The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) announced today (August 13) that an 82-year-old male patient confirmed with COVID-19 (case number: 2745) passed away today.
      
     The patient with chronic disease was admitted to TMH on July 26 due to fever and cough. His condition continued to deteriorate and he eventually succumbed at 9.12pm today.
      
     The Hospital was saddened about the passing away of the patient and would offer necessary assistance to his family.
      
     Including the above case, 66 COVID-19 confirmed patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) has announced that as of 0.00am, August 13, the CHP was investigating 69 additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 4 313 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 4 312 confirmed cases and one probable case).
     
     Among the newly reported cases announced, four had a travel history during the incubation period.

    The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the list of buildings with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and the latest local situation of COVID-19 available on the website "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).
     
     In view of the severe epidemic situation, the CHP called on members of the public to avoid going out, having social contact and dining out. They should put on a surgical mask and maintain stringent hand hygiene when they need to go out. As a number of recent cases involve elderly people, the CHP strongly urged the elderly to stay home as far as possible and avoid going out. They should consider asking their family and friends to help with everyday tasks such as shopping for basic necessities.
 
     A spokesman for the CHP said, "Given that the situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and that there is a continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong.
 
     "The CHP also strongly urges the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene, which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community. On a personal level, members of the public should wear a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, taking public transport or staying in crowded places. They should also perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes.
 
     "As for household environmental hygiene, members of the public are advised to maintain drainage pipes properly, regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps) and cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use. After using the toilet, they should put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs."
 
     Moreover, the Government has launched the website "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for announcing the latest updates on various news on COVID-19 infections and health advice to help the public understand the latest updates. Members of the public may also gain access to information via the COVID-19 WhatsApp Helpline launched by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. Simply by saving 9617 1823 in their phone contacts or clicking the link wa.me/85296171823?text=hi, they will be able to obtain information on COVID-19 as well as the "StayHomeSafe" mobile app and wristband via WhatsApp.
 
     To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infections, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They are advised to:
     • Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
     • Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or doorknobs, or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
     • Maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly (about once a week) pour about half a litre of water into each drain outlet (U-trap) to ensure environmental hygiene;
     • Cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use;
     • After using the toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs;
     • Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, performing hand hygiene with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub is an effective alternative;
     • Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissues into a lidded rubbish bin, then wash hands thoroughly; and
     • When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending class at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly.

     In view of the Government's announcement on the extension of the special work arrangements for government employees, Hongkong Post today (August 13) announced the arrangements for Hongkong Post services from August 17 to 23.
      
     Taking account of the latest development of the epidemic in Wong Tai Sin District, it is decided to reopen Fu Shan Post Office, Lok Fu Post Office and Wong Tai Sin Post Office in the district next week, while Choi Hung Chuen Post Office, Chuk Yuen Post Office, Ngau Chi Wan Post Office and Tsz Wan Shan Post Office will continue to be suspended from service.
      
     The remaining post offices will resume their normal business hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Regarding Wan Chai Post Office which was closed for cleaning and disinfection as a postman was confirmed of COVID-19 infection earlier, it will also reopen the following week. Mobile post offices will continue to be suspended from service.
      
     Hongkong Post will strengthen mail delivery service (including that for Speedpost items) to four times a week. However, door delivery service for Wong Tai Sin District will continue to be suspended. Taking into account the risk associated with the increasing number of buildings with confirmed cases and the need of local residents to receive mail, Hongkong Post will maintain to deliver mail to the letter boxes in the lobbies of these buildings twice a week, and door delivery service will continue to be suspended until a building concerned is removed from the list of buildings with confirmed cases within the past 14 days.

     Hongkong Post will continue to adopt various measures on social distancing and infection control at all post offices, and will also introduce chip allotment measures and deploy additional manpower when necessary to relieve the crowding of customers, so as to reduce social contact and prevent crowds from gathering.
      
     Hongkong Post has been attaching great importance to anti-epidemic measures, and providing frontline staff with protective gear such as protective goggles, masks, alcohol swabs, alcohol-based handrub and gloves. To step up our effort in infection control, Hongkong Post will also start to provide face shields to our frontline staff from next week onwards. We frequently remind staff members to carry and use such protective gear when performing duties outdoors, check their body temperature and use alcohol-based handrub before entering any post office, avoid dine-in meals and meal gatherings, and pay attention to personal hygiene.
      
     Due to the adjustment of business hours of post offices, members of the public requiring counter services may expect longer waiting times. As a result of the above special arrangements, services of local, inbound and outbound mail will be subject to delays. Hongkong Post apologises for the inconvenience caused.
      
