Lion Rock park opens after closure over dengue outbreak, but Hong Kong warned to stay alert
Opening was delayed because of Typhoon Mangkhut, but experts warn virus could still jump mosquito generations and resurface
Doctors urged Hongkongers not to lower their guard against dengue fever even as a public park believed to be the biggest source of a recent outbreak opened on Saturday after nearly two months of closure.
Lion Rock Country Park, thought to be one of the origins of an epidemic, was closed on August 17 for workers to destroy mosquito breeding sites. Authorities have declared the end of that outbreak.
Before the closure, 11 cases of the mosquito-borne disease were reported within four days, with nine cases traced back to the 5.07-hectare park.
As of September 4, there were 29 dengue fever cases recorded in the city, compared with only one local case confirmed in the same period last year.
The dengue virus is spread by the Aedes albopictus mosquito, which is common in Hong Kong. Those infected are likely to display symptoms such as high fever, severe headache and muscle pain. While fatalities are rare, the risks are higher for elderly patients.
On Friday, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which oversees 42 public parks, zoos and gardens in Hong Kong, announced that Lion Rock Country Park would reopen at 9am on Saturday, three days after the Centre for Health Protection announced the end of the dengue epidemic.
