Hong Kong has reported its first locally-contracted case of dengue fever after a construction worker became stricken with the mosquito-borne disease.

Around 20 million cases of dengue fever are reported each year

The man was hospitalised last week, Hong Kong's department of health said, and is currently in a stable condition.

Inspectors have visited the construction site where the man worked in Ma Wan island, after blood samples taken from two of the man's co-workers showed they, too, had contracted the disease but had recovered.

The site is also to be fumigated and the rest of the man's co-workers to be put under medical surveillance.

"The risk of contracting dengue fever can be effectively minimised should anti-mosquito measures be strictly observed," Dr Tse Lai-yin from the department of health told the Associated Press news agency.

Worldwide problem

Dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted to humans via mosquitoes, inflicts various symptoms on the sufferer, including headaches, rashes, cramps and severe back and muscle pains.

It is particularly prevalent in populated areas surrounded by standing water.

One strain of the disease causes internal bleeding and can be fatal if not treated.

The World Health Organisation estimates that there are around 20 million cases of dengue fever each year worldwide, with around 24,000 of those cases proving fatal.

Although 10 cases of the fever have been reported previously in the territory, all the sufferers had contracted the disease while travelling abroad.

Various countries in Asia, including Bangladesh and Taiwan have been battling to control outbreaks of the disease, which has also hit countries in the Americas such as Venezuela and particularly Brazil.