A0908
Title: Association of human mobility and weather conditions with dengue mosquito abundance in three areas in Hong Kong
Authors: Yufan Zheng - City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
Keqi Yue - Yale University (United States)
Eric Wing Ming Wong - City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
Hsiang-Yu Yuan - City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) [presenting]
Abstract: While Aedes mosquitoes, the Dengue vectors, are expected to expand their spread due to international travel and climate change recently, the effects of human mobility and low rainfall conditions on them remain largely unknown. The aim is to assess these influences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong, characterized by varying levels of human mobility. Mobility indices (including residential, parks, and workplaces), weather conditions (total rainfall and mean temperature), and measurements of Aedes albopictus' abundance are obtained using Gravid traps between April 2020 and August 2022. The analysis revealed that both low rainfall (<50 mm) after 4.5 months and heavy rainfall (>500 mm) within 3 months were both associated with higher relative risks (RRs), 1.73 and 1.41, of mosquito abundance, compared to 300 mm. Warmer conditions (21-30 C, compared with 20 C) were associated with a higher RR (1.47) after half a month. Furthermore, residential mobility showed a negative association with mosquito abundance. The model projected that if residential mobility in 2022 returned to pre-pandemic levels, mosquito abundance would increase by an average of 80.49\% compared to observed levels.
