The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (October 16) recorded an imported Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case. There has been a significant increase in Mpox cases in Hong Kong since August 2026. To curb the spread of Mpox, the CHP has adopted a multipronged approach, including conducting comprehensive epidemiological investigation and analysis to break transmission chains, enhancing collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to facilitate vaccination for individuals with high-risk exposure and increase their willingness to receive the Mpox vaccine, and strengthening public awareness and education efforts. The multipronged strategy has yielded initial effects. The number of confirmed cases recorded in the first 15 days of October has dropped significantly by more than 60 per cent compared to the same period last month (September), while the number of vaccination doses administered under the Mpox vaccination programme in the first two weeks of October has increased by more than 60 per cent compared to the same period last month. The CHP will continue to put in place various targeted prevention and control measures to safeguard public health.
 
Strengthening prevention
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     Mpox vaccine can prevent infection and severe disease. Since late September, the CHP has set up an additional Mpox vaccination centre at the CHP Building, in addition to regular vaccination venues established by the Government. The CHP has also collaborated with three NGOs (namely Community Health Organisation for Intervention, Care and Empowerment; Hong Kong AIDS Foundation; and Hong Kong Christian Service) to provide outreach vaccination services during holidays and outside regular office hours, providing convenience and incentives to encourage individuals with high-risk contacts to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Along with the existing vaccination venues, the CHP has successfully administered the Mpox vaccine to approximately 650 high-risk individuals over the past month.
      
     The DH's Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre (YMTITC) will also arrange an additional vaccination session (10am to 1pm) next Saturday (October 24). People with high-risk contact may call the YMTITC at 2195 6588 from Monday through Friday from 8.30am to 5pm to schedule an appointment. The vaccination venue is located on 7/F, Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club Polyclinic, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei.
      
     Vaccination provides a highly effective protective barrier. Studies show that receiving two doses of the Mpox vaccine reduces the risk of infection by 82 per cent, which significantly lowers the risk of transmission to sexual partners, and protects both the vaccinated individual and others. Local data also show that vaccinated patients are 87 per cent less likely to experience viral spread to other parts of the body. The CHP will continue to actively expand the number of Mpox vaccination venues and time slots to further reduce the risk of infection and transmission in the community.
      
     At the same time, the CHP's Mpox hotline (2125 2373) continues to provide health assessments and advice to high-risk individuals. The hotline will arrange individuals in need to get vaccinated inside the CHP. The hotline operates daily from 9am to 6pm.
 
Case details
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     The newly reported imported case involves a 36-year-old man who developed a fever, sore throat and rash over various parts of his body (including genital area, trunk, hands and legs) on October 10. As his symptoms continued to worsen, he called the CHP's Mpox hotline on October 13 and was arranged to receive isolation treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital on the same day. His condition is now stable. Upon laboratory testing by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB), his clinical specimen tested positive for the Monkeypox virus. According to the information provided by the patient, he had high-risk sexual exposure outside Hong Kong during the incubation period. The CHP is continuing its epidemiological investigation of the case, and will report it to the World Health Organization.
      
     Since 2022, Hong Kong has recorded 116 Mpox cases (91 local cases and 25 imported cases). All patients are males. Epidemiological investigations revealed that among the 23 cases recorded since August, all patients reported having engaged in high-risk sexual activities during the incubation period, including having sex with male strangers or multiple partners, and having sex without a condom. Most of them have not received the Mpox vaccinations. The CHP's PHLSB conducted genetic analysis of the virus and found that some cases had identical genetic sequences, suggesting the existence of multiple transmission chains among men who have sex with men (MSM) population.
      
     Among the cases recorded since August, patients commonly used specific dating apps to find casual male sexual partners. After testing positive, some patients were unable to contact their newly met sexual partners, which hindered the CHP's ability to conduct effective contact tracing and implement corresponding prevention and control measures. In view of this, the CHP has increased its outreach on social media platforms to promote Mpox prevention and vaccination, and has collaborated with the operators of relevant dating apps to regularly push information about Mpox prevention and vaccination to all users in Hong Kong.
      
