The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority Board today (April 10) approved the extension of a manpower enhancement measure for the winter surge to increase the rate of the Special Honorarium Scheme (SHS) allowance by 10 per cent up to May 31. Other enhancement measures being extended to cope with the persistent high service demand include offering the rate for the respective senior clinical ranks of senior staff (including Consultant Doctor, Association Consultant Doctor and Advanced Practice Nurse) to enhance senior coverage, and enhancing the nursing night shift support.
 
     The HA Chief Manager (Cluster Performance), Dr Ian Cheung, said, "Amid the decreased seasonal influenza activity, the recent unpredictable weather has triggered the unstable condition of the elderly patients with chronic diseases and, hence, the occupancy rate of medical wards has remained over 100 per cent. The Accident and Emergency Departments also encountered a surge in attendance after the extended holidays, coupled with the increase in suspected measles cases in the community, which has created additional staff workload in the enhanced infection control and isolation measures."
 
     Dr Cheung said he anticipated that the service demand pressure will remain heavy in the upcoming long holidays for Easter and Buddha's Birthday. "By extending the aforementioned arrangements, alongside the flexibility of the one-hour SHS sessions, more front-line staff are encouraged to participate in the SHS and join hands in meeting the challenge of the service surge," he said.
 
     "All the winter service surge measures will be enforced until May 31. I would like to take the opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks again to front-line colleagues for their dedication and commitment in taking care of our patients," Dr Cheung added.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (April 10) investigating three additional cases of measles infection.
 
     As at 4pm today, one case involving a worker at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) was recorded. The 24-year-old man with good past health developed fever since March 31 and rash since April 3. He consulted a general practitioner (GP) on April 2 and attended the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) on April 3 and was admitted for treatment. A laboratory test of his respiratory specimen was positive for the measles virus. He has been in a stable condition and was discharged from the hospital. He has reported to have measles vaccination and had travelled to Japan during the incubation period but had no travel history during the communicable period.
 
     Meanwhile, the CHP is investigating two other cases of measles infection. The second case involves a 2-year-old girl with good past health, who developed fever since March 29 and rash since April 6. She was taken to a GP on April 3 and 6 and attended the AED at Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) on April 7 and was admitted for treatment. A laboratory test of her respiratory specimen was positive for the measles virus. She has been in a stable condition and was reported to have had measles vaccination. She had no travel history during the incubation period or communicable period.

     The third case involves a 31-year-old man with good past health, who developed fever since April 1 and rash since April 3. He sought medical attention at Hong Kong Baptist Hospital on April 3 and then attended the AED at QEH on the same day and was admitted for treatment. A laboratory test of his respiratory specimen was positive for the measles virus. He has been in a stable condition and was discharged from the hospital. He has reported to have measles vaccination and had travelled to Taiwan during the incubation period but had no travel history during the communicable period.
 
     The patients reportedly did not have contact with measles patients during the incubation period. Their home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far and have been put under medical surveillance.
 
​     Upon notification of the cases, the CHP immediately commenced epidemiological investigations and conducted relevant contact tracing. Investigations are ongoing. The public places the patients visited during the communicable period are listed in the appendix.

     "The incubation period (the period from infection to appearance of illness) of measles ranges from seven days to 21 days. Members of the general public who have visited the public places listed in the appendix during the period should observe if they develop relevant symptoms, such as fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes in seven to 21 days (the medical surveillance period). If symptoms arise, they should wear surgical masks, stop going to work or school and avoid going to crowded places. They should also avoid contact with non-immune persons, especially persons with weakened immunity, pregnant women and children aged below 1. Those suspected to have been infected are advised to seek medical attention as early as possible and reveal relevant contact history of measles to healthcare professionals," a spokesman for the DH said.

     Upon confirmation of the measles outbreak at HKIA, the DH has implemented control measures at the airport including vaccination and blood testing services. A total of 22 persons received measles vaccination at the vaccination stations as at 6pm today, bringing the cumulative number of vaccinations given to 8 027. Ninety-two blood samples have been collected today. The DH will notify the participants individually of the serology results. A hotline (2125 1122) has been set up for public enquiries and operates from 9am to 5.45pm daily. As of 5pm today, the hotline had received a total of 3 051 enquiries.

     From today to Friday (April 10 to 12), the vaccination quota for the measles vaccination station at the airport remains at 500 doses daily. Vaccination for eligible airport staff will be provided to the following target groups:

(1) Born in or after 1967, and have not received two doses of measles vaccination, and have not been infected with measles before, and with evidence of living with infants under 1 year old or living with pregnant women; or

(2) Have laboratory evidence of testing not positive against measles antibody (IgG).

