337539/super-flu-spreads-worldwide-how-can-hongkongers-protect-against-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337539/super-flu-spreads-worldwide-how-can-hongkongers-protect-against-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:01 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong health authorities have urged the public to get the latest Covid vaccine as the next wave of the virus is set to arrive. The Centre for Health Protection said on Friday active periods of Covid-19 came in cycles of every six to nine months. More than five months had passed since the last periodic upsurge of Covid activity, it noted, as it asked the public to get the vaccine “in a timely manner” to reduce the risk of serious illness and death. “According to the centre’s analysis, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3336283/hongkongers-urged-get-covid-vaccine-next-infection-wave-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3336283/hongkongers-urged-get-covid-vaccine-next-infection-wave-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:29:46 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Suckling pigs cooked too early and later contaminated by raw ingredients likely caused food poisoning among 31 guests, including a two-year-old, who attended a Chinese wedding banquet at an upscale hotel in Hong Kong, the Centre for Health Protection said on Wednesday. The guests – 20 male and 11 female – developed abdominal pain and diarrhoea about two to 27 hours after dining in the Grand Ballroom of the New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui last Saturday. The youngest was aged... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335954/suckling-pig-blamed-leaving-31-ill-after-hong-kong-wedding-banquet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335954/suckling-pig-blamed-leaving-31-ill-after-hong-kong-wedding-banquet?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 15:18:47 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong authorities have closed hiking trails on Tsing Yi for large-scale mosquito control after five local cases of chikungunya fever were detected among recent visitors. The Centre for Health Protection said on Tuesday that the fact members of the public continued to be infected after visiting the Tsing Yi Nature Trails – despite a series of mosquito prevention and control operations over recent weeks – reflected that the risk of infection in the area remained. “Compared with urban settings,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335795/hong-kong-shuts-tsing-yi-hiking-trails-amid-links-5-local-chikungunya-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3335795/hong-kong-shuts-tsing-yi-hiking-trails-amid-links-5-local-chikungunya-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 11:55:00 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun Hong Kong has recorded one additional locally acquired case of chikungunya fever involving a woman who went hiking in Tsing Yi, bringing the total number of confirmed local cases of the mosquito-borne disease this year to 10. The Centre for Health Protection said on Saturday that it had recorded a new local case as of 5pm, involving a 67-year-old woman living in Kwai Tsing district. According to the centre, a preliminary investigation found that the woman developed joint pain and a fever on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3335476/hong-kong-confirms-10th-locally-acquired-case-chikungunya-fever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3335476/hong-kong-confirms-10th-locally-acquired-case-chikungunya-fever?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 15:07:57 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong has recorded two more imported cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease chikungunya involving a man and a woman who had both recently travelled to mainland China. The latest cases pushed the total number of confirmed infections in the city to 70 so far this year, of which four were locally acquired, the Centre for Health Protection said on Sunday. The man, 69, lives in Yuen Long. He visited Yunnan province with three other friends between November 9 and 16. According to preliminary... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3333864/chikungunya-strikes-two-hong-kong-travellers-infection-count-rises-70?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3333864/chikungunya-strikes-two-hong-kong-travellers-infection-count-rises-70?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 14:42:18 +0000 Jiang Chuqin Jiang Chuqin Hong Kong’s fourth locally acquired chikungunya fever case resulted from a new source of infection unrelated to previous ones, health authorities have confirmed, urging those living in the same area as the patient to seek medical advice if they show symptoms. The Centre for Health Protection said on Wednesday that the source of the fourth case’s infection was genetically distinct from the previous imported and locally acquired cases. The fourth locally acquired case is a 68-year-old woman living... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3333448/hong-kongs-fourth-local-chikungunya-case-unrelated-past-3-health-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3333448/hong-kongs-fourth-local-chikungunya-case-unrelated-past-3-health-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 13:46:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Influenza is proving a moving target for health authorities. Mutations of the virus and the prospect of cooler weather have combined to put doctors on heightened alert against the prolongation of the summer flu season. At this stage, it cannot be ruled out that summer and winter flu seasons will overlap. This is after an 11-month-old baby boy has become the second child flu death of the season, following that of a 13-year-old unvaccinated girl last month. These cases, the mutations and the risk... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333199/hong-kong-must-redouble-vaccination-efforts-amid-threat-longer-flu-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3333199/hong-kong-must-redouble-vaccination-efforts-amid-threat-longer-flu-season?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 22:45:07 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Hong Kong’s fourth locally acquired chikungunya fever case could have resulted from a new source of infection unrelated to previous ones, a leading medical expert has said, adding that heightened surveillance by authorities may uncover more patients. Professor Jasper Chan Fuk-woo of the University of Hong Kong’s microbiology department issued the warning on Friday, a day after a 68-year-old woman living in Shau Kei Wan was listed as the city’s fourth local case. “Based on the epidemiological... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332842/hong-kongs-fourth-local-chikungunya-case-may-be-linked-new-infection-source?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332842/hong-kongs-fourth-local-chikungunya-case-may-be-linked-new-infection-source?