Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Tai Po happened yesterday (September 21) in which a 51-year-old man died.
          
     At about 8.55pm, a taxi  driven by the 51-year-old man was travelling along Po Nga Road towards Tai Po Road – Tai Wo. When approaching the junction of Po Nga Road and Tai Po Tai Wo Road, it reportedly collided with a private vehicle which stopped in front of a traffic light. .
      
     The taxi driver was found collapsed inside the compartment. Sustaining no apparent injuries, he was rushed to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 9.36pm.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories North is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers at 3661 3800.
 

     While the COVID-19 epidemic situation recently shows some signs of stability, the number of hospitalised patients in public hospitals remains high at the current juncture. The Hospital Authority (HA) will continue to transfer different patients to receive medical services at private hospitals, with a view to alleviating the pressure on the public healthcare system and resuming the service level of non-emergency services as early as possible when situation allows.
 
     Following an earlier meeting between the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, and the representatives of the Hong Kong Private Hospitals Association, all 13 private hospitals provided 364 beds at the initial stage, of which the number can be gradually brought up to around 1 000 depending on the actual demand. According to the latest arrangement between the HA and private hospitals, at least 428 hospital beds have now been made available (see Annex).
 
     The HA expressed gratitude to private hospitals for rendering assistance by receiving more than 1 200 patients from public hospitals. The HA will continue to maintain close liaison with private hospitals in implementing the anti-epidemic initiatives under the Public-Private Partnership, such as offering medical support in holding centres and providing teleconsultation and drug delivery services to COVID-19 patients.
 
     Professor Lo said, "I am grateful to private hospitals for supporting the HA's work over the past few weeks and helping the teams of public hospitals to sail through the difficult times. As it is now a crucial juncture when the epidemic situation is turning stable, I hope that private hospitals will continue their close collaboration with the HA to resume normal public healthcare services as soon as possible and jointly safeguard public health."
 
     The HA urged patients and their family members to co-operate with the transfer arrangements. Public hospitals will conduct a professional evaluation to ensure that a patient is suitable for transfer to private hospitals before making the arrangement. Patients only need to pay at a level equivalent to the charges of HA services for their stay at private hospitals or usage of medical services specified in the transfer arrangement. For those patients who are eligible for medical fee waiver, they will still be able to enjoy such waiver as in the case of using HA services.

     â€‹The Government exercises the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) and publishes in the Gazette a compulsory testing notice, which requires any person who had been present at 67 specified places during the specified period (persons subject to compulsory testing) to undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test.
         
     In view of a number of cases testing positive, 62 specified places are included in the compulsory testing notice. Furthermore, since some sewage samples collected in Tseung Kwan O, Chai Wan and Yau Tong have tested positive, five specified premises are included in the compulsory testing notice. The Government strongly reminds members of the public to strictly follow the compulsory testing requirements and undergo testing on time as required. Mobile specimen collection stations have been set up by the Government in different districts to facilitate testing to be conducted in compliance with the compulsory testing notice. The above compulsory testing requirement applies to those who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination course as well.

     Persons who have tested positive in the past three months (including positive cases tested either by nucleic acid tests recorded by the Department of Health (DH) or by rapid antigen tests (RATs) that have been self-declared to the DH) do not need to undergo compulsory testing. For those who are subject to compulsory testing (save for those who have declared their positive RAT results as mentioned above), they must undergo nucleic acid tests in accordance with relevant compulsory testing notices and cannot use RATs to fulfil the requirement of such notices. In other words, a negative RAT result cannot be deemed as fulfilling the compulsory testing requirement. Furthermore, unless a person subject to compulsory testing has obtained a medical certificate proving that he or she is unfit to undergo testing using a sample taken through combined nasal and throat swabs because of health reasons, the person cannot provide a deep throat saliva sample to fulfil the compulsory testing requirement.

     Details of the compulsory testing notice are available on the Centre for Health Protection (CHP)'s website via the following link: www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/ctn_20220921.pdf.

