In response to media enquiries about work arrangements for government employees under the epidemic, a spokesman for the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) said today (July 16) that the Government has all along been striving to safeguard the health and safety of its staff while providing services to members of the public. In fact, during the implementation of the special work arrangement in the past, most of the disciplined services staff and other frontline staff had to work as usual to maintain public services and normal operations of their departments, so that the public would not be seriously affected.
      
     In view of the latest situation of the epidemic, the CSB has already reminded bureaux and departments to strictly implement various targeted social distancing and infection control measures including implementing staggered working and lunch hours, and adopting a roster system. Meanwhile, departments have a sufficient supply of personal protective equipment such as masks, and appropriate partitioning in work places has also been put in place. The Government will stay vigilant and continue its preventive measures against the virus.
      
     The CSB has also issued guidelines to bureaux and departments reminding them that with regard to their own actual situation and the circumstances of individual cases, they can, on the premise of not affecting the provision of public services, draw up their own social distancing measures, including working from home, in order to protect the health and safety of their staff. For instance, some departments have made special arrangements for their pregnant employees. If colleagues have tested positive for COVID-19 or have to wait for test results, the departments concerned will make flexible arrangements and render support to them in accordance with the actual circumstances. 
      
     The Government will continue to closely monitor the development of the epidemic and review the situation in order to safeguard the health and safety of its staff.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     In response to the announcement by the Centre for Health Protection regarding a Legionella infection case, the spokesperson for Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) gave the following reply today (July 16):
      
     Since there was one more patient, who had stayed in a surgical ward at TMH, was confirmed to have the Legionnaires' Disease, the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) visited the concerned ward again and collected water samples today. The source of infection for the patient is still undergoing investigation. The 45-year-old male patient with underlying disease was admitted to TMH on June 25 and had been staying in the same ward with two Legionella infection cases being announced on June 26 and 30. The patient is now in critical condition due to his underlying disease.
          
     The hospital has already implemented a series of precautionary and infection control improvement measures, including:
 

1. Installing bacterial filters on basin faucets and shower heads;
2. Suspending the use of related basin faucets;
3. Arranging cleansing and disinfection at water tanks and pipes; and
4. After communicating with the CHP, the hospital will continue to implement clinical surveillance for all patients in the ward.

     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office according to established guidelines. In addition to the above precautionary and improvement measures, the hospital has reminded healthcare staff to be vigilant and continue to closely monitor the situation on the ward. The hospital will co-operate with the CHP in the investigation of the source of infection.

     Police today (July 16) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Kwun Tong.

     Wong Fai, aged 83, went missing after he was last seen in a shopping mall on Sceneway Road, Kwun Tong yesterday morning. His family made a report to Police on the same day.
    
     He is about 1.65 metres tall, 54 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a pointed chin with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt, dark blue checkered shorts and brown sandals, and his right arm is wrapped in a plaster cast.

     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 0316 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding a cluster of COVID-19 suspected of nosocomial infection announced earlier (July 14 and 15), Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) spokesperson provided the following updates today (July 16):
      
     QEH has continued to follow up a cluster of COVID-19 suspected of nosocomial infection reported earlier. The COVID-19 test results were negative for all the 62 healthcare workers who had contacted with the three confirmed patients.
      
     On the other hand, the hospital was informed on July 15 evening that a supporting staff who works at the Non-Emergency Ambulance Transfer Service (NEATS) coordination centre was preliminarily confirmed with COVID-19 infection. 
      
     The staff concerned was off duty on July 11 and 12, and resumed duty on July 13. His duties on that day included clerical work and business transport services for colleagues.  The staff worn a surgical mask during his whole duty. His work does not require any contact with patients, and he did not have any contact with patients. The staff attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Prince of Wales Hospital due to fever, headache and cough after his duty on July 13. Today he was confirmed positive of COVID-19 (case number 1635). The staff has not returned to work after July 13 and is now under treatment.
      
     Regarding the case, the hospital will maintain close communication with the Centre for Health Protection (CHP). The hospital investigation shows that the staff concerned did not have any close contact or other contact at his workplace. He had not been to the ward where the cluster of COVID-19 cases were reported. The mode of transmission is to be confirmed by CHP. The hospital will provide all necessary assistance to the department staff, and has already cleansed and disinfected the workplace and the vehicle used by the staff concerned. To further allay staff's concern, the hospital will arrange tests for the duty staff who worked on the same day. The hospital will maintain close communication with the frontline staff, and as usual practice, provides all appropriate personal protective equipment based on the working needs of staff.
      
