At the beginning of the fifth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, hamsters in pet stores were found to have COVID-19, and the Fisheries and Protection Department issued a "rat killing order", and a total of more than 2,000 hamsters and other animals were culled.
Recently, there were traces of rats in the streets of Yau Tsim Mong District. District councillors wrote to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to inquire about the rat trapping situation and whether the captured rats were tested for the new coronavirus.
When the FEHD responded to the enquiry, it did not directly respond to whether the mice were carrying the new coronavirus, but pointed out that there is currently no substantial scientific evidence that mice can transmit the new coronavirus to humans.
Yau Tsim Mong captures and seizes 21,552 mice in the past two years
In April, many streets in Yau Tsim Mong had rat trails. For example, there were rats in the Mong Kok market area in the morning.
District Councilor Li Weifeng was worried that the rat infestation would be worse in summer. In April, he wrote to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to ask how many rats have been caught in the past two years, whether new methods of rodent control have been introduced, and whether the captured rats have been tested for the new coronavirus.
The Food, Environmental Hygiene and Works Committee of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council held a meeting on Tuesday (10th). The FEHD responded to the enquiry in writing, stating that it currently conducts pest control work at least three times a week, and a total of 8,008 rodents were caught in the district in the past two years. Live rats and 13,544 rat carcasses were collected, or a total of 21,552 rats.
The FEHD stated that it is actively researching different rodent control methods and products. For example, during the second round of rodent control operations in target communities in 2021, the use of heat detection cameras with artificial intelligence analysis technology will assist in the deployment of future work.
In addition, a pilot project was launched with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department in Yeung Uk Road City, Tsuen Wan, to deploy wireless motion sensors, mouse traps, mouse bait boxes, etc. through IoT technology.
Since February last year, the University of Hong Kong has provided rat tests for the new crown virus
As for whether the caught mice have been tested for the new crown virus, the FEHD stated that since February 2021, the department will provide mouse samples to the University of Hong Kong to test for the new crown virus.
The FEHD pointed out that there is still no substantive scientific evidence to prove that rats can transmit the new coronavirus to humans. It will continue to cooperate with the University of Hong Kong and provide appropriate assistance for relevant inspections and research.
Hong Kong University research: hamsters can become the host of new coronaviruses for long-term transmission or cause new variants of the virus to be transmitted to humans 145 hamsters have been humanely destroyed Rat records raise concerns and advocate pet quarantine guidelines