     The CHP urges individuals who have engaged in high-risk sexual contact, particularly with male strangers, to remain vigilant and take appropriate personal protective measures, including receiving the Mpox vaccination and avoiding high-risk sexual contact, so as to lower the risk of infection. Members of the public should retain their sexual partners' contact information to facilitate contact tracing when necessary.
      
     The CHP consistently conducts comprehensive and in-depth epidemiological investigations into every Mpox case, striving to contact individuals who have had high-risk contact with the patients to break the transmission chains within specific population. If the CHP identifies a specific venue as posing a transmission risk, it advises the premises to close temporarily to safeguard public health. CHP staff have also visited various entertainment venues frequented by MSM, including saunas, to promote Mpox prevention. Recently, "Hutong" on Shanghai Street, Mong Kok, has temporarily closed as per the CHP's advice. The CHP appeals once again to the public who visited "Hutong" on or after September 14, especially those who have had sexual contact with male strangers on the premises, to call the Mpox hotline as soon as possible. The CHP will then provide health assessments and advice. The CHP will also arrange persons with relevant symptoms to undergo testing. 
 
More information on Mpox
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     Mpox is not transmitted through respiratory droplets or aerosols in general, and transmission would not occur through social contact. The CHP reminds the public, especially those at higher risk of exposure, to take precautions and avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of being infected. They should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they experience relevant symptoms, including rash, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches. They should not engage in activities with others that may involve contact with skin rash or body fluids.

     The DH has been providing Mpox vaccination services for high-risk groups, including individuals with high-risk sexual practices (such as having multiple sexual partners), sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months. 
      
     For more details, please visit the CHP's webpages on Mpox and the Mpox Vaccination Programme.

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, at the Launch Ceremony of the HKUST RAISe+ (Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus) Project Fund today (October 16):

Chairperson Shih (Vice-Chairperson of the University Council of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Ms Edith Shih), Professor Cheng (Vice-President for Research and Development of the HKUST, Professor Tim Cheng), distinguished guests, faculty members and researchers, 

      Good morning. It is my honour to be here today at the Launch Ceremony of the HKUST RASIe+ Project Fund.

      Universities play an important role in Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology centre. They advance knowledge, nurture talent, and develop innovative technologies to address real-world challenges. Yet, promising research must be validated to meet market needs before it can be transformed into viable products and services. This requires close collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, and research and investment sectors.

      This is why we initiated the Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme in 2023. Since then, the $10 billion Scheme has paved the way to connect universities’ R&D (research and development) outcomes with industry capital and real market demand. To date, 73 projects have been approved under the Scheme, with Government funding commitment of over $3 billion.

      I am pleased to see the HKUST’s active participation in this Scheme, with 19 projects supported so far. They cover a range of technology areas, including medical applications, artificial intelligence and environmental solutions, demonstrating the potential for university research outcomes to address practical needs across different sectors.

      I am delighted that the HKUST has taken one step further to launch the RAISe+ Project Fund that complements the Government’s efforts. By providing additional institutional support for research teams, the Fund helps promising projects progress from research and development towards practical applications. This also aligns with the direction set out in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan announced last month, which emphasises our basic scientific research capabilities in original innovation and the role of institutions in attracting and cultivating talent for technological innovation.

      As announced in the 2026 Policy Address, the Government is exploring the establishment of the Innovation and Technology Application Scenario Promotion Centre. By matching excellent innovative technologies with the practical needs of public and private organisations, the Centre aims to provide more opportunities for promising local research outcomes to be tested, validated and finally commercialised. At the same time, the Government will continue to support university knowledge transfer through our annual funding provided to the Technology Transfer Offices of local universities.  

      Ladies and gentlemen, RAISe+ is meant to be a bridge between Hong Kong’s research excellence and real market needs. The launch of the HKUST’s RAISe+ Project Fund today is an example of how universities can complement the Government’s initiative and contribute to this common objective.

      I look forward to seeing more research teams work closely with industry partners to bring promising technologies into practical use, creating value for our economy and society. My congratulations go to the HKUST once again on the launch of the Fund, and I wish the initiative every success. Thank you very much.

