Hong Kong has recorded its first locally acquired dengue fever case of 2026, according to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). The case involves a 21-year-old healthy man who developed fever, headache, muscle pain, and a rash on April 12. He sought medical care at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on April 16 and was admitted for treatment. Laboratory tests confirmed dengue virus infection, and his condition is now stable.
Initial investigations showed the patient resides in Tai Wo Estate, Tai Po, and worked at a road construction site near Lung Yan Road in Ma On Shan, Lantau Island. During the incubation period from March 29 to April 9, he did not travel outside Hong Kong. He reported being bitten by mosquitoes primarily at the worksite and near his home, but not during visits to other locations including Tai Wo Estate. Close contacts at his residence and coworkers at the site have not shown any symptoms so far.
The CHP is conducting epidemiological investigations and has found no link between this case and earlier imported cases. As of April 20, Hong Kong has recorded a total of 13 dengue cases this year, with 12 being imported and this one being locally acquired. Last year, the city reported 59 imported dengue cases. In 2024, there were 161 cases in total — 156 imported and five locally transmitted.
Dr. Chuang Luk-kee, head of the Communicable Disease Branch at CHP, said the patient had no travel history and likely contracted the virus through a mosquito bite at or near the worksite. He assessed the risk of local dengue transmission as “moderate” but emphasized that the overall risk remains preventable and controllable.
Environmental inspections at the construction site in Ma On Shan revealed multiple mosquito breeding spots, including waterlogged drains clogged with weeds and leaves, as well as containers and equipment holding stagnant water. The CHP has instructed the site contractor to halt work until mosquito control measures are completed. Officers have visited the patient’s home and the worksite to conduct inspections and carry out fogging operations.
As a precaution, the CHP will set up a health station at Tai Wo Plaza in Tai Wo Estate to evaluate individuals with dengue-like symptoms and offer free antibody testing. The center continues to monitor the situation closely and urges the public to eliminate stagnant water and take preventive measures against mosquito bites, especially as warmer temperatures and increased humidity create favorable conditions for mosquito breeding.
