Author Archives: hksar gov

     In order to enable members of the public to register online using “iAM Smart”, the Department of Health (DH) smoothly launched the revamped Centralised Organ Donation Register (CODR) system yesterday (April 28).

     Upon launching the revamped CODR system, members of the public can now choose to register online using “iAM Smart”, or in-person by providing their Hong Kong identity cards for identity verification on the spot. The new registration methods would enable verification of the applicants’ identity upfront at the application stage and remove the need for subsequent phone verification.

     Applicants who do not wish to use “iAM Smart” for registration or provide their Hong Kong identity cards for identity verification can continue to apply for the CODR registration by submitting their applications using the pre-existing options of submitting applications online, by post or in-person followed by subsequent identity verification by phone. Regardless of the application methods, applicants who successfully register will be notified of their registration results within 14 days after submitting their applications.

     Introduction of the new registration methods will not affect the existing records in the CODR. As such, there is no need for existing CODR registrants to re-register.

     A spokesman for the DH appeals to the public to register for organ donation. The spokesman said: “Despite medical advancement, for some patients with organ failure, organ transplant remains the only hope to live on. Due to limited supply from donations of transplantable organs, more than 2 000 patients in Hong Kong are waiting for organ transplants every day, and many patients would die before the right organ match comes.

     “To shorten patients’ waiting times for organ transplants and to bring new life, active support for organ donation by members of the public is important. You are welcome to register your wish to donate organs at the CODR website at: www.codr.gov.hk.”

     For more information on organ donations, please visit the thematic website at: www.organdonation.gov.hk or the “Organ Donation@HK” Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/organdonationhk. read more

     In order to enable members of the public to register online using “iAM Smart”, the Department of Health (DH) smoothly launched the revamped Centralised Organ Donation Register (CODR) system yesterday (April 28).

     Upon launching the revamped CODR system, members of the public can now choose to register online using “iAM Smart”, or in-person by providing their Hong Kong identity cards for identity verification on the spot. The new registration methods would enable verification of the applicants’ identity upfront at the application stage and remove the need for subsequent phone verification.

     Applicants who do not wish to use “iAM Smart” for registration or provide their Hong Kong identity cards for identity verification can continue to apply for the CODR registration by submitting their applications using the pre-existing options of submitting applications online, by post or in-person followed by subsequent identity verification by phone. Regardless of the application methods, applicants who successfully register will be notified of their registration results within 14 days after submitting their applications.

     Introduction of the new registration methods will not affect the existing records in the CODR. As such, there is no need for existing CODR registrants to re-register.

     A spokesman for the DH appeals to the public to register for organ donation. The spokesman said: “Despite medical advancement, for some patients with organ failure, organ transplant remains the only hope to live on. Due to limited supply from donations of transplantable organs, more than 2 000 patients in Hong Kong are waiting for organ transplants every day, and many patients would die before the right organ match comes.

     “To shorten patients’ waiting times for organ transplants and to bring new life, active support for organ donation by members of the public is important. You are welcome to register your wish to donate organs at the CODR website at: www.codr.gov.hk.”

     For more information on organ donations, please visit the thematic website at: www.organdonation.gov.hk or the “Organ Donation@HK” Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/organdonationhk. read more

     In response to media enquiries about the revised testing and quarantine arrangements for air crew, a Government spokesman said the following today (April 29):
 
     In view of the latest developments of the epidemic situation including the enhanced capacity in tackling the local epidemic, and considering the overall socio-economic needs, the Government recently announced a series of adjustments regarding control measures on inbound travellers with effect from May 1, including allowing non-Hong Kong residents to enter Hong Kong from overseas places and adjusting the route-specific flight suspension mechanism.
 
     In tandem with the adjustments to the inbound control measures, the Government considers it appropriate to adjust the testing and quarantine arrangements applicable to air crew with effect from May 1. The adjustments are made on a risk-based approach and are considered necessary to safeguard public health, while being of utmost importance to Hong Kong’s aviation, trade and logistics industries.
 
     For air crew members who are spending a short layover in Hong Kong and are not entering the local community, they will be subject to a stringent closed-loop arrangement during their stay in Hong Kong. They are required to produce a negative result of a pre-departure rapid antigen test (RAT), use only a dedicated channel while within Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), take only point-to-point transport between HKIA and an airport hotel, which is designated to receive air crew under the closed-loop arrangement only. They are also required to self-isolate in the airport hotel rooms until they leave via point-to-point transport and a dedicated channel in HKIA, and depart from Hong Kong.
 
