Rainy days blamed for mosquito-carried scourge

Heavy rain is being blamed for two cases of Japanese encephalitis in Tin Shui Wai.迷你倉價錢 Secretary for Food and Health Ko Wing- man said the rain plus the large number of fish ponds and the Wetland Park in the area aided the Culex tritaeniorhynchus, the mosquito that spreads the virus. ``The rainfall is much more than last year,'' Ko said. ``When I visited Tin Shui Wai I found that water level in nullahs was much higher - just like a river.'' The mosquito linked to the virus is different from the one causing dengue fever, he said, ``so we have to pay special attention to it.'' About half of the pigs checked were found to have a higher level of antibodies, he added. But the virus itself will not cause sickness in pigs. Ko reminds people to take precautions in places known for mosquitoes and diseases such as dengue fever. Meanwhile, efforts linking government departments to tackling such problems continues. K迷你倉庫 also said on a television program that one of the two victims remained in a critical condition and the other was stable. Moving on to the export restrictions on baby formula and whether the measures would be amended or scrapped, Ko said there will be checks on the supply levels during peak periods. Fluctuations in the supply of formula rests on market forces, he noted, but it is hoped a balance may be struck between the needs of locals and visiting mainlanders. ``Friction cannot be avoided since there are more mainlanders with demands for Hong Kong products,'' Ko said. But while trying to maintain attractions for tourists, ``we must protect the supply for local parents.'' It is hoped that ``parallel trading'' - where people carry goods across the border - will be reduced now that mainland officials have taken measures to narrow the difference in milk powder prices. beatrice.siu@singtaonewscorp.com 儲存