The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (August 4), 104 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital. So far a total of 2 141 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.
 
     At present, there are 675 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 256 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 1 298 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 19 public hospitals and a community isolation facility, among which 43 patients are in critical condition, 52 are in serious condition and the remaining 1 203 patients are in stable condition.
 
     An 85-year-old male patient (case number: 3639) with confirmed infection announced today passed away at Princess Margaret Hospital this afternoon. Including this case, 41 COVID-19 patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.
 
     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 Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (August 4) announced that malachite green was found in a green grouper sample. A follow-up is in progress.

     A CFS spokesman said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned green grouper sample at import level for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained malachite green at a level of 18 parts per billion."

     The spokesman said that the CFS has informed the importer concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale of the affected product. The CFS is also tracing the source of the product concerned.

     Malachite green is a type of industrial dye and has been used for treating infections in fish. Currently, malachite green has been prohibited for use in food-producing animals in many countries. According to the Harmful Substances in Food Regulations (Cap 132AF), no food sold in Hong Kong is allowed to contain malachite green. Offenders will be prosecuted and will be liable to a fine of $50,000 and to imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by WeLab Bank Limited on suspicious mobile applications (Apps), which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the Apps concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the Apps should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.
 

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (August 4) announced that in view of recent cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) found to be related to Hung Hom Market and To Kwa Wan Market, for prudence's sake, the Government invited the Chair Professor of the Department of Microbiology, the University of Hong Kong, Professor Yuen Kwok-Yung, to go to the two markets to carry out inspection and offer advice on anti-epidemic measures for the markets concerned so that the market stall tenants and the public can rest assured that their health and safety are being safeguarded. In view of this, the two markets were closed early today at 5pm.

     The FEHD attaches importance to the hygiene conditions of public markets. In view of the developments of the epidemic, the FEHD has continued to enhance anti-epidemic measures and carry out cleaning and disinfection work in its markets. In addition to regular cleaning work in the daytime, market service contractors also conduct thorough cleaning in all markets after the markets are closed every day.
 
     During the epidemic, the FEHD has already stepped up cleaning and disinfection of communal areas and facilities in the markets, including toilets, escalators, elevators and stair handrails, with diluted household bleach regularly every day. Disinfectant hand sanitisers are also placed at communal points such as the vicinities of lift lobbies, escalators and public scales for use by market patrons. The FEHD also arranged earlier for staff to distribute face masks and disinfectant hand sanitisers to market and hawker bazaar operators so as to safeguard the health and safety of tenants and the public.
 
     For those markets found to be related to COVID-19 cases, the FEHD has immediately cleaned and disinfected the areas the patients had used and arranged for the markets concerned to close earlier for deep cleaning and disinfection.
 
     To further enhance the cleaning and disinfection work in its markets, the FEHD has arranged for some 20 markets in various districts to close an hour earlier for additional deep cleaning and disinfection in the past few weeks as a precautionary measure.
 
     During the period, FEHD staff will thoroughly clean and disinfect communal areas and facilities in the markets, and call for co-operation of market tenants to conduct cleaning and disinfection at their respective stalls, with a view to improving the overall hygiene conditions of the markets. In addition, the FEHD will carry out deep cleaning work at the periphery of the markets and nearby streets.
 
     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Moreover, since late July, the FEHD has progressively arranged a voluntary one-off free COVID-19 testing service for staff of market stalls and personnel working in markets. No online registration is required. The FEHD is working closely with the testing agency to determine the priority of various markets with reference to a risk-based approach and manpower resources.
 
     "The FEHD is in close liaison with the Centre for Health Protection and has been distributing specimen bottles to markets with confirmed cases involving operators of market stalls or personnel working therein since the implementation of the scheme. This includes distributing specimen bottles to operators of market stalls or personnel working in Hung Hom Market and To Kwa Wan Market on July 31 and August 1 respectively."
 
     ​The spokesman strongly appealed to market stall tenants to actively participate in the testing scheme, continue to comply with the Government's regulation to wear masks in markets, and maintain personal and environmental hygiene continuously. The FEHD will continue to closely monitor the situation of each market, and will conduct deep cleaning and disinfection work in other markets if necessary so as to maintain environmental hygiene. 

     Due to the stronger than usual subtropical ridge persisting over southern China for most of the time in the month, July 2020 became the hottest month in Hong Kong since records began in 1884. The monthly mean maximum temperature of 33.3 degrees, monthly mean temperature of 30.2 degrees and monthly mean minimum temperature of 28.3 degrees were 1.9 degrees, 1.4 degrees and 1.5 degrees above their corresponding normal figures respectively, all of them being the highest of the corresponding monthly mean values on record. With a total of 21 hot nights, July 2020 was the month with the highest number of hot nights on record. The 11 consecutive hot nights that started from July 5 also set a new record in terms of the number of consecutive hot nights for July. Moreover, there were 20 very hot days in the month, which is the highest number of very hot days in a month on record. With a long spell of sunny weather, the month was also much drier than usual. The total monthly rainfall was only 125.4 millimetres, about 33 per cent of the normal figure of 376.5mm. The accumulated rainfall for the first seven months of the year was 1088.8mm, about 26 per cent below the normal figure of 1473.3mm for the same period.
 
     Affected by a broad trough of low pressure and the subsequent southerly airstream, the weather of Hong Kong was a mixture of sunshine and showers with occasional thunderstorms on the first three days of the month. The heavy showers on July 3 brought more than 10mm of rainfall to most parts of the territory. Dominated by an anticyclone aloft, apart from a few showers, local weather was generally fine and very hot during the day on July 4 to 8. Under the influence of a strong southwesterly airstream, local weather became cloudier with isolated showers in the next two days.
 
     With the subtropical ridge extending westwards from the Pacific to cover southeastern China, apart from a few showers, a spell of generally fine and very hot weather set in on July 11 and continued till July 30 in Hong Kong. The intense heat also triggered isolated thunderstorms on July 17, 21, 22 and 27 to 29. With plenty of sunshine and under light wind conditions, the maximum temperature at the Hong Kong Observatory soared to 35.3 degrees on July 23, the highest of the month. The unrelenting heat also necessitated the Very Hot Weather Warning to remain in force for 467 hours from July 11 to 30, setting the longest record since the introduction of the warning in 2000. Meanwhile, the monsoon depression over the South China Sea gradually developed into a tropical depression on the last day of the month and its outer rain bands brought squally showers and thunderstorms to the territory. More than 20mm of rainfall were recorded over most parts of the territory on the day, and rainfall over Hong Kong Island even exceeded 40mm. The oppressive heat and parched conditions that persisted for over half a month in Hong Kong were eventually relieved under the windy and showery weather.
 
     Two tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in July 2020.
 
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in July are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for July are tabulated in Table 2.