The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) today (February 22) expressed its heartfelt appreciation to the Shaw Foundation for its generous donation of $10 million to support healthcare workers. The donation will be allocated according to the donor's wishes to frontline healthcare workers in fighting the epidemic to boost their morale.
 
     The Shaw Foundation spokesperson expressed his utmost admiration for the frontline healthcare workers who have been working very hard to help people stay healthy, amid thousands of new confirmed cases now reported daily, and said he hoped that this donation can boost their morale in keeping up their great efforts in fighting the epidemic. 
 
     The HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, said, "We express heartfelt thanks to the Shaw Foundation for its timely and kind initiative in boosting the morale of healthcare workers. The move is a recognition of their efforts during this severe moment of the epidemic."
 
     The HA expresses appreciation to the Shaw Foundation again.

  

     â€‹Two persons and a company were convicted of illegally operating a private columbarium, contravening the Private Columbaria Ordinance, with a fine penalty by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (February 22). A criminal record was registered against the two persons. 

     A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today that the Private Columbaria Affairs Office (PCAO) of the FEHD had earlier detected that a columbarium in Bulkeley Street, Hung Hom, was suspected to have operated and managed a private columbarium without a licence under the Ordinance. An operation was thus mounted at the premises. The operators of the unlicensed columbarium were arrested and prosecuted. 

     Under the Ordinance, any person who operates, keeps, manages or in any other way has control of a columbarium otherwise than under a licence commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for three years, or on conviction on indictment to a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for seven years. 

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The department will continue to take stringent enforcement actions against illegally operated private columbaria. Members of the public should not buy or rent niches from any unlicensed private columbaria."

     "If members of the public detect any activities of illegally operating a private columbarium, they should immediately report it to the PCAO by calling the hotline 3142 2300," the spokesman added.

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs today (February 22) arrested a model and toy shop partner who was suspected of wrongly accepting payment in the course of selling models and toys, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO).

     Customs earlier received a number of reports alleging that someone sold models and toys through online and physical shops but failed to supply the ordered goods within the specified date or a reasonable period after accepting payments from customers. Also, no refund was offered.

     After investigation, Customs officers today arrested a 32-year-old man suspected to be in connection with the case. He is a business partner of three model and toy shops in Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei.

     An investigation is ongoing and the arrested man has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO and consumers to procure products at reputable shops.

     Under the TDO, any trader commits an offence if at the time of acceptance of payment, the trader intends not to supply the product or intends to supply a materially different product, or there are no reasonable grounds for believing that the trader will be able to supply the product within a specified or reasonable period. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations: 

     Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals: 

     The Marine Department today (February 22) reminded masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of vessels navigating in Hong Kong waters to proceed at a safe speed and exercise extreme caution because restricted visibility of less than 2 nautical miles has been reported. 

     Appropriate sound signals shall be made when underway or at anchor. All vessels must comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea.

     Also, when radar is used without the benefit of adequate plotting facilities, the information obtained from the equipment is rather limited and should be construed accordingly.

     Visibility reports are broadcast by the Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) on VHF channels 02, 12, 14, 63 and 67. 

     In the event of an accident, a report shall be made immediately to the VTC at Tel: 2233 7801.

     The Department of Health (DH) today (February 22) said its Tsuen Wan Dental Clinic (TWDC) and Li Po Chun Dental Clinic (LPCDC) have to be closed today and tomorrow (February 23) respectively for thorough cleaning and disinfection after a staff member of each clinic tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus. Affected clients have been contacted to reschedule their service appointments.

     The two staff members concerned working at TWDC and LPCDC are both responsible for cleaning and support duties. They wore appropriate personal protective equipment while performing duties and last performed duties on February 21. They both sought medical attention and underwent testing on that day, and were informed today that they tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus.

     â€‹The DH's Centre for Health Protection has initiated an epidemiological investigation on the relevant cases, and relevant contact tracing is ongoing. In view of the epidemic situation, the DH's dental clinics have stepped up infection control measures, including temperature screening for all visitors before clinic entry, conducting health declarations and rescheduling the appointments of patients with higher transmission risk (e.g. persons subject to compulsory testing). The Dental Services have been strictly implementing various disease prevention measures during the epidemic, which include providing employees with masks and other protective equipment, and stepping up the cleaning and sanitising measures of the clinics. All staff members are wearing masks at work and practising hand hygiene at all times. The DH is highly concerned about the COVID-19 situation and has reminded all staff again to maintain personal hygiene and be vigilant at all times. If feeling unwell, they should seek medical attention immediately.