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Rat prevention campaign launched
The Department of Health is now launching a territory-wide education campaign to remind the public of the importance of rat prevention and to provide them with some basic rat prevention knowledge.
A spokesman for the Department said today (Sunday) that the campaign, bearing the theme "A clean environment prevents rats", was organised with the sponsorship of the Urban Council and the Regional Council.
"Rats are carriers of infectious diseases such as plague and murine typhus. They can also indirectly transmit gastro-intestinal diseases such as food poisoning.
"Besides, rats can gnaw on home fittings and furniture causing financial loss and may occasionally bite people of lower mobility," he said.
The spokesman added that the fundamental method in rodent control was to improve the sanitation of the environment.
During the campaign period, printed educational handouts such as posters, advisory letters and leaflets will be distributed to building management offices, incorporated owners and mutual aid committees to appeal for their adoption of rat prevention measures.
The printed materials will also be sent to the District Environmental Health Offices of the Urban Services Department and the Regional Services Department, District Offices of the Home Affairs Department, the Housing Department and the Education Department for wider publicity.
Members of the public can also make use of the new 24-hour telephone hotline 2380 2580 to listen to rat prevention messages in Cantonese and to obtain the information through facsimile. They can also choose to listen to other health educational topics such as environmental hygiene, food hygiene and food safety.
Further advice or assistance on rat prevention can be obtained from the Pest Control Units of the respective District Environmental Health Offices of the two municipal services departments.
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