Macau Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long announced yesterday that the city’s ovitrap index rose year-on-year last month.
The bureau launched its “Public Health Campaign in Buildings” cleanup campaign yesterday at the sitting-out area on Rua Quatro do Bairro Iao Hon (祐漢第四街休憩區).
According to a statement released during the launch, the cleanup targets older, low-rise buildings that lack tenants’ organisations, condominium owners’ management committees or property management companies.
The cleanup involves systematic sanitation inspections and remedial work, primarily covering older districts such as the northern district and the Inner Harbour area.
Dr Lo noted in a speech at the launch ceremony that Macau has recorded seven imported cases of dengue fever and chikungunya fever so far this year. In May, the ovitrap index – which measures the population density of mosquitoes – reached 57.3 percent*, which exceeded both the 52.1 percent recorded during the same month last year and the five-year May average of 55.3 percent, indicating a rise in Aedes albopictus mosquito activity.
He noted that getting rid of standing water remains the most essential measure for preventing and controlling mosquito-borne diseases.
The cleanup involves conducting assessments and implementing a tiered response for each building, the statement added. High-risk cases are dealt with urgently on the same day, medium-risk cases are followed up within a week, and low-risk cases continue to receive regular inspections, the statement pointed out.
Meanwhile, the bureau said in the statement that it has introduced drones to assist in inspecting hard-to-reach areas such as airwells**, podium terraces, and back alleys, aiming to improve inspection efficiency.
Dr Lo highlighted that the bureau inspected over 900 buildings in April alone, removing more than four tonnes of waste. Based on those initial assessments, around 1.0 per cent of the buildings were classified as posing a high public health risk, 17 percent as medium risk, and 82 percent as low risk.
Dr Lo urged residents to develop the habit of removing standing water and clutter to help maintain community sanitation.
He also noted that the bureau has set up multiple channels to collect public feedback. In May, officials conducted door-to-door awareness visits to over 15,000 households in collaboration with community associations. Mosquito larvae were discovered in around 5.6 percent of the water containers inspected, Dr Lo said.
*At 57.3 percent, it means that out of every 100 traps deployed across the surveyed area, more than 57 of them came back filled with mosquito eggs. An ovitrap index of 57.3 percent is very high and indicates a severe risk of dengue transmission. – Gemini, DeepSeek
**An airwell is an architectural feature designed to bring natural light and fresh air into the interior of a building. It is essentially a vertical shaft or open-air courtyard that runs through the centre or rear of a building, completely open to the sky at the top. – Gemini
Macau Health Bureau (SSM) Director Alvis Lo Iek Long speaks to reporters at the sitting-out area on Rua Quatro do Bairro Iao Hon yesterday.
A cleaning worker sprays pesticide in back alley in Iao Hon disctrict yesterday. – Photos: Armindo Neves
