The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (September 9) announced that the monthly gravidtrap index for Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in August dropped further to 2.5 per cent from 4.5 per cent in July and was at the lowest Level 1, indicating that the distribution of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes in the areas surveyed was not extensive. 

     In August, all the 64 survey areas were recorded with a gravidtrap index lower than the alert level of 20 per cent. Moreover, the monthly density index for Aedes albopictus in August was 1.1, which represented that an average of 1.1 Aedes albopictus adults were found in the Aedes-positive gravidtraps, indicating that the number of adult Aedes albopictus was not abundant in the survey areas. The gravidtrap and density indices for Aedes albopictus in different survey areas as well as information on mosquito prevention and control measures are available on the department website at www.fehd.gov.hk.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Under the concerted efforts and collaboration of various parties, the index in August dropped further. However, mosquitoes breed quickly during the hot and rainy spring and summer months (i.e. from May to September). Members of the public are reminded to continue the routine mosquito prevention and control work, especially the repair and maintenance of structures. Cracks and dents which may accumulate water and become potential breeding grounds should be filled and levelled to reduce the chance of mosquito breeding.

     "In response to the four local cases of dengue fever recorded this year, the FEHD has continued to intensify mosquito prevention and control work with relevant government departments in areas under their purview, including eliminating mosquito breeding places, applying larvicides, conducting fogging operations to eradicate adult mosquitoes, and placing mosquito trapping devices at suitable locations. The FEHD has also provided government departments with professional advice and technical support to assist them in swiftly formulating and implementing effective anti-mosquito measures while strengthening publicity and education at the same time. The FEHD will continue to monitor the mosquito infestation in all districts, and will conduct prompt and effective mosquito prevention and control work," the spokesman added.

     The FEHD is conducting a three-phase Anti-mosquito Campaign this year. The third phase of the territory-wide campaign, lasting 12 weeks, was launched on August 5 and will run until October 27. During the period, the district offices of the FEHD will target areas that have drawn particular concern, such as public markets, cooked food centres and hawker bazaars, single-block buildings, streets and back lanes, common parts of buildings, village houses, construction sites, vacant sites and road works sites, to remove accumulated water and carry out mosquito prevention and control work. To further enhance the effectiveness of mosquito control, the FEHD and relevant government departments have carried out the second phase of the All-out Anti-mosquito Operations since May 2 to focus on eliminating potential mosquito breeding places, and called on property management offices to arrange necessary repairs to their premises to minimise mosquito breeding places. Furthermore, intense adult mosquito control has been conducted by means of regular ultra-low volume fogging operations after the onset of the rainy season.

     The FEHD appeals to members of the public to work together to carry out mosquito prevention and control measures early, including inspecting their homes and surroundings to remove potential breeding grounds, changing water in vases and scrubbing their inner surfaces, removing water in saucers under potted plants at least once a week, properly disposing of containers such as soft drink cans and lunch boxes, and drilling large holes in unused tyres. The FEHD also advises members of the public and estate management bodies to keep drains free of blockage and level all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of water. They should also scrub all drains and surface sewers with an alkaline detergent at least once a week to remove any mosquito eggs.

     Aedes albopictus is a kind of mosquito that can transmit DF. DF is commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and has become endemic in many countries in Southeast Asia. Based on the latest surveillance data from the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, there has been an increase in DF cases in some places in Asia thus far, compared with the corresponding period of last year. The Americas (including Brazil, Argentina and Peru) have recorded over 11 million cases, which is a record number, since the beginning of 2024. The dengue activity in neighbouring areas is high and Hong Kong has recorded 54 imported DF cases and four local DF cases so far this year. Members of the public should continue to carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures proactively. 

     A team of four students representing Hong Kong achieved excellent results in the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) 2024, winning one gold medal, two silver medals and one honourable mention. Representatives from 96 countries or regions from all over the world participated in this year's IOI, which was the 36th event and was held in Egypt.

     The four students awarded at the IOI 2024 are as follows:

     Gold medal: Wong Chun (Pui Ching Middle School)  
     Silver medal: Kwan Yung-ho (Diocesan Boys' School)
                         Siu Lok-yin (Wah Yan College (Kowloon)) 
     Honourable mention: Choy Tsz-chai (La Salle College)
                 
     The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, today (September 9) congratulated the team on their excellent performance in the competition. "It is very encouraging to see the remarkable achievements of the Hong Kong team in the IOI, which are the results of the students' persistent work and have demonstrated their problem-solving skills and computer programming abilities," she said. 

