The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (June 4) investigating an influenza B outbreak at a primary school in Sham Shui Po, 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 outbreak involves 28 boys aged 7 to 11 who developed fever, cough and sore throat since May 17. Among them, 27 sought medical attention and two required hospitalisation and have been discharged upon treatment. All are in a stable condition. The respiratory specimens of four children tested positive for influenza B upon laboratory testing.

     Officers of the CHP have conducted a site visit and advised the school to adopt infection control measures against respiratory tract infections. The school has been placed under medical surveillance.

     A spokesman for the CHP said, "To prevent outbreaks of influenza and other respiratory infections, it is of prime importance that students with fever, regardless of the presence of respiratory symptoms, should not be allowed to attend school. They should seek medical advice and avoid school till 48 hours after the fever has subsided. Schools should also measure and record students' body temperature properly."

     Schools are reminded to follow the Guidelines on Prevention of Communicable Diseases on preventive and control measures as well as management of outbreaks, which should be reported to the CHP for prompt follow-up.

     "The latest surveillance data showed that there has been a recent surge in local seasonal influenza activity. 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," the spokesman 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.

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (June 4) released the statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the first quarter of 2019.

     In the first quarter of 2019, total port cargo throughput decreased by 10.1% compared with the first quarter of 2018 to 59.1 million tonnes. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 8.9% and 12.0% compared with the first quarter of 2018 to 37.0 million tonnes and 22.1 million tonnes respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 0.9% in the first quarter of 2019. Within this total, inward port cargo increased by 0.2% compared with the preceding quarter, while outward port cargo decreased by 2.9% compared with the preceding quarter. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.

Port cargo

     Within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 8.1% and 13.4% in the first quarter of 2019 compared with the first quarter of 2018 to 37.4 million tonnes and 21.7 million tonnes respectively.

     Within inward port cargo, both imports and inward transhipment decreased by 8.9% in the first quarter of 2019 compared with the first quarter of 2018 to 21.8 million tonnes and 15.2 million tonnes respectively. For outward port cargo, exports (including domestic exports and re-exports) and outward transhipment decreased by 19.5% and 7.9% compared with the first quarter of 2018 to 7.1 million tonnes and 15.0 million tonnes respectively.

     The detailed port cargo statistics are summarised in Table 1.

     The main countries/territories of loading of inward port cargo and countries/territories of discharge of outward port cargo are shown in Table 2 and Table 3 respectively.

     Comparing the first quarter of 2019 with the first quarter of 2018, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Indonesia (-34.7%), Japan (-26.6%), the United States of America (-17.0%), Taiwan (-15.0%) and Korea (-11.7%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the Philippines (+14.4%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Taiwan (-29.8%), Singapore (-23.8%), Vietnam (-15.1%), Thailand (-14.4%), the mainland of China (-14.0%) and Japan (-13.6%).

     The principal commodities of inward port cargo and outward port cargo are shown in Table 4 and Table 5 respectively.

     Comparing the first quarter of 2019 with the first quarter of 2018, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of "coal, coke and briquettes" (-37.6%) and "live animals chiefly for food and edible animal products" (-10.4%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of "stone, sand and gravel" (-27.8%), "logs and timber; wood, simply worked" (-27.3%), "pulp and waste paper" (-23.9%), "metalliferous ores and metal scrap" (-12.6%) and "machinery" (-11.7%).

Containers

     In the first quarter of 2019, the port of Hong Kong handled 4.42 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 9.5% compared with the first quarter of 2018. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 9.1% and 11.4% to 3.76 million TEUs and 0.66 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 8.4% and 10.0% to 1.95 million TEUs and 1.82 million TEUs respectively.

     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 2.0% in the first quarter of 2019. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 0.6% and 3.5% respectively.

     In the first quarter of 2019, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 9.1% and 9.2% compared with the first quarter of 2018 to 2.65 million TEUs and 1.11 million TEUs respectively.

     Within inward laden containers, imports and inward transhipment decreased by 7.4% and 8.8% in the first quarter of 2019 compared with the first quarter of 2018 to 0.59 million TEUs and 1.36 million TEUs respectively. For outward laden containers, exports and outward transhipment decreased by 14.6% and 8.2% to 0.47 million TEUs and 1.34 million TEUs respectively.

     The detailed container statistics are summarised in Table 6.

     Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD.

Vessel arrivals

     Comparing the first quarter of 2019 with the first quarter of 2018, the number of ocean vessel arrivals decreased by 3.6% to 6 037, with the total capacity also decreasing by 3.3% to 95.8 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 9.3% to 34 417, with the total capacity also decreasing by 3.9% to 27.4 million net tons.

     The statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong are given in Table 7.

     Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.

Further information

     More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are published in the report "Hong Kong Shipping Statistics, First Quarter 2019". Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp130.jsp?productCode=B1020008).

     For enquiries about port cargo and container statistics, please contact the Outward Processing and Shipping Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 2126 or email: shipping@censtatd.gov.hk). For enquiries about vessel statistics, readers may contact the Statistics Section under the Planning, Development and Port Security Branch of the Marine Department (Tel: 2852 3661 or email: st-sec@mardep.gov.hk).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     Exchange Fund Bills tender results:
 

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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning June 10, 2019:
 

     A taxpayer was convicted on May 14 at West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on four charges of evading salaries tax. He was sentenced today (June 4) to 180 hours' community service.

     The defendant, aged 42, pleaded guilty to three counts of wilfully, with intent, evading tax by making false statements in connection with claims for additional dependent parent allowance for the years of assessment 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2014-15, contrary to section 82(1)(c) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (Cap. 112) (IRO). He also pleaded guilty to one count of wilfully, with intent, evading tax by giving a false answer in writing to a request for information in respect of the residence of his mother made in accordance with the provisions of the IRO, contrary to section 82(1)(e) of the IRO.

    The court heard that the defendant made false statements in his tax returns for the years of assessment 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2014-15. He falsely declared that during each of the three years, his mother resided with him continuously for each full year. In addition, the defendant submitted a false answer in writing to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), stating that his mother had resided with him at the same property from January 2012 onwards.

     An investigation by the IRD revealed that the defendant had not resided with his mother continuously for any of the years of assessment 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2014-15. The total of the defendant’s false claims of additional dependent parent allowance for the three years was $114,000 and the total tax involved was $13,607.

     A spokesman for the IRD reminded taxpayers that tax evasion is a criminal offence under the IRO. Upon conviction, the maximum penalty for each charge is three years' imprisonment and a fine of $50,000 plus a further fine of three times the amount of tax evaded.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted a territory-wide anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Breakthrough" yesterday (June 3). A total of four illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested.
 
     During the operation, ImmD Investigation sub-division officers raided 19 premises under renovation. Four illegal workers and one employer were arrested. The illegal workers comprised four men, aged 28 to 46. Meanwhile, one man, aged 50, was suspected of employing the illegal workers.
 
     "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties," an ImmD spokesman said.
 
     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
 
     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threat and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent interference, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.