The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reassured the public on Monday that the chance of chikungunya fever becoming endemic in Hong Kong is extremely low, even though there is a relatively high chance that the SAR will see another imported case.

Wong Hoi-kei, the CHP's senior medical and health officer, also said there are vaccines for the disease but that they had yet to be widely used.

Hong Kong recorded its first imported case of the mosquito-borne disease on Saturday after a 12-year-old boy returned from Foshan on Wednesday.

More than 7,000 cases have been recorded in Foshan.

Wong told an RTHK radio programme that it is within expectations that an imported case would be found in the SAR.

He also said experts have been carrying more research regarding vaccines.

"Chikungunya vaccines are a relatively new thing, and they have not been widely used by any country and region," Wong said.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) and many other experts are still carrying out more research to obtain safe and effective data for the vaccines.

"Because when we use a vaccine, it is most important that it is safe and effective. Therefore, we will continue to closely monitor the reports of WHO and relevant experts."

Wong said people with weak immunity are more likely to suffer from serious symptoms after catching the disease while healthy individuals are likely to get mild ones.

He also said chikungunya fever can be transmitted from mother to infant but that the virus will not be spread through social contact. He said as the disease is transmitted through mosquito bites, it is most important to carry out mosquito prevention and control work.

Wong added that there is no accurate and credible rapid testing kit for chikungunya fever as yet and that the public, particularly those returning from places affected by mosquito-borne diseases, should see a doctor as soon as possible.