The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carrier cases, the spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) gave the following update today (October 26):
 
     In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital commenced contact tracing. Three more female patients (aged 68 to 85) in the same surgical ward were confirmed as VRE carriers while not having signs of infection. One patient had been discharged earlier and the other two patients are currently hospitalised in QEH for treatment in isolation with stable condition.
 
     The ward concerned has adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
 

1. Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures;
2. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients; and
3. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned.

 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the ward and the patients. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

     Hong Kong Customs today (October 26) held an award presentation ceremony of the Elite Enterprise Partnership Award 2023 at the Customs Headquarters Building to commend 13 stakeholders of the logistics industry for their proactive co-operation and contribution to Customs.

     At the ceremony, the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho, stated that Hong Kong Customs has all along been dedicated to combatting illegal activities and enhancing its capabilities in risk management and Customs clearance to best guard the southern gateway to the country. Customs has also implemented various trade facilitation measures to foster economic development of Hong Kong. The close co-operation between Customs and the logistics industry is of prime importance to achieving high efficacy of such measures and collaboration, thereby strengthening the role of Hong Kong as an international transport and logistics hub.
      
     The awardees this year came from different sectors of the logistics industry, including express couriers, logistics companies, container and terminal companies, logistics associations, etc. This showcases the close co-operation and connection between Customs and different sectors of the industry.
      
     Looking ahead, the logistics industry of Hong Kong will thrive under the support and motivation of the country and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Hong Kong Customs will continue to strengthen its connection and co-operation with the logistics industry, so as to uphold the department's mission of safeguarding the gate of Hong Kong and facilitating legitimate trade.
     

          

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident happened in Lantau North this morning (October 26) in which a 71-year-old man died.

     At 10.52am, a taxi driven by the 71-year-old man was travelling along Penny’s Bay Highway towards Magic Road roundabout. When approaching near the entrance of the roundabout, it suspectedly failed to brake in time and collided with a taxi ahead travelling towards the same direction. The taxi in front was driven by a 49-year-old man, with a two-year-old girl, an eight-year-old boy and a 35-year-old woman on board.

     Sustaining serious multiple body injuries, the 71-year-old taxi driver was rushed to North Lantau Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 12.06pm. The 49-year-old taxi driver and the two female passengers sustained limbs injuries and were sent to North Lantau Hospital in conscious state. Sustaining abdomen injury, the male passenger was sent to North Lantau Hospital in conscious state and later transferred to Princess Margaret Hospital.
      
     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories South is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 1348 or 3661 1346.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson announced the following senior appointment today (October 26):
 
     Dr Flora Tsang Hau-fung will be appointed as Hospital Chief Executive of Grantham Hospital and Tung Wah Hospital with effect from January 1, 2024.
 
     Dr Tsang is a specialist in Cardio-thoracic Surgery and has also attained fellowship qualification in Administrative Medicine. She is an experienced senior executive with wide exposure in different management positions in the Strategy and Planning Division, the Quality and Safety Division and the Cluster Services Division of the HA Head Office. Aside from her vast experience in services planning and in hospital redevelopment projects, Dr Tsang is responsible for leading the development of integrated clinical services, including organ transplantation, cancer services, psychiatry services, as well as cardiac and neuroscience services in her current post as Chief Manager (Integrated Clinical Services).
 
     The HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, and Chief Executive, Dr Tony Ko, congratulate Dr Tsang on her new appointment and wish her every success in taking up the new role.

  

     The Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, will attend large-scale forums in Shenzhen and Changsha to promote Hong Kong's status as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

     Tomorrow (October 27) in Shenzhen, Mr Cheung will first attend the 2023 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Legal Forum (Shenzhen), and deliver a speech on the latest initiatives on the development of the GBA in the Policy Address before returning to Hong Kong in the afternoon.

     Bringing together professionals from the political, legal and business sectors, the forum will focus on enhancing the "soft connectivity" of cross-border legal services to further support the integration of Hong Kong and Macao's legal services into the overall development of the country and promote the deepening of co-operation in legal services.

     Next, he will depart for Changsha on October 29 for the 2nd Conference of Global Economic Development and Security Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA-GEDS). He will return to Hong Kong on October 30.

     With the theme of "Global Development and Shared Security" this year, the BFA-GEDS is an important platform for forging consensus on global economic development and security.

     Mr Cheung said that one of the key initiatives in this year's Policy Address is to enhance the development of the "eight centres" to dovetail with national strategies for creating strong impetus for growth.

     Noting that security is the foundation of high-quality economic development, he added that the forum will facilitate delegations from Hong Kong and other places to focus on "Global Development" and "Shared Security", and to conduct high-level, in-depth and cross-disciplinary discussions on a number of hot topics.