Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting today (April 3).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) today (April 2) announced a case of measles involving a 23-year-old male radiographer of Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH).

     The HA received notification from the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health this evening on the positive test result for the measles virus of a staff member.

     The staff member, with past good health, developed fever and rash on Monday (April 1) and was admitted to PMH.  He is currently in stable condition.

     During his communicable period, he has not worked in any of the high risk wards.  He has injection records showing two previous doses of measles injection.   He has no recent travel history nor visit to the Hong Kong International Airport.

     The HA will work closely with the CHP on the source investigation and contact tracing.  According to established guidelines, his close contact in the workplace will be monitored accordingly and blood tests will be conducted to ascertain their measles immunity if needed.

     The HA Central Committee on Infectious Disease and Emergency Responses meeting scheduled tomorrow (April 3) will deliberate on the risk assessment of the overall situation of measles in the community as well as this particular case of staff infection.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced today (April 2) that a sewer with a diameter of 450 mm underneath the Mills & Chung Path in Southern District of Hong Kong was found damaged, leading to the discharge of sewage and potentially affecting the water quality of the nearby Deep Water Bay Beach. The Drainage Services Department is arranging emergency repair of the damaged sewer.

     Deep Water Bay Beach has been temporarily closed as a precautionary measure to protect public health. Members of the public are advised not to swim at this beach during the closure period. Red flag has been hoisted and notice has been posted by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at this beach to notify the public about the arrangement.

     The EPD will continue to monitor the beach water quality. The reopening of the beach will be announced upon the discharge is stopped and the beach water quality is confirmed to be within acceptable level.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, and the Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, met with the President of Panama, Mr Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez, at Government House this afternoon (April 2). Panama's Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr Nestor Gonzalez, and Minister for Canal Affairs, Mr Roberto Roy, also attended the meeting.

     Mrs Lam welcomed Mr Varela Rodriguez's visit to Hong Kong this year, shortly after China and Panama established diplomatic relations in 2017, to officiate at the opening ceremony of the Consulate General of Panama in Hong Kong. Mrs Lam expressed her gratitude for the importance he attaches to the relations between the two places. She said that Hong Kong, an international financial, logistics and business centre, has all along been the ideal gateway for overseas enterprises to get access to the markets in the Mainland and Asia; while Panama, a vital global hub for trade connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic, has been serving as a transshipment and logistics hub in Latin America and the Caribbean. Pointing out that both places possess excellent ports and are dedicated to developing the maritime industry, she said that Hong Kong is striving to develop high-end maritime services and co-operation between the two places is set to create synergy. She noted that Panama is one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America and has great development potential, with bilateral merchandise trade between Hong Kong and Panama increasing by nearly 30 per cent year-on-year in 2018. Mrs Lam said she believed that the establishment of Panama's Consulate General in Hong Kong will add impetus to the advancement of bilateral trade and economic relations between the two places, and boost co-operation and exchanges in more areas.
 
     Mrs Lam said that with the commissioning of two major cross-boundary infrastructure projects last year, namely the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the travelling times between Hong Kong and Mainland cities have been shortened further, which will help promote the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Pointing out that Hong Kong is able to play a key role in the growing trade flows and bilateral ties between China and Panama, she encouraged Panamanian enterprises to leverage Hong Kong's status as an international financial, maritime and trading centre to explore markets in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Mainland and elsewhere in Asia.