PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
The city’s rodent problem has drawn attention as well due to the public health implications.
In May, Hong Kong recorded its first human case of rat hepatitis E for the year.
About one in five rats carry the virus. While human infections are rare, people can potentially contract the virus through food or water contaminated by rat waste.
Symptoms may include fever, nausea and vomiting, though some infected people show no symptoms. Severe cases can result in liver failure.
Cases have been on the rise globally, with more than 50 recorded so far, said Dr Siddharth Sridhar, a clinical associate professor at the University of Hong Kong’s microbiology department.
“In Hong Kong, this has become the most common rodent-to-human kind of virus,” he added.
“That does not mean there are a large number of cases, but every time there is a case, it makes us take notice. It makes public health officials take notice about what is going on with the rodent infestation.”
Despite advances in surveillance technology, experts say eliminating rats entirely is unrealistic.
Rats thrive in Hong Kong’s extensive drainage and sewer systems, making it impossible to accurately determine the city’s total rodent population.
Instead, experts argue that lasting improvements will depend as much on human behaviour as technology.
“We need to just look in the mirror and say: ‘We can do better with our own behaviour in our own nest’. Rats are a predictor of (how well we take) care of our own nest,” said Corrigan.
“They’re telling us, if there’s many rats, you are not taking care of this area.”