     Details of evidence are as follows:

(a) Supporting documents for living with infants under 1 year old: for example birth certificate, discharge summary or vaccination card of the infant

(b) Supporting documents for living with pregnant women: for example, positive pregnancy tests or antenatal follow-up cards of the pregnant women

(c) Supporting documents for laboratory evidence: for example blood results from the DH's measles serology test or any laboratory within the past 12 months

     The venue and operation hours of the airport vaccination station are as follows:
 

     As for the blood test service, the DH will continue with the provision of a measles serology test service for airport staff to identify those who need the measles vaccination. From today to Friday (April 10 to 12), the DH will provide blood test service daily to around 100 airport staff who were born in or after 1967, with priority to be given to staff belonging to target group (1).

     The venue and operation hours of the airport blood test station are as follows: 
 

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 10) investigating a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection and an outbreak of upper respiratory tract infection (URI) at a kindergarten-cum-child care centre in Kowloon Tong.

     The severe paediatric case involves a 27-day-old baby girl with good past health, who has presented with runny nose since April 7 and developed fever and cough yesterday (April 9). She was taken to the Accident and Emergency Department at Prince of Wales Hospital for medical attention yesterday and was admitted today for management. She was subsequently transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of the hospital for further management.
 
     Her nasopharyngeal aspirate tested positive for influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated with severe pneumonia. She is now in a serious condition.
 
     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. Her father developed cough and runny nose recently and has sought medical attention. He is in a stable condition and no hospitalisation is required. Her other home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far.

     The URI outbreak at the kindergarten-cum-child care centre in Kowloon Tong affected nine boys and 11 girls aged 2 to 3, who have developed URI symptoms including runny nose, cough and sore throat since March 26. Thirteen of them sought medical attention and one has been discharged upon hospitalisation. All patients are in a stable condition.
 
     The nasopharyngeal swab of the child admitted to hospital tested positive for human metapneumovirus (hMPV) upon laboratory testing.
 
     "hMPV can cause acute respiratory tract infections in all ages. Persons with hMPV infection can present with symptoms of varying severity, such as fever, cough, difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath. Some children may also present with otitis media, diarrhoea, vomiting, rash and febrile convulsion. In adults, hMPV usually causes mild disease characterised by cough, hoarseness, runny nose and sputum production," a spokesman for the CHP explained.

     Officers of the CHP have conducted a site visit and advised the school to adopt necessary infection control measures against respiratory tract infections. The centre has been placed under medical surveillance.
 
     "Although the winter influenza season has ended, members of the public aged 6 months or above who have not yet received seasonal influenza vaccination in the 2018-19 season can still receive it for personal protection against seasonal influenza," the spokesman said.
 
     "Meanwhile, the public should continue to adopt strict personal, hand and environmental hygiene practices against respiratory illnesses and other infectious diseases," the spokesman added.
 
     The public may visit the CHP's influenza page and weekly Flu Express for more information.

     Hong Kong Customs today (April 10) conducted an operation to combat the online sale of infringing teacher's e-textbooks and examination papers. During the operation, two persons were arrested and a batch of items suspected to be involved in the case were seized, including three USB flash drives, a batch of discs, two mobile phones and a notebook computer.

     Customs earlier received complaints from a copyright owner alleging that suspected infringing teacher's e-textbooks and examination papers were put on sale through online platforms.

     Through the big data analytics system, Customs officers found that sellers solicited business via a "cross-platform, multiple accounts" approach. Buyers would receive a hyperlink via email to download the suspected infringing teacher's e-textbooks and examination papers after they had transferred money to the designated bank account.

     After investigation, Customs officers took enforcement action today and arrested a 64-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman in Kwun Tong for selling suspected infringing teacher's e-textbooks and examination papers, as well as laundering the relevant crime proceeds.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any infringing goods commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy and imprisonment for four years.

     Under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, a person commits an offence if he deals with any property knowing or having reasonable grounds to believe that such property in whole or in part directly or indirectly represents any person's proceeds of an indictable offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and imprisonment for 14 years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected infringing activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

     Two men and a woman were fined from $5,000 to $9,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (April 10) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.

     The courts heard that in September last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at two clubs on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs). 

     During the investigation in one of the clubs on Nathan Road, the OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food and drinks without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Also, the club's staff failed to show a copy of the certificate of fire service installation and equipment and the registered drawing upon the OLA officers' request. Moreover, the CoC or its certified true copy was not displayed at a prominent position at the club. Conditions 2, 10, 17 and 19 of the CoC were breached. The two men, being the manager and the CoC holder of the club, were charged with contravening section 21(1) (a) or section 21(2) of the Ordinance.

     The other club on Nathan Road also served non-members. Also, the club was found to have a layout that deviated from the registered drawing. Conditions 3 and 19 of the CoC were breached. The woman, being the CoC holder of the club, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.

     A spokesman for the department reminded all CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action will continue to be taken against illegal club operations.