     If any persons test positive under compulsory testing, such positive cases will be handled in the same manner as in those identified through other nucleic acid tests or self-declared through RATs. Their isolation arrangements (as well as the quarantine arrangements of their household members) are no different from other positive cases.

     Persons subject to compulsory testing in accordance with a compulsory testing notice must undergo professional swab sampling at any of the mobile specimen collection stations, community testing centres (CTCs) or recognised local medical testing institutions in order to fulfil the requirements for compulsory testing. Young children may continue to undergo the test using a stool specimen. For details on obtaining stool specimen bottles, please refer to the COVID-19 thematic website: www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/Stool_bottle_collection_points.pdf.

     If Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or above, the Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or the post-super typhoon "extreme conditions" announcement by the Government is in force at any time during the period for undergoing the compulsory testing, the period for undergoing the compulsory testing will be extended for one day.

     The Comirnaty and CoronaVac vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from COVID-19. They can provide protection to those vaccinated to prevent serious complications and even death after infection. The Government appeals to persons who are not yet vaccinated to get vaccinated without delay. The Government is working towards the goal of boosting the vaccination rates of children, teenagers and the elderly so that they can be protected by the vaccines as early as possible. Furthermore, the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases under the CHP of the DH has earlier updated the consensus interim recommendations that a three-dose series of Comirnaty vaccine (each dose is one-tenth of that for an adult) may be administered to children aged 6 months to under 5 years; and a three-dose series of CoronaVac vaccine (each dose of the same dosage as that for an adult) for children aged 6 months to less than 3 years. Moreover, persons aged 50 and above may receive the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine after at least three months from the third dose. Members of the public who are eligible should get the fourth dose as early as possible for better protection.

     CTCs and mobile specimen collection stations (if the service scope is applicable) across the city provide free nucleic acid testing services for the public, including eligible persons of targeted groups, visitors to public hospitals and residential care homes and all elderly people aged 60 or above, as well as self-paid testing service for general community or private uses.
     
     Booking services are available for CTCs and some large-scale mobile specimen collection stations. Members of the public can make bookings for testing by selecting suitable testing centre and time slot on the booking system (booking.communitytest.gov.hk/form/index.jsp). The testing centres will accord priority to serve individuals with advance bookings. As of 6pm today (September 21), there was around 97 per cent availability for booking places for the coming two weeks.
 
     The Government will reopen the mobile specimen collection stations at Ka Lung Court in Tin Wan and Bellagio in Sham Tseng tomorrow (September 22). The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations are stated in the Annex.
 
     Ticketing machines have been installed at a number of service points for on-site ticket arrangement. Members of the public who have obtained a ticket can visit the CTC website (www.communitytest.gov.hk/en) to check the real-time queueing ticket status. Moreover, members of the public can now fill in their personal information in advance to obtain the Testing Registration Code QR code through the "LeaveHomeSafe" mobile application. They can present that QR code for scanning before testing at a service point thereafter, thus saving their time spent on registration and queueing.

     Persons subject to compulsory testing may choose to undergo testing via the following routes:

(a) For tests which require using a sample taken through combined nasal and throat swabs
1. To visit any of the mobile specimen collection stations (see the list and target groups (if applicable) at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html) for testing;
2. To attend any of the CTCs (see the list at www.communitytest.gov.hk/en);
3. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the DH and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results (see the list at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/List_of_recognised_laboratories_RTPCR.pdf), and the relevant sample must be taken through combined nasal and throat swabs; or
4. To use a specimen bottle distributed to the relevant specified premises by the CHP (if applicable), and return the specimen bottle with the stool sample collected as per relevant guidelines.

(b) For persons holding a medical certificate issued by a registered medical practitioner proving that they are unfit to undergo testing using a sample taken through combined nasal and throat swabs because of health reasons
1. To obtain a deep throat saliva specimen collection pack from post offices, vending machines set up at MTR stations or designated general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) of the Hospital Authority and return the specimen to one of the designated specimen collection points (see the distribution points and times, and the specimen collection points and times, at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/early-testing.html);
2. To undergo testing at any of the GOPCs of the Hospital Authority as instructed by a medical professional of the Hospital Authority; or
3. To self-arrange testing provided by private laboratories which are recognised by the DH and can issue SMS notifications in respect of test results.

