To continue efforts in maintaining social distancing and minimise the risk of infection, the Labour Department announced today (April 29) that the following public talks have been cancelled. Enrolled participants will be informed of the cancellations.
 
May 5: Health hazards of hot environment at work (Activity Room I, G/F, Hong Kong Central Library)
May 13: Occupational health of office workers series (III): More exercise, smart work (Lecture Room 2, Sha Tin Town Hall)
 

     In order to avoid group gatherings so as to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) today (April 29) appealed to members of the public to avoid going to Cheung Chau to participate in the Jiao Festival activities.
      
      The Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee has announced earlier that the arrangement of the 2020 Cheung Chau Jiao Festival activities will be simplified. A ritual ceremony will be held in accordance with tradition while the Bun Carnival, the "floating colours" parade, "plays for the gods", the "rice race" and the unicorn/kung-fu performance will be cancelled. Members of the public will not be allowed to enter the venue where the bun towers are located and the arrangement to distribute "lucky buns" to the public in the morning on May 1 has been cancelled.
      
      The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Caspar Tsui, thanked the Committee for its arrangement to tie in with the anti-epidemic measures of the Government. "Although various activities for the Jiao Festival have been cancelled, it is believed that some people still plan to go to Cheung Chau. I hereby remind members of the public to refrain from going out unnecessarily and to maintain appropriate social distancing with others at all times in order to reduce the risk of spreading the virus through social contact," he said.
      
      360-degree video and photos of the activities have been uploaded to the HAB's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HomeAffairsBureau/).

  

     The public services provided by the Department of Justice will resume as normal from May 4. The opening hours of the reception counters of the Prosecutions Division and Civil Division, as well as the shroff office of the Civil Division are as follows:

* Reception counters

Prosecutions Division – 12/F, West Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central
Monday to Friday: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm

Civil Division – 6/F, East Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central
Monday to Friday: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm

* Shroff office

Civil Division – 8/F, West Wing, Justice Place, 18 Lower Albert Road, Central
Monday to Friday: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 4.30pm

     In order to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19, a body temperature check has been arranged for all persons, including staff and visitors, entering the Justice Place through any of its entrances. Anyone found to have fever will be advised to refrain from entering the Justice Place. Body temperature measurements may need to be taken more than once when commuting within the premises.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 29) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 13 100 food samples tested were satisfactory except for five samples that were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
 
     A CFS spokesman said about 1 400 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, some 2 700 samples were taken for chemical tests and the remaining 9 000 (including about 8 700 taken from food imported from Japan) were collected to test radiation levels.
 
     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygiene indicators, while the chemical tests included pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others.
 
     The samples comprised about 3 300 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; 600 samples of cereals, grains and their products; 700 samples of meat and poultry and their products; 600 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; 1 300 samples of aquatic and related products; and 6 600 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
 
     The five unsatisfactory samples comprised a vegetable sample and a fruit sample detected with excessive pesticide residues, a Chinese cabbage sample detected with excessive cadmium; a swordfish sample found to contain excessive methylmercury and a sample of pork tongue skewer with mustard sauce found to contain Salmonella.
 
     The CFS has taken follow-up action on the unsatisfactory samples including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
 
     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food for sale is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.

     The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) announced today (April 29) that its following enquiry counter/offices will resume public services starting from next Monday (May 4):
 
*REO enquiry counter (located at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai);
*REO enquiry counter (located at 13/F, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay);
*Electoral Information Centre (located at 13/F, Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre, 1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay); and
*REO office (located at Unit 2301-03, 23/F, Millennium City 6, 392 Kwun Tong Road, Kwun Tong).
 
     To achieve social distancing, crowd control measures may be implemented at the enquiry counters/offices when necessary. Members of the public may experience longer waiting times.
 
     For enquiries, please call the REO hotline at 2891 1001.