     Hongkong Post will keep abreast of the latest development of the epidemic and make timely adjustments to the arrangements for counter and delivery services. For further enquiries, please call the Hongkong Post enquiry hotline at 2921 2222.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, on the new rule of the United States (US) on origin marking of Hong Kong products at a media session after meeting with major local trade chambers today (August 13):
 
Reporter: Just now you said the US may have violated certain WTO (World Trade Organization) rules. Could you elaborate a little bit more on that? What exact rules has it violated and what concrete actions would the Government take in response to that? Secondly, how big of an impact do you think the new US measure would have on Hong Kong businesses? What kind of confusion has this new measure caused to businesses so far? And apart from the actual financial impact, do you think this will also have an impact on Hong Kong products as an international brand? Thirdly, over the US' sanctions on the 11 SAR and Mainland officials earlier on, you said that the Government would consider taking counter-measures against the US. What kind of counter-measures are you talking about here? And are you also worried that you may be the next target?
 
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: Thank you for the questions. I'll combine question one with question three (in answering). The US' recent attempt to impose an origin marking requirement on Hong Kong products is basically asking Hong Kong traders to tell a lie that products made in Hong Kong would be misdescribed as "made in China". So by common sense, by international practices of origin rules, and by WTO requirements, all these are exceptions and unacceptable. For a product made in Hong Kong, being a separate customs territory and a WTO member, we have to call a spade a spade. How could a Hong Kong-made product be mislabelled as (being from) some other places? Put it simply, could a Canadian product be labelled as US-made or a Mexican one? I think it defies common sense. And I also think it's a deliberate attempt to undermine Hong Kong's separate customs territory, which is a very important pillar, for Hong Kong is an international trading centre which is well recognised by all members of WTO. I hope the US would not be the exception because they are also a fellow member, together with Hong Kong, in WTO. So if there is something so blatant and irresponsible, it will only be our natural response to safeguard our interests under WTO to guard our separate customs territory which is given to us by the Basic Law under the "one country, two systems". And we have to give our service as a member of WTO, because this is what upholds the multilateral trading system. So that is my overall reaction.
 
     The Government also has a duty to protect our trade interests. That's why we have talked with the representatives of trade from individual sectors as well as major chambers as we did in the past two years when we were confronted by the US-China trade war. I'm grateful to the chambers' heads who often come to gather with me in assessing the situation and, on our part, we also share with them the latest information in that regard.
 
     As regards the impact, in aggregate terms, the total export to the US for products made in Hong Kong amounted to HK$3.7 billion last year. That constitutes less than 0.1 per cent of Hong Kong's total export which in a way represents the reducing significance of the US market to us. To individual companies or selected sectors, if they focus on the US market, this uncertainty, this chaos, this confusion would create difficulties to both the exporting end as well as the importing end. I think that's the message given to us when talking to people (from the trade), because trade is a two-way street. We are not talking about (just) one side selling. In fact, there is the other side buying. How could a buyer place an order to satisfy his customer with a wrongful description of the product and told by his own government? How could this compliance be made in future? That's the trade's confusion that I gather from our end. At the same time, the same message is being raised by the importing end in the other side of the Pacific Ocean. So we are assessing all those situations and will continue to engage the trade as we move forward. Thank you.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (August 13) said that in view of a notice issued by the Shenzhen Headquarters for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia Epidemic Caused by Novel Coronavirus that a surface sample of chicken wings imported from Brazil tested positive to novel coronavirus in Shenzhen, the CFS has immediately contacted the relevant authorities in Shenzhen and Brazil to understand the incident, and followed up with major local importers and retailers. Preliminary investigation found that the concerned batch of chicken wings was not detected to be on sale in Hong Kong. For the sake of prudence, as a precautionary measure, the CFS has immediately enhanced sampling of frozen chicken meat from Brazil at import and wholesale levels for testing of the novel coronavirus. The Centre has also immediately suspended the licence application for import of poultry meat into Hong Kong from the plant concerned (registration number: SIF601).

     A spokesman for the CFS said that according to current scientific information, there is no evidence indicating that human can be infected by the novel coronavirus via food. In addition, the World Health Organization and global food safety assessment authorities consider that it is unlikely that the novel coronavirus can be transmitted to human via food. Nevertheless, given that raw or undercooked food products are high-risk, if they are uncooked or underheated, consumption of food contaminated with bacteria or viruses may cause food poisoning.

     The CFS reminded the public to cook food thoroughly and avoid consuming raw or undercooked animal products, as well as to handle raw and cooked food separately, especially when handling raw meat and offal, so as to avoid cross-contamination of food. Members of the public should also maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times.

     The spokesman also reminded food handlers that they should always keep their hands clean, and frequently clean and disinfect surfaces, especially food contact surfaces in food premises (such as tableware, kitchenware, insulated bags for takeaways, conveyor belts at cashier desks) and high-touch points (such as door handlers, handles of the shopping trolleys and water taps) to ensure environmental hygiene, while social distancing measures should also be adopted. Food handlers should cease engaging in any food handling work and seek medical advice promptly when suffering or suspected to be suffering from an infectious disease or symptoms of illness.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action, including informing the Brazilian authorities concerned and the trade. Investigation is ongoing.