The Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) today (August 13) announced that, in light of the further extension of the special work arrangements for government employees until August 23, persons intending to apply for Registration Cards for People with Disabilities can continue to download the application forms from the LWB's website (www.lwb.gov.hk/en/servicedesk/forms). Duly completed application forms with the required documents can be submitted via the LWB's website by e-submission, or posted to Central Registry for Rehabilitation, Labour and Welfare Bureau, Unit 1001, 10/F, THE HUB, 23 Yip Kan Street, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong.

     Enquiries can be sent by email to LWB (enquiry@lwb.gov.hk).

     In view of the extension of the special work arrangements for government employees for one week until August 23, a spokesperson for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (August 13) announced that the SWD's service units providing direct public services for members of the public will continue to only maintain their provision of emergency services and essential services.
 
     While the departmental hotline service will be in operation as normal, other services such as those of the Integrated Family Service Centres (IFSCs) and the Social Security Field Units (SSFUs) will only be provided on a limited scale.
 
     The SSFUs are temporarily closed to the public but maintain services on a limited scale through other modes of service delivery. Relevant application forms are provided next to the drop-in boxes of the SSFUs and can be downloaded from the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk). Completed forms can be returned to the relevant SSFUs by post, fax or email or through the drop-in boxes of the SSFUs. After receiving the applications, the SSFU staff will contact applicants for processing their applications. For enquiries, please call the SSFU staff on duty during office hours.
 
     The IFSCs will continue to be open to the public but will only provide casework services with extended hours service suspended.
 
     Service users are advised to call the hotline on 2343 2255 for details of service provision. To reduce the risk of infection arising from gatherings of people, service users are advised to contact the staff of the service units by telephone in advance, so that interviews can be scheduled as appropriate. All visitors must put on masks, have their body temperature checked and maintain social distancing.
   
     Meanwhile, the SWD has strengthened infection control at all service units. Staff will be reminded to follow necessary infection control measures.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (August 13), 106 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 3 295 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.
      
     At present, there are 683 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 245 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 857 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 19 public hospitals, a community isolation facility and a community treatment facility, among which 32 patients are in critical condition, 50 are in serious condition and the remaining 775 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:
 

     Police today (August 13) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.
 
     Law Wing-keung, aged 62, went missing after he left his residence in Choi Hung Estate on August 11 morning. His family made a report to Police yesterday (August 12).
 
     He is about 1.65 metres tall, 75 kilograms in weight and of fat build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and short grey and black hair. He was last seen wearing a purplish blue short-sleeved shirt, dark-coloured shorts and black shoes.
 
     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0335 or 9020 2746 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

    The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 13) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of low pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in the East Gippsland Shire of the state of Victoria in Australia, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong imported about 170 tonnes of chilled poultry meat, 870 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and 1.8 million poultry eggs from Australia in the first six months of this year, according to the Census and Statistics Department.

     "The CFS has contacted the Australian authorities over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.