     A Government spokesman cautioned that testing received at the Accident and Emergency Departments of the Hospital Authority, or testing provided by private laboratories which cannot issue SMS notifications in respect of test results, does not comply with the requirements of the aforementioned compulsory testing notice.

     "If persons subject to compulsory testing have symptoms, they should seek medical attention immediately and undergo testing as instructed by a medical professional. They should not attend the mobile specimen collection stations or the CTCs."

     Persons subject to compulsory testing must keep the SMS notifications containing the result of the test and the relevant medical certificate (if applicable) for checking by a law enforcement officer when the officer requires the persons to provide information about their undergoing the specified test.

     Any enquiries on compulsory testing arrangements may be addressed to the hotline at 6275 6901, which operates daily from 9am to 6pm.

     The Government will continue to trace possibly infected persons who had been to relevant premises, and seriously verify whether they had complied with the testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the testing notices commits an offence and the maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months. The fixed penalty for discharging the liability is $10,000. The person may also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Any person in breach of the compulsory testing order would be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The spokesman said, "The Government urges all individuals who are in doubt about their own health conditions, or individuals with infection risks (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or had contact with cases tested positive), to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons."

     In the preceding week till 11.59pm on September 18, the Department of Health (DH) received 19 reports (Note 1) of adverse events following COVID-19 immunisation. No death cases were reported by the Hospital Authority (HA) involving individuals who had received vaccines within 14 days before they passed away and had potential association with vaccination.
 
     As at 8pm on September 18, around 19.19 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered for members of the public. Around 6.85 million people had received at least one dose of vaccine, including 94.7 per cent of the population aged 12 or above. The DH received 7 920 reports of adverse events (0.04 per cent of the total vaccine doses administered). Among the death cases concerning persons who had been vaccinated, including 120 cases (Note 2) with vaccination within 14 days before they passed away (0.0006 per cent of the total vaccine doses administered), none of the death cases were associated with vaccination.

     As of today, the Expert Committee on Clinical Events Assessment Following COVID-19 Immunisation had concluded that 97 death cases had no causal relationship with vaccination, while for one case the causal relationship with vaccination could not be established, and preliminarily considered that 11 cases were not associated with vaccination. Eleven cases are still pending further information for assessment. The Expert Committee considered that there is no unusual pattern identified so far, and will continue to closely monitor the relevant situation and collect data for assessment.
 
     According to information from the HA, during the period from August 22 to September 18, the overall ratio of death cases was 49.1 cases for every 100 000 people, whereas the average ratio of death cases for the same period in 2018 to 2020 was 42.6 cases for every 100 000 people. Among these death cases, the ratio of death cases with acute stroke or acute myocardial infarction was 2.1 cases for every 100 000 people, whereas the average ratio of death cases under the same category for the same period in 2018 to 2020 was 2.7 cases for every 100 000 people. Furthermore, the ratio of miscarriage cases was 12.5 cases for every 100 000 people, whereas the average ratio of miscarriage cases for the same period in 2018 to 2020 was 19.3 cases for every 100 000 people. Based on the statistical analysis of the above figures, there is no evidence that vaccination increases the risk of death or miscarriage for recipients. The relevant reference statistics will be uploaded to the thematic website for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.
 
     The majority of non-death cases of adverse events received so far are relatively minor cases. The relevant details can be found in the "Report on the Safety Monitoring of COVID-19 Vaccines in Hong Kong" (www.drugoffice.gov.hk/eps/do/en/doc/Safety_Monitoring_of_COVID-19_Vaccines_in_Hong_Kong.pdf).
 
     A Government spokesman said, "Although the number of daily new cases in Hong Kong has started to show signs of decline, the community must continue to be vigilant and have a clear observation of the epidemic trend. Deaths and severe cases involving children and elderly persons have been recorded in the fifth wave of the epidemic. For elderly persons, the COVID-19 vaccination rate for the elderly aged 80 or above in Hong Kong is only around 71 per cent at present, meaning that around 29 per cent of the elderly in that age group are in a dangerous situation, which is alarming."
 
