Police today (September 2) charged a 20-year-old non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) man with one count of murder.
The man was arrested on August 31 in connection with a murder case happened in Sham Shui Po in which a 22-year-old NEC man died.
The case will be mentioned at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts today afternoon.
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (September 2) announced the results of a seasonal food surveillance project on mooncakes (first phase). The results of 137 samples tested were all satisfactory.
A spokesman for the CFS said that samples covering traditional, snowy, ice-cream and other types of mooncakes had been collected from various retailers (including online retailers) and food factories for chemical and microbiological tests and nutrition content analysis.
The chemical tests covered colouring matters, preservatives, aflatoxins and metallic contaminants. Microbiological tests covered different pathogens. For nutrition content analysis, the contents of sodium and total fat of the samples were tested to see if they were consistent with the declared values on the nutrition labels.
The spokesman reminded people to maintain a balanced diet and avoid excessive eating of mooncakes as they are generally high in sugar and fat. Some types also contain relatively high levels of salt. Eating too much fat will increase the risk of being overweight and obese, while dietary sugar intake is a determinant of body weight and dental caries. In addition, excessive sodium intake will increase the risk of developing hypertension, fatal stroke and coronary heart disease.
He advised people to refer to nutrition labels, particularly on the sugar, salt and fat contents, to make a healthier choice. People should avoid mooncake types with high levels of fat or sugar, i.e. containing more than 20 grams of total fat or more than 15g of sugar per 100g of food. As for reducing salt intake, people can choose low-sodium mooncake types, i.e. containing less than 120 milligrams of sodium per 100g of food.
The spokesman said that people should consider their health conditions and consume mooncakes in an appropriate amount during the Mid-Autumn Festival. He advised people to share mooncakes with their family members and friends, as this not only enhances the festive atmosphere, but also allows them to taste mooncakes of different flavours and avoid overconsumption.
Members of the public should heed the following points in the purchase, storage and consumption of mooncakes to prevent food-borne diseases:
* Buy mooncakes from reliable outlets rather than patronising unlicensed hawkers. Check whether the mooncakes are properly packaged, pay attention to the expiry dates before purchase and eat them before the expiry dates;
* Store mooncakes according to the instructions on the package if they are not to be consumed immediately. Keep snowy mooncakes at 4 degrees Celsius or below and ice-cream mooncakes at minus 18 degrees C or below, and consume them as soon as possible after taking them out from the refrigerator;
* Use an icebox to carry snowy or ice-cream mooncakes outdoors and consume them as soon as possible;
* Wrap mooncakes properly and separate them from raw food when storing in a refrigerator to prevent cross-contamination; and
* Maintain good personal hygiene. Wash hands properly with liquid soap and running water before handling and consuming mooncakes.
The spokesman also reminded food traders to adhere to the Good Manufacturing Practice. Other than purchasing food ingredients from reliable suppliers, they should also comply with legal requirements when using food additives.
"Snowy and ice-cream mooncakes, which do not undergo a baking process at high temperature, need to be handled hygienically during processing, transportation and storage to avoid contamination and growth of germs," he said.
The CFS will continue to conduct surveillance on mooncakes and the second-phase results will be released in a timely manner to ensure food safety.
The Land Registry today (September 2) released its statistics for August 2020.
Land registration
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in August was 5,390 (-28.9 per cent compared with July 2020 but +4.5 per cent compared with August 2019)
* The 12-month moving average for August was 5,457 (0.3 per cent above the 12-month moving average for July 2020 but 9.3 per cent below that for August 2019)
* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in August was $45.6 billion (-34.2 per cent compared with July 2020 but +7.4 per cent compared with August 2019)
* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 4,358 were for residential units (-28.9 per cent compared with July 2020 but +6.7 per cent compared with August 2019)
* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $40.2 billion (-32.4 per cent compared with July 2020 but +9.9 per cent compared with August 2019)
Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme and the Tenants Purchase Scheme unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.
Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.
As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.
Land search
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in August was 428,133 (-8.5 per cent compared with July 2020 but +1.8 per cent compared with August 2019)
The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has recorded higher than normal pollution levels since yesterday (September 1). According to the EPD's forecast, it is expected that the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) at some general and roadside air quality monitoring stations may reach the "Serious" level later today (September 2).
Hong Kong is affected by the outer circulation of Severe Typhoon Maysak and a continental airstream with high background pollution. The weather is fine and very hot with light winds, which is unfavorable for pollutant dispersion. The sunshine enhances photochemical smog activity and the rapid formation of ozone and fine particulates in the Pearl River Delta region. The high level of ozone has promoted the formation of nitrogen dioxide in parts of the urban areas and at the roadside.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the weather in Hong Kong will remain fine and very hot with light winds in the next couple of days. It will be windier with a few showers during the weekend and early next week. It is expected that pollution levels will remain higher than normal until wind speed strengthens.
With a health risk category in the "Very High" range or above, children, the elderly and persons with existing heart or respiratory illnesses are advised to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities to a minimum or avoid such activities. The general public is advised to reduce, or reduce to a minimum, outdoor physical exertion, and to reduce time staying outdoors, especially in areas with heavy traffic. As health effects of air pollutants may vary for individuals, persons who are in doubt or experience discomfort should seek advice from health-care professionals. The public may visit the Centre for Health Protection's website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/9/460/3557.html) for more information on health effects of air pollution and relevant health advice.
The Education Bureau (EDB) urges all schools to visit the EDB's website for appropriate measures to safeguard students' health and take note of changes in the index. The relevant hyperlink is as follows: www.edb.gov.hk/en/sch-admin/admin/about-activities/sch-activities-guidelines/index.html.
When the AQHI is at the "Very High" level, employers of outdoor workers performing heavy manual work are advised to assess the risk of outdoor work and take appropriate preventive measures to protect the health of their employees, such as reducing outdoor physical exertion and the time of their stay outdoors, especially in areas with heavy traffic. At the "Serious" level, employers of all outdoor workers are advised to assess the risk of outdoor work and take appropriate preventive measures to protect the health of their employees.
Members of the public can check the current AQHI readings at the EPD's website (www.aqhi.gov.hk/en.html) or by calling the hotline 2827 8541.
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority spokesperson today (September 2) announced the passing away of two patients confirmed with COVID-19 infection this morning.
A 66-year-old male patient was admitted to Yan Chai Hospital (case no. 3635) on August 2 due to persistent fever and cough. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit on the same day. His condition continued to deteriorate and he eventually succumbed at 7.55am this morning.
In addition, a 79-year-old male patient (case no. 4148), with chronic diseases, was admitted to United Christian Hospital on August 9 due to cough, sore throat and epigastric discomfort. The patient's condition continued to deteriorate and he eventually succumbed at 8.05am this morning.
The hospitals concerned were saddened by the passing away of the patients and would offer necessary assistance to their family members.
Including the above two patients, 92 COVID-19 patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.