Hongkong Post today (August 14) said that a contract clerical staff member tested positive for COVID-19. 
      
     The clerical staff member concerned works at 3/F of Hongkong Post Headquarters. Engaged in word processing duties, he needs not come into contact with any members of the public, and his workplace is not open to the public. The staff member concerned last performed duties on August 5. As he had been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case, he was sent to a quarantine centre and was tested for COVID-19. He was notified today of the positive result. 
      
     The staff member concerned has no recent travel history. He has been wearing surgical masks when performing duties. His body temperature was normal when undergoing temperature screening during work.
      
     After noting the situation, Hongkong Post reported the case to the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) to seek its assistance in tracing and defining his close contacts. A thorough cleaning and sterilisation will be arranged immediately for the workplace concerned and all public facilities according to CHP guidelines.
      
     Hongkong Post will continue to maintain close liaison with the CHP. Staff are also reminded to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant at all times. In case of feeling unwell, they should seek medical advice immediately.

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (August 14) distributed disinfectant hand sanitisers to drivers of refuse collection vehicles using the services at refuse transfer stations and landfills to support the work of frontline personnel and thank them for standing ready to fight the epidemic.
 
     Every day, refuse collection vehicles collect municipal solid waste from various districts in Hong Kong and transport the waste in an orderly manner to refuse transfer stations or directly to landfills for disposal, making a contribution to the environmental hygiene of Hong Kong. As the epidemic situation of coronavirus disease 2019 in Hong Kong continues, refuse collection and transportation practitioners need to replenish personal hygiene protective equipment such as disposable face masks and disinfectant hand sanitisers to minimise the risk of infection. To assist the trade in coping with the current challenges, further to the distribution of about 50 000 face masks earlier, the EPD today distributed around 1 200 bottles of hand sanitisers to drivers of refuse collection vehicles using the services at landfills and waste transfer stations and reminded them to perform hand hygiene frequently.           
     
     In addition, the EPD will provide around 500 bottles of disinfectant hand sanitisers to frontline employees of the recycling trade, encouraging the trade to enhance employees' awareness of hygiene and to fight the epidemic together.

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (August 14), 97 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 3 392 patients with confirmed or probable infections have been discharged.
      
     At present, there are 685 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 247 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 829 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 18 public hospitals, a community isolation facility and a community treatment facility, among which 30 patients are in critical condition, 48 are in serious condition and the remaining 751 patients are in stable condition.
      
     The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner. 
      
     Details of the above-mentioned patients are as follows:
 

     The Department of Health (DH) announced today (August 14) that its Temporary Specimen Collection Centre (TSCC) currently set up at AsiaWorld-Expo will be relocated to the Midfield Concourse located in the restricted area of Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) on August 18 and will continue to operate there.
 
     A spokesman for the DH said that with the larger size of the new location, more inbound travellers can be accommodated for collecting their samples for testing and waiting for test results.
 
     From 4am on August 18, those arriving in Hong Kong via HKIA will be required to proceed to the TSCC set up in the restricted area of HKIA for collecting their deep throat saliva (DTS) samples immediately upon arrival. They will need to stay at the TSCC to wait for test results, which will usually be available on the same day before they can proceed with immigration procedures. Passengers whose test results will not be available on the same day (usually passengers arriving in the afternoon or at night) can proceed with immigration procedures right after their DTS samples are collected at the TSCC. They will subsequently be taken to the DH’s Holding Centre for Test Results in a hotel by coaches arranged by the DH to wait for their test results. However, the DH will make flexible arrangements according to the capacity of the facilities and the daily number of passengers arriving on afternoon flights. If necessary, inbound travellers arriving in the afternoon could also be arranged to wait for test results at the TSCC.
 
     The spokesman reminded travellers that they should prepare to carry with them all necessities in sufficient quantities before boarding the plane as they will need to go to the TSCC set up in the restricted area of HKIA for collecting their DTS samples immediately upon arrival in Hong Kong and can only proceed with immigration procedures and collect their checked-in baggage after completing relevant testing procedures. The waiting time could be up to 12 hours or more.
 
     The DH also expresses gratitude to AsiaWorld-Expo and staff of the relevant facilities for their assistance in fighting the epidemic over the past months. 

     In accordance with the implementation of special work arrangements by the Government, the Lands Department (LandsD) today (August 14) announced that arrangements have been made for staff to work from home as far as possible to achieve social distancing more effectively with a view to reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 in the community. All LandsD offices will continue to provide basic public services on a limited scale up to August 23. Services for receipt and delivery of documents at counters will be provided between 1pm and 5pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during this period. The telephone enquiry hotline service will be provided during office hours from Monday to Friday. The LandsD headquarters at North Point Government Offices will only open the counter on the 21st floor during the above opening hours. Other counter services, including counter enquiries, map sales counters, collection of compensation for land resumption, depositing of land boundary plans and survey record plans, and inspection of a full list of Authorised Land Surveyors, will be suspended. Online services will be maintained as normal. Members of the public may continue to make enquiries or complaints through email.

     An appeal is made to the public to minimise visiting the LandsD's offices in person unless necessary. The public can purchase most map products from Hong Kong Map Service 2.0 and can file enquiries or complaints as well as requests for services online or through other electronic means. Due to the special work arrangements, the processing of various enquiries, complaints and applications may be delayed and it may take a longer time to provide a reply. The department apologises for any inconvenience caused.