     "I wish to extend my gratitude to the school sector for partnering with the Education Bureau (EDB) in promoting STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) education in Hong Kong. The schools not only promote innovation and technology education and information technology in education through classroom teaching, but also provide various learning opportunities outside the classroom including project learning and participation in competitions so as to enable students to utilise their knowledge and skills in STEAM-related areas to solve problems, thereby nurturing their creativity, enriching their learning experience and broadening their horizons."

     The IOI under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is for secondary school students under the age of 20. It aims to promote coding education, nurture students' computational thinking and problem-solving skills, and is the most recognised worldwide computer science competition for secondary school students.

     Since 1997, the EDB and the Hong Kong Association for Computer Education have jointly organised the Hong Kong Olympiad in Informatics (HKOI). Outstanding winners from the HKOI are selected as Hong Kong representatives every year to enter the IOI. They are required to attend a series of training programmes to better prepare for the international competition. In a tradition of passing the torch, many of the trainers are previous contestants of the IOI.

  

     A man who went missing in Cheung Sha Wan has been located.

     Chan Siu-por, aged 86, went missing after he left a shopping mall in Cheung Sha Wan yesterday (September 8) afternoon. His family then made a report to Police on the same day.

     The man was located on Wo Yi Hop Road, Tsuen Wan at noon today (September 9). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     Business receipts in value terms of most of the major service industries showed increases of varying magnitudes in the second quarter of 2024 when compared with the second quarter of 2023, according to the provisional figures of business receipts indices released today (September 9) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).
 
     Comparing the second quarter of 2024 with the second quarter of 2023, double-digit increase was recorded in business receipts index of the transportation (+14.7%) industry. On the other hand, the retail industry recorded a decrease of 11.9% in business receipts index during the same period.
 
     Analysed by service domain, business receipts index of the computer and information technology services domain increased by 85.4% year-on-year during the same period, whereas that of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain decreased by 6.9% year-on-year.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, business receipts in value terms of many major service industries recorded decreases of varying magnitudes in the second quarter of 2024 when compared with the first quarter of 2024. In particular, double-digit decreases were recorded in business receipts indices of the accommodation services (-17.2%) and insurance (-12.8%) industries. On the other hand, business receipts index of the financing (except banking) industry increased by 7.3% during the same period.
 
     Analysed by service domain, comparing the second quarter of 2024 with the first quarter of 2024 on a seasonally adjusted basis, business receipts index of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain decreased by 14.7%, while that of the computer and information technology services domain also decreased by 3.5%.
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman said that business of most service industries improved in the second quarter of 2024 over a year earlier. In particular, business receipts of the transportation industry showed a double-digit increase.
 
     Looking ahead, business of the service industries as a whole should continue to grow, but performance of individual industries may vary. The Central Government's various measures benefitting Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's strenuous efforts to boost market sentiment and rising employment earnings should render support. However, the changing consumption pattern of residents and visitors would continue to pose challenges. Uncertainties in the external environment, including geopolitical tensions and global economic and interest rates outlook, also remain.
 
Further information
 
     Table 1 presents the business receipts indices and their corresponding year-on-year rates of change in respect of selected service industries and service domains for the recent five quarters, while Table 2 shows the corresponding quarter-to-quarter rates of change in the business receipts indices for the recent five quarters based on the seasonally adjusted series.
 
     The revised figures of business receipts indices for the second quarter of 2024 will be released at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/web_table.html?id=660-69001) on October 18, 2024.
 
     Data for compiling the business receipts indices are mainly based on the Quarterly Survey of Service Industries conducted by the C&SD, supplemented by relevant data provided by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
 
     A service domain differs from a service industry in that it comprises those economic activities which straddle different industries but are somehow related to a common theme. It may include all activities carried out by all establishments in a service industry that is closely related to the domain. For a service industry that is less closely related, however, only a portion of the establishments in the industry or even only part of the economic activities of the establishments is related to the domain. Taking the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain as an example, it includes all services of convention and exhibition organisers, short-term accommodation services and services of travel agents, and some of the services (only those involving visitors as customers) of restaurants, retailers and transport operators.
 
     The classification of service industries follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into relevant industry classes.
 
     More detailed statistics are given in the report "Quarterly Business Receipts Indices for Service Industries, Second Quarter 2024". Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080006&scode=520).
 
     For enquiries about the business receipts indices, please contact the Business Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7267 or e-mail: business-receipts@censtatd.gov.hk).

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     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (September 9) that the shark prevention nets at Silver Mine Bay Beach, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach and Hung Shing Yeh Beach in Islands District have been repaired and the beaches are reopened.

     The beaches were temporarily closed earlier for shark prevention net maintenance work.