Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (July 5) raided an unlicensed cold store at Kwu Tung, North District.
 
     During the operation, FEHD officers found about 12 650 kilograms of chilled poultry meat and game with official health certificates on the premises. In addition, about 108kg of chilled poultry offal without official health certificates were seized for disposal.
 
     A 54-year-old man was arrested and charged with operating an unlicensed cold store.
 
     Under the Food Business Regulation, the maximum penalty for operating an unlicensed cold store is a fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.
 
     “We will continue our stringent enforcement action against unlicensed food business to safeguard food safety and public health,” an FEHD spokesman said.
 
     Members of the public can report any suspected illegal food business activities by calling the FEHD hotline 2868 0000. read more

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) has completed an independent and comprehensive investigation of the incident of the new signalling system testing on the MTR Tsuen Wan Line on March 18 this year, with the assistance from overseas railway safety experts. The EMSD investigated the cause of the incident and released the investigation report today (July 5).
 
     According to the investigation findings, the cause of the incident was a programming error during software rectification of the new signalling system by the system contractor at the design and development stage. This programming error caused a failure to establish the data of the crossover track at Central Station after switchover from the primary zone controller to the warm-standby tertiary zone controller (Note). As a result, the Automatic Train Protection system could not function as required to prevent two trains from entering a crossover track at Central Station at the same time, leading to a train collision.
 
     Beyond the programming error, the EMSD considers that the provision of a warm-standby tertiary zone controller is a unique and non-standard design of the system contractor, which is different from its standard signalling system products, but the potential risk arising from the introduction of the warm-standby tertiary zone controller was not comprehensively included in the contractor’s risk assessment. Simulation tests to the maximum extent possible were also not conducted by the contractor prior to the site tests. Moreover, the EMSD considers that, having regard to the significance of this project and the fact that the system design is a non-standard one, the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) should avoid over-reliance on the contractor and ought to be extra-vigilant at all times. 
 
     The EMSD has also thoroughly reviewed the report of the MTRCL’s Investigation Panel submitted on June 17 and accepted the investigation outcome of the Panel on the cause of the incident, which was the programming error in the software of the new signalling system as a result of multiple implementation errors by the system contractor. This finding aligns with the finding of the EMSD’s independent investigation.
 
     The EMSD also notes the Panel has made a number of recommendations to the contractor and the MTRCL and agrees that such recommendations aim to rectify the programming error and enhance the development and testing process of the new signalling system, with a view to preventing recurrence of similar incidents. The EMSD will closely monitor the MTRCL’s full implementation of the improvement measures and assess their effectiveness. The Government will only allow the MTRCL to resume dynamic train testing of the new signalling system on the MTR Tsuen Wan Line after the MTRCL has fully completed the remedial work and the EMSD has confirmed the safety of the new signalling system upon inspection.
 
     The investigation report has been uploaded to the EMSD’s website (www.emsd.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_1377/TWL_New_Signalling_System_Testing_Incident_Report_(Eng).pdf).
 
Note: A warm-standby tertiary zone controller is a redundancy system design. When the active primary zone controller is in operation, the tertiary zone controller remains in the warm standby mode and obtains partial data from the primary zone controller. Therefore, the data of the active primary zone controller and the warm-standby tertiary zone controller are not synchronised. When the primary and secondary zone controllers do not run smoothly, they will automatically be switched over to the warm-standby tertiary zone controller to control the overall train operations. read more

     The Department of Health (DH) mounted a joint-operation with Hong Kong Customs today (July 5) to raid the premises of Cai Chong Trading Company (Cai Chong), a licensed wholesaler of Chinese herbal medicines (Chm) in Sheung Wan, as the company was suspected selling fake Chm, namely Indigo Naturalis.
 
     During the DH’s market surveillance, a sample of a batch of Chm, Indigo Naturalis (batch number: 2017.09.16) was collected from Cai Chong for identification. The test result from the Government Laboratory revealed the above Chm did not conform with the requirements for the identification of Indigo Naturalis as detailed in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China 2015 Volume 1. Hence, the sample was suspected not to be Indigo Naturalis.
 
     In the operation, Customs Officers seized a total of 14 boxes of suspected fake Chm and arrested a 46-year-old male manager of the wholesaler. Investigation is ongoing.

