The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: Regarding a patient tested preliminarily positive to COVID-19, the spokesperson for Tin Shui Wai Hospital (TSWH) made the following announcement today (August… read more
The public consultation exercise for the 2020 Policy Address was launched on August 18. The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (August 24) attended the first consultation session, held via video conferencing, to listen to the views of stakeholders of the aviation, maritime and logistics sectors on the upcoming Policy Address. The session was attended by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, and the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan. More than 20 stakeholders participated online, consisting of Legislative Council members and representatives of trade organisations, local aviation and maritime companies, and enterprises of the relevant industries.
Mrs Lam said after the two-hour consultation session that she had held very meaningful exchanges of views with the stakeholders. Pointing out that despite the fact that the COVID-19 epidemic has dealt a heavy blow to the cross-boundary passenger service sector, she said the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to maintaining Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub, an international maritime centre and a regional logistics hub, and that she would consider in full numerous valuable views raised by the stakeholders on related issues while she formulates the Policy Address.
Mrs Lam will continue to hold the rest of the 11 theme-based consultation sessions via video conferencing in the month ahead. Areas to be covered range from people’s livelihoods, finance, economy, innovation and technology, education, land and housing to medical and health services, sports, arts and culture and sustainable development.
The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will lead a delegation of officials of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to visit Liantang Port in Shenzhen on Wednesday (August 26) to attend the opening ceremony of the Liantang Port/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point.
The delegates will include the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung; the Secretary for Development, Mr Michael Wong; the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee; the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan; the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Alfred Sit; the Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs, Mr Erick Tsang Kwok-wai; the Commissioner of Police, Mr Tang Ping-keung; the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Mr Hermes Tang; the Director of Immigration, Mr Au Ka-wang; and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Mr Chan Kwok-ki.
The cargo clearance facilities for use by cross-boundary goods vehicles at the Liantang Port/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point will open first at 4pm on Wednesday. Clearance services will not be opened at this stage for private cars, cross-boundary coaches, cross-boundary hire cars and passengers.
Mrs Lam will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on the same day. read more
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 24) urged the public not to consume a kind of prepackaged fruit and nut bar imported from the United Kingdom (UK) due to possible contamination with Salmonella, a pathogen. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Fruit & Nut Bar – Brazil & Sultana, with Peanuts and Almonds
Brand: Eat Natural
Place of origin: UK
Importer: Janus Trading Company Limited
Packing size: 50 grams per pack
Best before dates: October 31, 2020 and November 30, 2020
A CFS spokesman said, “The CFS, through its Food Incident Surveillance System, noted a notice issued by the UK Food Standards Agency that the manufacturer of the product is recalling the above-mentioned batches of the product which may be contaminated with Salmonella.”
Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately followed up with major local importers and retailers. Preliminary investigation found that the above-mentioned importer had imported the above batches of the product and some of them were sold. Upon notification by the UK manufacturer earlier, the importer concerned had already stopped sale of the affected product and initiated a recall. Members of the public may call the importer’s hotline at 2890 7265 during office hours for enquiries about the recall.
“Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and patients with a weak immune system could be more severe and may even lead to death,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected batches of the product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, continue to follow up and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing. read more
The ​Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 24) announced that about 500 frontline staff who have frequent contact with members of the public will be arranged to undergo COVID-19 testing on August 25 and 26 to safeguard the health of the public and the staff.
The Chief Executive announced on August 7 that the Targeted Group Testing Scheme would be extended to cover frontline employees of government departments that have frequent contact with members of the public. The EPD thus arranged relevant frontline staff to undergo COVID-19 testing.
A spokesman for the EPD said that the testing was voluntary. EPD frontline staff mainly responsible for performing counter duties, enforcing environmental regulations, handling public complaints outdoors, patrolling outdoor and indoor premises and facilities, including sewers and kitchens of eateries, etc, will undergo the test. Staff of the operators of Community Green Stations and Community Recycling Centres, and staff of the operator of WEEE•PARK, responsible for collecting waste electrical and electronic equipment from the public, will also be included.
The spokesman said, “Specimens will be collected by trained and qualified staff of a testing agency using the combined nasal and throat swab method. The testing agency will deploy manpower to collect specimens from the staff concerned at the four sites designated by the EPD. The specimens will then be delivered to the testing agency’s laboratory for testing, and the agency will notify the EPD of the test results. We have awarded the contract for the above one-stop testing service to DNA WeCheck Limited through established procurement procedures.”
The EPD anticipates that the testing will be completed on August 27. For any specimen with positive results, the testing agency will inform the EPD and Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health of its serial number for follow-up action. Throughout the testing process, no personal particulars will be indicated on the sampling bottles. The testing agency will only have access to the serial numbers of specimens and will not acquire or retain any personal information of the staff. Specimens will also be destroyed after completion of the testing.
The EPD will put in place appropriate infection control measures at the testing sites. All people are required to have their body temperature checked and their hands sanitised with alcohol-based handrub before entering the sites. Partitions will be installed at the specimen collection areas, and proper instructions will be set out for the staff participating in the testing to maintain social distancing while awaiting and during testing. read more