The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health said today (May 16) that no additional case of measles infection had been recorded as at 4pm today.

     Regarding a confirmed case announced on April 10 that involved a 2-year-old girl, her respiratory specimen subsequently tested positive for vaccine-associated measles and is thus not classified as a confirmed case of measles.

     Regarding measles control measures implemented at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), a total of 31 persons had received measles vaccination at the airport vaccination station as at 6pm today, bringing the cumulative number of vaccinations given to 8 478.

     Measles vaccination will continue to be provided tomorrow (May 17) to airport staff who:

(1) Were born in or after 1967, and have not received two doses of measles vaccination, and have not been infected with measles before; or
(2) Have laboratory evidence of testing not positive against measles antibody (IgG).

     The vaccination quota for the measles vaccination station at the airport remains at 600 doses daily. The venue and operation hours of the airport vaccination station are as follows:
 

     Separately, a blood test station was set up at the Immigration Tower in Wan Chai today to provide a measles serology testing pilot service for a total of about 200 Filipino foreign domestic helpers working in Hong Kong. A total of 57 of such blood samples have been collected today. Participants will be informed of the results individually. The pilot service will continue tomorrow.

     The venue and operation hours of the blood test station are as follows:
 

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (May 16) investigating two suspected food poisoning clusters affecting six persons and a suspected food poisoning case related to the consumption of wild mushrooms.
 
    The first cluster involved two men, aged 20 and 54, who developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever about 13 hours after having dinner buffet at a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui on May 14.
 
     The second cluster involved one man and three women, aged 26 to 34, who developed similar symptoms about 14 to 24 hours after having a dinner buffet at the same restaurant on the same day.

     All of the affected persons have sought medical advice and two required hospitalisation. All patients are in a stable condition.

     "We have alerted the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department to the incident and investigations are ongoing," a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     The suspected food poisoning case related to the consumption of wild mushrooms involves a 44-year-old female who developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea about one hour after consuming wild mushrooms at home yesterday (May 15). She sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department of Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital yesterday and was admitted for treatment. She is in a stable condition.
 
     Initial investigations revealed that the patient picked the wild mushrooms that she consumed from the countryside around Sheung Yue (Beas) River in Sheung Shui yesterday. The CHP's investigation is ongoing.

     "Members of the public should not pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones," the spokesman said.

     "Mushroom poisoning is generally acute. Common presentations include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain appearing shortly after ingestion. Depending on the mushroom species, patients may also have other symptoms like profuse sweating, hallucinations, coma or other neurological symptoms, as well as liver failure. Death may result in severe cases," he added.

     "If mushroom poisoning is suspected, the patient should seek immediate medical attention and bring along any available remnant for identification," the spokesman said. 
 
     Meanwhile, to prevent food-borne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:
 

• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
• Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hot pot or barbecue meal;
• Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
• Use two sets of chopsticks and eating utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine and wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
• Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.

     ​Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) held a seminar in Chengdu, Sichuan Province today (May 16) to encourage local enterprises to make use of Hong Kong's advantages as a business platform to accelerate their overseas expansion in the context of the ongoing Belt and Road Initiative.
 
     Entitled "Belt and Road, Together We Grow", the event was jointly organised by InvestHK and the Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission. It was supported and co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.
 
     The seminar began with remarks from the Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mr Stephen Phillips, and the Director of the Provincial Office for Work for Relief of Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Ms Peng Xiaoju.
 
     Mr Phillips told the seminar about the new business opportunities Hong Kong has to offer as an international business platform in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative.
 
     Mr Phillips said, "Operating under the principle of 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong enjoys the dual advantages of being part of China while maintaining its international outlook and role as an international financial, transportation and trade centre with its own economic, legal and social systems and globally competitive professional services. Hong Kong has an important role to play in the Belt and Road Initiative. You can leverage Hong Kong's world-class financial and professional services to structure and finance projects and mergers and acquisitions deals, and access the very best accounting and tax, legal, construction engineering design, management and project planning, as well as manpower training and much more. All of this is underpinned by Hong Kong's world-class common law system, which also makes Hong Kong a very suitable location for dispute resolution."
 
     Other speakers included the Head of Investment Promotion Unit of InvestHK in Wuhan, Ms Helen Zhang; the Vice President of Global Issuer Services, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Ms Sarah Zhang; Partner, Tahota Law Firm, Mr Gan Jianming; and the Chief Immigration Officer, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Chengdu of the HKSAR Government, Mr Tsang Yu-fai. They spoke about Hong Kong's latest business environment and InvestHK's services for Mainland companies, as well as Hong Kong capital markets' contribution towards the business development of Sichuan enterprises, work visa arrangements for entry to Hong Kong from the Mainland, and case study-sharing on setting up companies in Hong Kong from Sichuan.
 
About InvestHK
 
     InvestHK is the department of the HKSAR Government responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas and Mainland businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services for overseas and Mainland companies. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
 
     For an event photo, please visit www.flickr.com/photos/investhk/albums/72157678238699057.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

　　Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients confirmed to have Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in a male medical ward, the spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) gave the following update today (May 16):
 
　　In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has stepped up the extent of active surveillance and contact investigation. Four more male patients (aged 51 to 82) have been confirmed to be asymptomatic carriers of CPE. Two hospitalised patients are under isolation and are in a stable condition, while other two patients have already been discharged.
 
　　Infection control measures have been intensified according to the established guidelines in the wards. All other patients in the wards concerned are under close surveillance.
 
　　The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

     Police today (May 16) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Tin Sum.

     Liu Man-ki, aged 32, went missing after she left a hostel in Hin Keng Estate on May 13 afternoon. Staff of the hostel made a report to Police yesterday (May 15).        

     She is about 1.55 metres tall, 60 kilograms in weight and of medium build. She has a long face with yellow complexion and short black hair. She was last seen wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, an orange shirt, black pants and carrying a black bag.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1173 or 6331 8151 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.