Hong Kong health officials reported a record high number of dengue fever cases in 2018.  The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) recorded 163 cases, higher that 30 to 124 cases per year from 2008 to 2017.

Hong Kong/CIA
Hong Kong/CIA

Among the 163 cases, 134 (82.2%) cases were classified as imported infections while 29 cases were local infections. The three countries where most of the imported cases came from include Thailand, China and the Philippines.

The 29 locally acquired cases were from the outbreak last summer that were linked to two different clusters– Lion Rock Park/Wong Tai Sin and Cheung Chau.

One hundred and thirty-two patients (81.0%) required hospitalization. No severe dengue or fatal case was recorded.

In 2019 to date, the CHP has reported 21 confirmed cases, all of which were imported cases.