     "According to preliminary data analysis, out of the cases reported in the fifth wave, over 95 per cent of the fatal cases are elderly people aged 60 or above, with the proportion of death and hospitalised cases being the highest in those aged 80 or above. Most of the deceased cases are unvaccinated persons. As compared to the Hong Kong overall population, those who have received three doses of vaccine account for a much lower proportion among reported cases, and an extremely low proportion among the hospitalised critical/serious and deceased cases. This demonstrates the efficacy of three doses of vaccine in preventing infection, serious illness and fatality from COVID-19. The research data from the University of Hong Kong also shows that receiving three doses of either the Comirnaty or CoronaVac vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths with an efficacy of over 90 per cent. Members of the public who are currently eligible for a third dose should get the third dose as soon as possible."

     "At present, persons aged 50 or above who had received three doses of vaccine may receive the fourth dose three months at minimum after the third dose. Children aged from 6 months to 3 years may also receive the CoronaVac vaccine. In addition to elderly persons, children are also our focus of protection in vaccination. We call on parents to arrange vaccination for their children as early as possible, thus enabling them to have early protection in the face of the threat posed by the highly transmissible mutant virus strains."

     "In addition, the Government once again reminds members of the public that recovered persons who had been infected with COVID-19 should get vaccinated in a timely manner. For the Vaccine Pass, the recovery record QR code is valid within 180 days from the date of recovery. Recovered person may need to receive one more dose of COVID-19 vaccine to comply with the Vaccine Pass, or update their vaccination records before the expiration of their recovery record QR code. Specifically, recovered persons who had not received any vaccine or had only received one dose of vaccine are required to receive an additional dose (first or second dose) of vaccine before their recovery record QR codes expire, in order to continue to use the Vaccine Pass. As for recovered persons who had received two or more doses of vaccine, they should update their vaccination records through the Electronic Vaccination and Testing Record System (www.evt.gov.hk), the 'iAM Smart' or 'eHealth' mobile applications before their recovery record QR codes expire, in order to continue to use the Vaccine Pass."

     The spokesman also reminded that the vaccination requirements for persons aged 12 or above under the Vaccine Pass will be changed to having received three doses of vaccine starting November 30. Members of the public should receive the respective dosage of vaccine timely, such that they can get better protection for themselves and continue to use the Vaccine Pass for entering applicable premises.

Note 1: Provisional figures. In the preceding week till 11.59pm on September 18, the DH did not receive any reports of suspected myocarditis or pericarditis involving adolescents in the age group of 3 to 15, and did not receive any reports of serious or unexpected adverse events following COVID-19 immunisation for children aged under 3.

Note 2: In the preceding week till 11.59pm on September 18, the DH received one death report involving individuals who had received COVID-19 vaccination within 14 days before passing away. The case involved a male aged 54. There is no clinical evidence that the incident arose from vaccination.

     â€‹A spokesman for the Security Bureau (SB) today (September 21) said that one more Hong Kong resident, who sought assistance from the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department (ImmD) earlier, has returned to Hong Kong from Thailand safely today with the assistance of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the SB's dedicated task force. Since the establishment of the SB's dedicated task force, a total of 16 assistance seekers have returned to Hong Kong safely under the task force's co-ordination.
  
     The spokesman appealed to Hong Kong residents or their family members concerned about missing relatives to contact the ImmD as soon as possible. They may make use of the WhatsApp hotline 5190 8909 dedicated to the matter, call the 24-hour hotline of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the ImmD at (852) 1868, call the 1868 hotline by network data call via the ImmD mobile application or submit an Online Assistance Request Form. Citizens should make a report to the Police as soon as practicable if a scam is suspected. If anyone knows or has received information that there are victims in need of assistance, they should contact the ImmD as soon as possible to secure the safe return of the Hong Kong resident.