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:06:33 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung Elizabeth Cheung A mutated influenza virus strain is spreading in Hong Kong, potentially reducing the vaccine’s ability to prevent infection, experts have said, as the city recorded its second child death of the current flu season. Health authorities said on Thursday that the latest death involved an 11-month-old boy. Earlier in the day, experts stressed that the jabs remain effective in protecting against serious complications from a genetically mutated influenza A (H3N2) virus strain that authorities said had... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332642/mutated-flu-strain-spreading-hong-kong-vaccines-remain-key-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3332642/mutated-flu-strain-spreading-hong-kong-vaccines-remain-key-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 09:29:42 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong reported its third locally acquired chikungunya infection on Monday, with health authorities saying that there could be a second source of the disease as this case was not related to the two detected earlier. Authorities said they would conduct health assessments on about 1,500 households near the patient’s home in Tsing Yi, but believed the transmission risk was not high due to its early detection and weather conditions that were unfavourable to mosquito breeding. The Centre for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3331379/hong-kong-fears-new-source-third-locally-acquired-chikungunya-infection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3331379/hong-kong-fears-new-source-third-locally-acquired-chikungunya-infection?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:45:59 +0000 Lam Ka-sing Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong has confirmed its second locally acquired chikungunya fever infection, with the patient’s viral sample found to match that of the first domestic case. The Centre for Health Protection said on Friday that it had classified it as locally acquired after genome analysis found that the female patient, 55, shared the same source of infection as the first case, an 82-year-old woman who lives in Fung Tak Estate in Diamond Hill. “Based on the epidemiological information for both patients,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3331131/hong-kong-confirms-second-locally-acquired-case-chikungunya-fever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3331131/hong-kong-confirms-second-locally-acquired-case-chikungunya-fever?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:40:04 +0000 Connor Mycroft,Willa Wu Connor Mycroft,Willa Wu Hong Kong health authorities have identified 21 people showing mild symptoms of chikungunya fever who required blood tests, as the city’s leader pledged that his administration would go all out to prevent the viral disease from taking root locally. The Centre for Health Protection on Tuesday also said the source of infection in a 55-year-old woman confirmed with the mosquito-borne illness a day earlier was still under investigation, but a genome analysis was being conducted. The centre said it... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330674/hong-kong-leader-vows-nip-chikungunya-bud-21-show-symptoms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330674/hong-kong-leader-vows-nip-chikungunya-bud-21-show-symptoms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:51:36 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong is on high alert after the city logged its first locally acquired chikungunya infection on Sunday. An 82-year-old woman living in Fung Tak Estate in Diamond Hill, Wong Tai Sin district, tested positive for the virus despite having no recent travel history. City-wide anti-mosquito operations are now under way to prevent the spread of the chikungunya virus and health officers are reaching out to people living within a 200-metre radius of the patient’s home – considered the high-risk area... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330518/chikungunya-fever-hong-kong-how-stay-safe-and-keep-mosquitoes-bay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330518/chikungunya-fever-hong-kong-how-stay-safe-and-keep-mosquitoes-bay?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:40:56 +0000 Edith Lin,Emily Hung,Ambrose Li Edith Lin,Emily Hung,Ambrose Li Blood tests have been carried out on seven Hongkongers with symptoms of chikungunya fever after health workers screened around 1,300 people in a high-risk area linked to the first local infection of the mosquito-borne disease, authorities have said. The Centre for Health Protection, which urged residents with symptoms to seek medical advice, also reported three new infections – two imported and one from an unconfirmed source – on Monday evening, a day after Hong Kong recorded its first locally... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330445/no-chikungunya-cases-found-among-450-hongkongers-screened-after-first-local-infection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3330445/no-chikungunya-cases-found-among-450-hongkongers-screened-after-first-local-infection?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 06:43:25 +0000 Leopold Chen,Emily Hung Leopold Chen,Emily Hung Hong Kong has recorded its first-ever locally acquired chikungunya fever case, with health authorities warning that the 10,000 people who live in the same neighbourhood as the 82-year-old patient face higher risks of infection. Authorities also announced on Sunday that citywide anti-mosquito work would be stepped up, especially around Fung Tak Estate in Diamond Hill, where the patient lived and was likely to have been bitten by virus-carrying insects. The patient developed pain in her ankle on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3330363/hong-kong-reports-first-local-chikungunya-fever-case-82-year-old-infected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3330363/hong-kong-reports-first-local-chikungunya-fever-case-82-year-old-infected?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:37:33 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Medical organisations and politicians in Hong Kong, Macau and other parts of Asia have issued a joint appeal to take preventive steps against the spread of influenza across the continent, with a local expert calling on residents to get vaccinated early. Dr Mike Kwan Yat-wah, president of the Asian Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases, said on Sunday that influenza was spreading not only in Hong Kong, but in countries such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Singapore. “After the Covid-19... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329560/flus-spread-across-asia-prompts-hong-kong-groups-join-vaccination-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3329560/flus-spread-across-asia-prompts-hong-kong-groups-join-vaccination-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 06:50:49 +0000