The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health has announced that as of 4pm today (May 30), the CHP was investigating three additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 1 083 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 1 082 confirmed cases and one probable case).
 
     The newly reported cases announced today involves three males aged between one and 38. All of them 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.
 
     The CHP again urged members of the public to maintain an appropriate social distance with other people as far as possible in their daily lives to minimise the risk of infection. In particular, they should go out less and avoid social activities such as meal gatherings or other gatherings to reduce the chance of contacting infected persons who may not present any symptoms, and minimise the risk of outbreak clusters emerging in the community.
   
     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 the COVID-19 infection 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 get information on COVID-19 as well as the "StayHomeSafe" mobile app and wristband via WhatsApp. 
 
     To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infection, 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.

     Police today (May 30) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Wan Chai.

     Lo Chi-hoi, aged 74, went missing after he was last seen at Wan Chai Road Market last night (May 29). He family made a report to Police on the same day.

     He is about 1.68 metres tall, 50 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and short grey hair. He was last seen wearing a green short-sleeved shirt, grey trousers with a black bag.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Hong Kong Island on 2860 1040 or 9886 0034 or email to rmpu-hki@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The Innovation and Technology Commission announced today (May 30) that the application period for the IT Service Providers Reference List of the Distance Business Programme will end on June 6. Service providers wishing to enrol for the Reference List should submit applications through the Programme's online system before the deadline.
      
     "The Programme opened for enterprises to apply for funding on May 18. As at 10am today, the Programme had received an overwhelming response of 8 017 funding applications from enterprises. In order to focus resources on processing these applications and enable the enterprises to benefit early, we need to cease accepting applications from service providers to enrol for the Reference List at an appropriate time," a spokesman for the Commission said.
      
     The Reference List seeks to offer relevant market information merely for reference by enterprises applying for funding. Whether or not the enterprises engage service providers on the Reference List will not affect the outcome of the application. As at 10am today, there were 2 023 service providers enrolled on the Reference List.
      
     The aim of the Distance Business Programme is to provide funding support through fast-track processing for enterprises to adopt IT solutions during the epidemic for developing distance business, so as to continue their business and services. Details are available on the Programme website (u.hkpc.org/dbiz). For enquiries, please contact the Programme Secretariat by phone on 2788 5070 during business hours (9am to 6pm, Mondays to Fridays (except public holidays)) or via email at dbiz@hkpc.org.

     The Chief Executive's Office announced today (May 30) that the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, has, on the recommendations of the Appointment Committee, appointed an Under Secretary and a Political Assistant of the fifth term of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

     The newly appointed Under Secretary is the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai-ming, and the newly appointed Political Assistant is the Political Assistant to the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Julian Ip Chun-lim. Both of them will assume office on June 1.

     Following are the biographical notes on the new appointees:
 
Mr Ho Kai-ming
——————     
     Mr Ho, aged 35 and a member of the Legislative Council before joining the Government, was a member of the Kwun Tong District Council from 2012 to 2019.
 
     Mr Ho has participated actively in public service, including in his capacities as a Council Member of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, as Director-General of the Hong Kong Manufacturing Industry Employees General Union, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Hong Kong Clerical and Professional Employees General Union, and has ample experience in dealing with labour matters. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is a member of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions. 
 
Mr Julian Ip Chun-lim
————————     
     Aged 28, Mr Ip was a Senior Manager of OneConnect Financial Technology (an associate of Ping An Group) before joining the Government. He worked in the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited from 2013 to 2018 and was promoted to Assistant Vice President. He holds a Bachelor of Economics and Finance degree from the University of Hong Kong. He is a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.

    

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (May 30):

Reporter: Secretary, you mentioned during the radio show that it is wrong for the US President to say that Hong Kong has changed into "one country, one system", and you also mentioned that concerns over this security law maybe in breach of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights is a wrong notion. Can you talk about that? Also, your concerns that now that the United States is considering sanctions on Hong Kong and China, the possibility of you being sanctioned?

Secretary for Justice: Insofar as the alleged basis of taking the sanctioning measures, it is said that we are becoming "one country, one system" with loss of autonomy, that is completely false and wrong. As a matter of fact, people often forget that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is part of China, we are one country. Without "One Country", there is not any basis to talk about "Two Systems". Therefore, insofar as the national security is concerned, as in any other country in the world, this is a matter that belongs to the central authorities, whether it is a unitary or federal state. China is a unitary state, and the United States is a federal state. The United States passed its national security laws, so can China. Therefore, it is within the sovereign right of each state to pass relevant national security laws. Insofar as that is concerned, any other state that tries to use coercion or whatever means with a view to interfering with the sovereign right of a state to pass its own national security law is arguably infringing on the principle of non-intervention under public international law, and that is not acceptable.

     As to the suggestion of certain individuals or perhaps a particular region being sanctioned as a result of China passing the national security law, we step back and look at it in this way: national security is of prime importance to any sovereign state, and any sovereign state must, as a matter of its sovereign right, and indeed duty, to protect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of any state. Therefore, passing national security law is something that any state has to do. If we in Hong Kong has not been able to pass it, notwithstanding Article 23 of the Basic Law, Central Authorities taking these actions are not only legal but necessary and needed. Thank you.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)