     The Government will also adjust the testing and self-isolation requirements applicable to locally based air crew, with a view to relieving local airlines’ manpower constraints and thus capacity to mount flights to and from Hong Kong. Having due regard to the fact that locally based passenger crew are subject to a stringent closed-loop arrangement when they lay over in outports, they will be subject to self-isolation in a designated quarantine hotel until obtaining a negative result of a polymerase chain reaction-based nucleic acid test conducted on the third day following their return to Hong Kong. For locally based cargo crew, not only are they subject to stringent closed-loop arrangement when they lay over in outports, they also have no passengers to interact with throughout their flight duties. As such, they will no longer be subject to self-isolation requirements upon their return to Hong Kong. However, they are required to undergo a “test-and-hold” arrangement at HKIA to obtain a negative result of a nucleic acid test before leaving HKIA. Moreover, all of these locally based air crew are subject to medical surveillance until the 14th day following their arrival, during which they are required to conduct repeated nucleic acid tests. They shall also conduct daily RATs, avoid mask-off activities in public places, refrain from going to crowded places and mass gatherings, and keep a log of their activities until the seventh day following their arrival. In cases of non-compliance, the designation status of relevant air crew members will be revoked.
 
     The adjustments will provide Hong Kong’s aviation, trade and logistics industries, particularly air cargo operations between Hong Kong and the rest of the world, the much needed survival space. The Government calls for the aviation industry to work hand in hand to uphold Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub, while remaining vigilant to guard against the virus. In particular, the Government has requested airlines to introduce robust mechanisms to ensure that their air crew members fully comply with the relevant requirements during the medical surveillance period. Airlines will be held responsible to oversee the activity logs of their air crew and conduct regular checks on such logs. In the event that airlines are found not to be exercising due diligence over their air crew’s compliance, the designation status of their air crew will be revoked.
 
     Moreover, from May 1 onwards, all air crew members deployed by local airlines for operating flights in and out of Hong Kong will have completed three doses of vaccines.
 
     The Government attaches great importance to the international aviation hub status of Hong Kong and will continue to keep in view the local and global epidemic situation, and review and adjust the testing and quarantine arrangements for air crew as and when appropriate. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      As at 0.00am today (April 29), a total of 1 530 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 are currently being treated in the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection C… read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (April 29) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, April 29, the CHP was investigating 196 additional cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus by nucleic acid tests (74 confirmed cases, 104 asymptomatic cases and 18 cases with pending case status) in the past 24 hours. Separately, 170 additional positive cases through rapid antigen tests (RATs) (92 symptomatic cases and 78 asymptomatic cases) were reported. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 758 351 and 445 496 cases that have tested positive by nucleic acid tests and RATs respectively for the SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The aforementioned newly reported cases consist of 14 imported cases (11 cases and three cases tested positive by nucleic acid tests and RATs respectively). The CHP is continuing with epidemiological investigations on the cases. Please refer to the “COVID-19 Thematic Website” (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for more information.

     In addition, as of 0.00am, April 29, a total of 9 085 death cases that had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the fifth wave (since December 31, 2021) were recorded, with 9 011 and 71 deaths reported from the Hospital Authority and public mortuaries respectively as well as three deaths reported from the Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical Centre. Hong Kong has so far recorded a total of 9 298 death cases that have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

     Furthermore, among the earlier cases by nucleic acid tests reported, there were cases (including pending cases) changed to confirmed, asymptomatic or re-positive cases. As at yesterday (April 28), the total number of confirmed cases was 330 525, while the figures for asymptomatic cases, re-positive cases and pending/unknown cases recorded since January 1 were 196 591, 10 and 231 029 respectively.

     As a passenger flight (CX270) operated by Cathay Pacific arriving in Hong Kong from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on April 28, and a passenger flight (EK384) operated by Emirates from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and Bangkok, Thailand, arriving in Hong Kong on the same day, each had three passengers who tested positive upon arrival, the DH thus invoked the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to prohibit the landing of passenger flights in Hong Kong from Amsterdam operated by Cathay Pacific, as well as from Dubai and Bangkok operated by Emirates from April 30 to May 6.

     The spokesman for the CHP stressed that as the local situation of COVID-19 infection is still severe, the CHP strongly appeals to the community to continue to comply with social distancing measures, avoid going out and refrain from participating in unnecessary or crowded activities or gatherings. This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community.

     â€‹The spokesman reminded that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They can provide effective protection to those vaccinated in preventing serious complications and even death after infection. People who have yet to receive vaccination, especially senior citizens, chronic patients and other immunocompromised persons who face a higher chance of death after COVID-19 infection, should get vaccinated as early as possible for self-protection and to reduce the risk of falling seriously ill and death should they get infected. Meanwhile, a person who gets COVID-19 and influenza at the same time may be more seriously ill and would have a higher risk of death. Influenza vaccination may reduce the likelihood of hospitalisation and the length of stay. In addition, seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of getting influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccination early. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP’s website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/17980.html).