The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) launched the first round of the anti-rodent operation in designated target areas in all districts on May 6 to sustain the effectiveness of rodent prevention and control work at the district level.
An FEHD spokesman said today (June 14), "The FEHD continues to conduct two rounds of the anti-rodent operation, each lasting for eight weeks, in designated target areas this year, with multi-pronged strategies including improving environmental hygiene, and stepping up rodent disinfestation and enforcement actions, to carry out targeted rodent prevention and control work in the districts. Since the launch of the first round of the operation on May 6, the FEHD, in the past month, has enhanced district rodent control work at problematic spots such as rear lanes, refuse collection points, markets, hawker bazaars, cooked food markets, peripheral areas of construction sites, etc. As at June 2, the department placed poisonous baits at 3 030 locations and placed 8 082 traps, and destroyed 209 rat holes, with 386 dead rodents collected and 303 rodents caught in traps.
"The FEHD has also stepped up inspections of markets, hawker bazaars, cooked food markets and in particular food premises. Enforcement actions against premises causing poor environmental hygiene conditions, food preparation and scullery at rear lanes, and improper storage of articles and illegal dumping of refuse were strengthened. As at June 2, the FEHD conducted 9 719 inspections and issued 1 771 health advisories, 712 verbal warnings, eight warning letters, three statutory notices and 213 fixed penalty notices and took out 135 prosecutions.
"Furthermore, FEHD staff have enhanced street cleansing services and cleansing of public markets and hawker bazaars in the target areas, including sweeping and washing of streets and rear lanes, and clearing of refuse and waste on the streets, in public markets and hawker bazaars, so as to keep the environment clean."
During the operation, the FEHD has also strengthened public education and publicity and arranged 87 health talks for building management companies of private buildings, persons-in-charge of food premises, and market and hawker stall operators to provide information and technical advice on rodent prevention and control.
The spokesman stressed that cross sector co-operation is essential to sustaining effective rodent prevention and control. He called on members of the public to eliminate the three fundamental survival conditions of rodents, namely food, harbourage and passages, i.e. the elimination of the food sources and hiding places of rodents, as well as blockage of their dispersal routes.
The first round of the anti-rodent operation in designated target areas will end on June 28, while the second phase of the territory-wide anti-rodent campaign, lasting for 10 weeks, will commence on July 8.
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