The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     As at noon today (May 13), in the past 24 hours 17 COVID-19 confirmed patients (case numbers: 197, 429, 512, 549, 597, 602, 662, 701, 704, 705, 752, 785, 794, 821, 930, 959 and 988) were discharged from hospitals. So far, a total of 1 008 confirmed and suspected patients have been discharged.
 
     At present, there are 673 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 251 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 36 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 11 hospitals, among which one patient is in critical condition (case number: 595), three patients are in serious condition (case numbers: 338, 461 and 713), and the remaining 32 patients are in stable condition.
 
     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.

     The Secretary for Justice today (May 13) gave notice to the Legislative Council (LegCo) that she will move a resolution at the LegCo sitting on June 3 to increase the statutory sum to be awarded as damages for bereavement (bereavement sum) under the Fatal Accidents Ordinance (Cap 22) to $231,000.

      In accordance with the Government's commitment, the proposed increase reflects the outcome of the biennial review of the bereavement sum by making reference to the Consumer Price Index (A) (CPI(A)). The increased sum will reflect the cumulative impact of inflation experienced over the period from March 2018 to March 2020.

      A spokesman for the Department of Justice (DoJ) said that the Ordinance was enacted in 1986. It allows an action for damages to be brought against a person for the benefit of the dependants of the deceased in respect of that person's wrongful act, neglect or default which has caused the death of the deceased. An action under the Ordinance may include a claim for damages for bereavement in the sum as prescribed in section 4(3). Section 4(5) of the Ordinance provides that the LegCo may by resolution vary the sum.

      "Since the enactment of the Ordinance, the bereavement sum was adjusted in 1991, 1997 and 2018. The current sum is set at $220,000," the spokesman said.

     The LegCo Panel on Administration of Justice and Legal Services, the Law Society of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Hong Kong Federation of Insurers have been informed of the outcome of the present biennial review and the Government's intention to make the proposed adjustments by making reference to the CPI(A).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     US Dollar Liquidity Facility tender result:
 

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, at a media session before attending the Legislative Council today (May 13):
 
Reporter: Has the Government taken into account that Hong Kong has a new local case (of COVID-19 infection)? Is there any update on exemption for cross-boundary students, how they might return to Hong Kong for their school learning, how they will be exempt from quarantine measures?
 
Secretary for Education: Is the case confirmed yet? I think it is reported. Well, they (the relevant departments) have not held any press conference today, so we are still waiting to see whether the case has been confirmed or not. But from the information we have, it is likely to be a confirmed case yesterday. Even though it is confirmed to be a case of the infection, I think at the current stage, the CHP (Centre for Health Protection) is still following up on the case. They will be following up on whether there have been any close contacts, the background and everything. So we have to wait to see the outcome of the investigation before we decide whether there will be any significant impact on our schedule for class resumption. So at this stage, we still maintain that the schedule for class resumption will stay the same.
 
     Regarding your question about cross-boundary students (CBS), we are still discussing with our counterparts in the Mainland. And I had a discussion with some of the principals from the schools with more CBS yesterday. There are a number of issues that we have to resolve, including precautionary measures for CBS to come over to Hong Kong and then go back to Shenzhen. We have to look at the boundary control points and whether there are sufficient control points to make sure that the flow of students will be efficient enough for the class resumption. We are also looking at the transport arrangement because some of these boundary control points may not have sufficient public transport. So all these issues we are still discussing with different stakeholders and we are still formulating our strategies to take them forward.
 
Reporter: When will a decision be made?
 
Secretary for Education: I cannot name a date yet. We are working diligently to try to find out a workable solution, and in the course of doing that, we will continue to maintain dialogue with our counterparts in the Shenzhen Government, of course, and the school principals as well.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a work accident that happened at Hong Kong MTR Station in Central this morning (May 13), in which a male worker fell through a structure inside a plant room to the railway below. He was certified dead later in a hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim's family.
      
     The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and will issue suspension notices to the contractor concerned and the occupier of the premises, suspending any work on the structure and a similar structure. They cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken." 
      
     The spokesman added, "We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."
      
     The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
      
     The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require occupiers of premises/employers to provide safe means of access and egress and safe working environments, plant and systems of work for the employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months.
      
     In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.
      
     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.   
      
     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.