The Housing Department today (July 31) learnt that a contract technical assistant employed by one of its contractors has tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
      
     The contract technical assistant works at the department's District Maintenance Office, North and Shatin South (Maintenance Office) at Wing Sum House, Lung Hang Estate, Tai Wai, Sha Tin. She is responsible for site supervision of building services works, and normally does not have direct contact with the residents. She last worked at the Maintenance Office on July 17. She was identified as a close contact after a family member tested positive for COVID-19. She has been under mandatory quarantine in a quarantine centre since July 28.
      
     She has no recent travel history. She has been wearing facial masks and undergoing temperature screening at work. Her body temperature was normal.
      
     The Housing Department has arranged thorough cleaning and disinfection of the Maintenance Office in accordance with the guidelines of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). Staff have been reminded to pay attention to personal hygiene and to stay vigilant, and to seek medical advice immediately if feeling unwell.
            
     The department will continue to maintain close liaison with the CHP and co-operate with its disease prevention measures.

     In light of the special work arrangements for government employees, the Drainage Services Department (DSD) announced today (July 31) that it will continue to maintain its emergency and essential public services for members of the public until further notice. These services include the 24-hour DSD Drainage Hotline (2300 1110), the inspection of drainage records and the handling of Sewage Charges/Trade Effluent Surcharge matters. The public are advised to minimise their usage of the above services unless under emergency or necessary situations. The public are also advised that the handling time of the above services would be longer than usual. All enquiry phone lines and reception services will be suspended temporarily.
       
     Starting next week, the service hours for inspection of drainage records, and the offices at the four locations listed below which provide receipt and dispatch services, will only be on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 10am to 11.30am and from 2.30pm to 4pm.
     

• 43/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
• 12/F, Kowloon Government Offices, 405 Nathan Road, Kowloon
• 23/F, 1063 King's Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
• G/F, Western Magistracy Building, 2A Pok Fu Lam Road, Hong Kong

(Deposit boxes will be available at the above four locations and at the gate of Shatin Sewage Treatment Works outside the opening hours for receiving documents.)
 
     DSD facilities will also be temporarily closed for public visits and other educational purposes until further notice.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     According to statistics published today (July 31) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, total deposits with authorised institutions grew by 1.6 per cent in June 2020. Among the total, Hong Kong dollar deposits and overall foreign currency deposits increased by 2.0 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively. Renminbi deposits in Hong Kong decreased by 7.9 per cent to RMB639.9 billion at the end of June. The total remittance of renminbi for cross-border trade settlement amounted to RMB542.8 billion in June, compared with RMB521.5 billion in May.
 
     Total loans and advances decreased by 0.2 per cent in June. Among the total, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) dropped by 0.5 per cent, while loans for use outside Hong Kong increased by 0.3 per cent. The Hong Kong dollar loan-to-deposit ratio decreased to 86.4 per cent at the end of June from 88.4 per cent at the end of May, as Hong Kong dollar deposits increased while Hong Kong dollar loans decreased.
 
     In the second quarter of 2020, loans for use in Hong Kong (including trade finance) decreased by 0.8 per cent following growth of 3.4 per cent in the previous quarter. Analysed by economic use, the decrease in loans during the second quarter was mainly led by loans to building, construction, property development and investment, loans to financial concerns and loans to manufacturing.
 
     Hong Kong dollar M2 and M3 both picked up by 1.9 per cent in June, and increased by 1.5 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively compared to a year ago. The seasonally-adjusted Hong Kong dollar M1 rose by 7.6 per cent in June, and expanded by 12.3 per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting in part investment-related activities. Total M2 and M3 both grew by 1.5 per cent in June, and rose by 3.9 per cent and 3.8 per cent respectively from a year earlier.
 
     As monthly monetary statistics are subject to volatilities due to a wide range of transient factors, such as seasonal and IPO-related funding demand as well as business and investment-related activities, caution is required when interpreting the statistics.

     The Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (CPG Office on National Security) held a co-ordination meeting with the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Committee on National Security) today (July 31).
 
     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, who chairs the HKSAR Committee on National Security, led all the members of the HKSAR Committee on National Security to attend the meeting. Other attendees included the National Security Adviser to the HKSAR Committee on National Security appointed by the CPG, Mr Luo Huining; the head of the CPG Office on National Security, Mr Zheng Yanxiong; and the deputy heads of the CPG Office on National Security, Mr Li Jiangzhou and Mr Sun Qingye.
 
     The CPG Office on National Security and the HKSAR Committee on National Security were established at the beginning of this month in accordance with Article 48 and Article 12 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (National Security Law) respectively. As stipulated in Article 53 of the National Security Law, the CPG Office on National Security shall establish a mechanism of co-ordination with the HKSAR Committee on National Security and shall establish mechanisms for collaboration with the relevant authorities of the HKSAR responsible for safeguarding national security to enhance information sharing and operations co-ordination. At the meeting today, the two parties discussed the work on the implementation and enforcement of the National Security Law since it has come into effect, and exchanged views on relevant matters.
 
     The HKSAR Committee on National Security shall be responsible for affairs relating to and assume primary responsibility for safeguarding national security in the HKSAR. It shall be under the supervision of and accountable to the CPG. The CPG Office on National Security shall establish a mechanism of co-ordination with the HKSAR Committee on National Security, and oversee and provide guidance on the work of the HKSAR for safeguarding national security.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The 58th issue of "HA Risk Alert" was published today (July 31) by the Hospital Authority (HA) as a risk management and communication initiative to further strengthen the reporting and monitoring of medical incidents in public hospitals.
 
     In the first quarter of 2020 (January to March), there were four Sentinel Events reported as retained instrument after surgery/interventional procedure. In addition, nine Serious Untoward Events were reported, of which all were related to medication error.
 
     "Subsequent to incident review and analysis of root causes of these incidents, important lessons of patient safety are identified, while recommendations are made and shared in this publication to avoid similar events in future," the HA spokesperson said.
 
     The HA Head Office has released the latest "HA Risk Alert" to all staff. It can also be accessed by the public at www.ha.org.hk/riskalert. "HA Risk Alert" is published on a quarterly basis and posted on the HA website every last working Friday in the months of January, April, July and October. The next issue is scheduled for October 30 (Friday).