  

     The 2026 Hong Kong Youth Music Interflows, organised by the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will be held in November and December. More than 200 bands and orchestras from local primary and secondary schools will participate in the interflows to have exchanges and gain performing experience.
     
     About 80 orchestras will participate in the Chinese Orchestra Interflow in six classes at the Auditorium of the Tuen Mun Town Hall from November 16 to 19.
 
     For the Symphony Orchestra Interflow, about 60 orchestras in four classes will perform at the Concert Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre from November 23 to 25. 
 
     About 50 orchestras will participate in the String Orchestra Interflow in four classes at the Auditorium of the Yuen Long Theatre from December 8 to 10.
 
     About 90 bands will take part in six classes in the Symphonic Band Interflow at the Arena of Queen Elizabeth Stadium from December 1 to 4. The top two Gold Award winners of each class (if awarded) will be invited to participate in the Symphonic Band Extravaganza on December 5 and compete for the Tom Lee Cup in the primary and secondary school categories.
 
     Tickets for the Chinese Orchestra Interflow are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). Those for the Symphony Orchestra Interflow, String Orchestra Interflow, as well as Symphonic Band Interflow and Extravaganza will be available from October 23, November 9, November 2, and December 1 respectively. Tickets for each performance are priced at $80. For the primary school classes of the String Orchestra Interflow, Symphony Orchestra Interflow, and Symphonic Band Interflow, and for the Symphonic Band Extravaganza, each person can purchase a maximum of two tickets each time. For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2796 7523 (string orchestra and symphony orchestra), 2158 6466 (symphonic band) or 2598 8335 (Chinese orchestra), or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/activities/hkymi/2026.html.
 
     The Chinese Orchestra Interflow is one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.ccpo.gov.hk/en.

     The Government announced today (October 16) that the Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots (Working Group), led by the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, will progressively roll out four projects during the next phase starting from the fourth quarter of 2026, to provide visitors with more diversified tourism experiences with Hong Kong characteristics.
      
     Mr Cheuk said, "In response to the growing pursuit of in-depth tourism experiences by visitors to Hong Kong, the Government has been committed to identifying and integrating tourism resources with potential in Hong Kong. Through strengthening cross-departmental co-ordination and leveraging community efforts, the nine tourist hotspot projects rolled out in the first phase have been well received. Starting from the end of this year, the Working Group will roll out tourist hotspot projects covering themes such as industrial brands, miniature art, religious culture and local characteristics in phases, showcasing Hong Kong's unique cultural heritage and city landscape to visitors."
      
     Details of the four projects are as follows:
 
1. Phase two of the Hong Kong industrial brand tourism 

     The Hong Kong industrial brand tourism scheme has been well received since its launch. The next phase will further introduce different types of brands to provide visitors with more diversified options. The newly added projects include the depots of Kowloon Motor Bus, the MTR "Station Rail Voyage: Explorer" exhibition, and the Beijing Tong Ren Tang's Hong Kong production and research and development base. Visitors can visit the relevant brand facilities through a "group-in, group-out" mode to learn about the history of the brands and the production processes of related products. The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong will continue to be commissioned to handle the reservation and co-ordination work of local travel agents. The visit arrangements for the relevant projects are expected to be progressively rolled out from the fourth quarter of this year.
 
2. Hong Kong Miniature City Exhibition 

     To enrich the tourism experience at the Peak, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong will recreate the "Hong Kong Miniature City Exhibition" at the Peak Tower starting from the fourth quarter of this year. The new exhibition will feature exquisite new miniature art exhibits that vividly showcase Hong Kong's landmark buildings, authentic customs and ways of life in three dimensions, allowing visitors to savour the unique charm of Hong Kong while touring the Peak.
 
3. Promoting immersive religious and cultural tours 

     To enhance tourists' sightseeing experiences through the use of technology, the Chinese Temples Committee is progressively strengthening the digitalisation and cultural promotion measures for its administered temples, such as installing QR code display boards at the temples, and allowing visitors to learn about temple antiquities and redeem cultural souvenirs by mobile application in an interactive manner. The Government will further explore using temples as the core to connect historical buildings and monuments of cultural value across various districts, thereby creating itineraries for "immersive temple culture tours".
 