     The DH endorsed Cai Chong to voluntarily recall from the market the above batch of Chm. Cai Chong has set up a hotline (2559 9534) for public enquiries. So far, no adverse report related to the use of the aforementioned Chm has been received by the DH. The DH will closely monitor the recall.
 
     Indigo Naturalis is a Schedule 2 Chm of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap 549). It is dried powder or mass prepared from the leaf or the stem and leaf of Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek, Polygonum tinctorium Ait or Isatis indigotica Fort. It is used to clear heat and remove toxins, cool the blood and resolve macule, as well as to purge fever and settle convulsions.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO), any person who supplies goods with a false trade description in the course of trade or business, or is in possession of any goods for sale with a false trade description, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
 
     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure products at reputable shops. Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
 
     The DH urged members of the public who have purchased the above batch of Chm to stop using it immediately and submit it to the Chinese Medicine Division of the DH on 16/F, AIA Kowloon Tower, Landmark East, 100 How Ming Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, during office hours for disposal. Members of the public who have taken the above Chm and feel unwell should seek advice from healthcare professionals.

  

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (July 5) investigating two cases of severe paediatric influenza A infection, and reminded members of the public who have not yet received seasonal influenza vaccination in the 2018-19 season that they can still receive it for personal protection against seasonal influenza.

     The two cases involve a pair of twin brothers aged 2 months with underlying illnesses, who have presented with cough and poor feeding since July 2. They were taken to the Accident and Emergency Department at Prince of Wales Hospital for medical attention on July 4 and were admitted and transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit of the hospital for further management on the same day.

     Their respiratory specimens tested positive for influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnoses were influenza A infection complicated with pneumonia. They are now in critical condition.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patients had no travel history during the incubation period. Their maternal grandmother had upper respiratory symptoms recently but had recovered. Their other home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far.

     The CHP’s investigations are ongoing.

     “The latest surveillance data showed that the overall local seasonal influenza activity in the past few weeks was higher than that in early May. Members of the public aged 6 months or above (except those with known contraindications) who have not yet received seasonal influenza vaccination in the 2018-19 season can still receive it for personal protection against seasonal influenza,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

     “Meanwhile, the public should continue to adopt strict personal, hand and environmental hygiene practices against respiratory illnesses and other infectious diseases,” the spokesman added.

     The public may visit the CHP’s influenza page and weekly Flu Express for more information. read more

     Hong Kong and Italy today (July 5) signed an agreement to mark the establishment of a bilateral Working Holiday Scheme (WHS) for young people of the two places. 
      
     The agreement was signed by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Dr Law Chi-kwong, and the Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Government of the Italian Republic, Mr Manlio Di Stefano, at the Central Government Offices, Tamar.
      
     Welcoming the establishment of the scheme with Italy, Dr Law said, “We are delighted to see that the WHS has been well received by the youth. The agreement will enable young people in Hong Kong and Italy to broaden their horizons and gain living and working experience in a foreign culture, as well as further reinforce our bilateral ties.”
      
     Mr Di Stefano said, “We are glad to provide the Italian youth with this new and unique opportunity to experience living, studying and working in Hong Kong. We wish young people from Hong Kong will take advantage of the scheme to enjoy Italy as well. Investing in our youth is the best way to foster the ancient friendship between Italy and Hong Kong.”
      
     The scheme with Italy is Hong Kong’s 14th bilateral WHS. Since 2001, Hong Kong has established WHS arrangements with New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Japan, Canada, Korea, France, the United Kingdom, Austria, Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands. So far, about 90 000 Hong Kong youths have benefited from these schemes.
      
     Under the WHS between Hong Kong and Italy, youths from each side may apply for a visa which will allow them to stay in Italy or Hong Kong for up to 12 months. During the period, they may work to finance their stay or study short-term courses. The annual quota from each side will be 500.
      
     Details of visa application procedures for applicants from Hong Kong will be available on the website of the Consulate General of Italy in Hong Kong at conshongkong.esteri.it/consolato_hongkong/en/ in due course.

     Applicants from Italy may contact the Immigration Department of the HKSAR by telephone on 2824 6111 or obtain the necessary information from the department’s website www.immd.gov.hk.