     The hospital NEATS mainly provides point-to-point patients transfer service for admissions, inter-hospital transfers, discharges from hospitals and attending Specialist-outpatient follow-up appointments. The service does not cover suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19.  All patients must have temperature check before boarding the vehicles. The hospital reiterates that the routine cleansing of vehicles is performed in accordance with prevailing infection control guidelines.

The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
 
     The nomination period for the 2020 Legislative Council General Election will start on Saturday (July 18). The Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) reminds all candidates today (July 16) that they must duly complete the nomination form and sign the declarations therein.
 
     A spokesman for the EAC said, "Any candidates who wish to run for the election must, in accordance with Section 40(1)(b)(i) of the Legislative Council Ordinance, sign a declaration in the nomination form to the effect that the person will uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Otherwise, he/she is not a validly nominated candidate." The spokesman emphasised that signing of the declaration is a legal requirement and all validly nominated candidates have signed the declaration in the nomination form. 
 
     In 2016, there were comments and proposals in the public arena which were deviated from "one country, two systems". There were public concerns on whether candidates fully understand and uphold the Basic Law. To ensure that all candidates clearly understand the legal requirements and responsibilities involved in making the declaration, as well as the liability for making a false statement, the EAC has prepared a Confirmation Form for signature by the candidates since the 2016 Legislative Council General Election, and has adopted the same arrangement in the Chief Executive Election, District Council Election and By-elections, Legislative Council By-elections and Rural Representative Election held thereafter. The same arrangement is also adopted in this year's Legislative Council General Election.
 
     The Confirmation Form is not part of the nomination form. However, according to the judgment on three cases related to the Confirmation Form (HCAL 162/2016, HCAL 133/2016 and HCAL 134/2016), the Court stated that the EAC is entitled and empowered to issue the non-mandatory Confirmation Form and it is lawful for the EAC to ask a candidate to submit the Confirmation Form together with the Nomination Form on a voluntary basis. The Returning Officer is also entitled to take into account a candidate's failure to return the Confirmation Form in deciding the validity of the nomination. All candidates are required to sign the declaration in the nomination form to the effect that they will uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
 
     Furthermore, the judgement handed down by the Court on one of the above mentioned cases (HCAL 162/2016) also confirmed that Returning Officers, in accordance with the Legislative Council Ordinance, have the power to determine whether the declaration made by a person seeking candidature in the nomination form that he/she will uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the HKSAR is genuine, in order to decide whether the relevant nomination is valid.
 
     Concurrently, on June 30 this year, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) passed "The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" (the National Security Law) and listed the legislation in Annex III to the Basic Law after consulting the NPCSC's Committee for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the  Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as required under Article 18 of the Basic Law. The National Security Law took effect upon gazettal at 11pm on June 30. Article 6 of the National Security Law stipulates that "[a] resident of the [HKSAR] who stands for election or assumes public office shall confirm in writing or take an oath to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China in accordance with the law". According to Section 40(1)(b)(i) of the Legislative Council Ordinance, any candidates who wish to run for the election must sign a declaration in the nomination form to the effect that the person will uphold the Basic Law and pledge allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
 
     In accordance with Section 78 of the Legislative Council Ordinance, the EAC has appointed the Returning Officers for the five geographical constituencies and 29 functional constituencies in this Legislative Council General Election. According to Section 42A of the Legislative Council Ordinance and Section 16 of the Electoral Affairs Commission (Electoral Procedure) (Legislative Council) Regulation, whether a candidate's nomination is valid or not is solely determined by the Returning Officer according to the legal requirements and relevant procedures.
    
     The spokesman reiterated that whether a candidate's nomination is valid or not is solely determined by the Returning Officer according to the legal requirements and relevant procedures. Depending on the actual circumstances of each case, the Returning Officer may seek legal advice and according to the law request the candidate to provide other information that he/she considers appropriate. The Returning Officer shall, in accordance with the law and all relevant information, determine and announce whether the nomination is valid. The EAC is not empowered nor involved in vetting the eligibility of individuals running in the elections, or deciding the validity of the nomination. The EAC will, after receiving the list of validly nominated candidates, make practical arrangements for the elections.
 
     The EAC will continue to decide on public election matters in accordance with actual and objective considerations and related legislations. It will continue to devote full efforts, acting in accordance with an open, honest and fair principle to make reasonably practicable arrangements for public elections.