4. Seasons of Yuen Long district tourism promotion project

     ​To promote the distinctive cultural landscape of urban-rural integration in Yuen Long, the Yuen Long District Office will collaborate with district organisations to launch the Seasons of Yuen Long project, with a view to encouraging visitors to explore the local characteristics of the district under different themes all year round (for example, viewing the grand parade in Yuen Long town centre during the Tin Hau Festival, and visiting the district’s natural and ecological attractions during autumn and winter to see red leaves and observe migratory birds). The project comprises the production of a tourist map, the development of a thematic website, and the installation of themed information boards near landmarks in the town centre and rural areas of Yuen Long. Deliverables are expected to be rolled out in phases from the fourth quarter of this year to the first quarter of next year.
 
     The Working Group expresses its gratitude to the organisations and brands involved in the above projects for their active participation and support. The Government will continue to promote cross-sectoral collaboration and encourage the trade to continuously develop tourism projects that can showcase different characteristics of Hong Kong, enriching visitors' experiences in the city, encouraging them to extend their stays, and attracting them to visit Hong Kong again.

        

     The Government published the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Deductions for Intellectual Property Expenditure) Bill 2026 (the Bill) today (October 16) to suitably relax the tax deduction arrangements for relevant capital expenditure incurred by enterprises for purchasing Intellectual Property (IP) rights or for the licence to use IP rights.
      
     A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said, "The Bill puts into effect the measure announced in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 Budgets to further enhance the tax deduction arrangements for local IP, lowering the costs of IP transactions to facilitate more IP trading activities and support the development of knowledge‑intensive industries in Hong Kong."
      
     The Bill proposes to relax the IP-related tax deduction arrangements by allowing tax deductions for relevant capital expenditure incurred by enterprises in respect of the following:
      
     (1) Purchase of eligible IP rights from associates: allowing tax deduction for capital expenditure incurred by enterprises for the purchase of eligible IP rights from associates, such as group affiliates, to encourage multinational enterprises to centralise their IP management in Hong Kong, and to facilitate domestic intra-group transfer and business activities; 

     (2) Purchase of eligible IP rights which are used by a licensee outside Hong Kong: where the licensing income from the eligible IP rights is regarded as arising in or derived from Hong Kong under the foreign-sourced income exemption regime and is chargeable to profits tax in Hong Kong, the capital expenditure incurred for the purchase of the IP rights may also be allowed for tax deduction on a proportionate basis; and 

     (3) Upfront licence fee for the use of eligible IP rights in a licensing arrangement: to further encourage IP development and commercialisation, tax deduction can be allowed for upfront licence fees incurred by enterprises for the use of eligible IP rights in a licensing arrangement. 
     ​
     The amendments proposed in the Bill will apply to contracts entered into on or after April 1, 2026, for the purchase of eligible IP rights or for the licence to use eligible IP rights.
      
     To safeguard Hong Kong's tax base and prevent abuse of the tax deduction arrangements, the Bill provides for a series of rigorous safeguard measures. These include introducing a main purpose test for the purchase of IP rights from associates, providing for the calculation of the deduction amount for the capital expenditure incurred for the purchase of IP rights from Hong Kong associates, and where the capital expenditure incurred for purchasing eligible IP rights from non-Hong Kong business associates or acquiring a licence from associates for the use of eligible IP rights exceeds a specified threshold, a third-party independent valuation report is required to substantiate the tax deduction claim, so as to prevent excessive tax deduction.
      
     The spokesman continued, "The Government has been actively promoting the development of IP trading and financing in Hong Kong. Following the implementation of the concessionary tax rate under the 'patent box' initiative, the Bill will further enhance Hong Kong's IP tax ecosystem. The introduction of more flexible tax deduction arrangements, whilst upholding our tax principles, will incentivise more local and overseas enterprises to select Hong Kong as their preferred platform for cross-border technology transfer and IP financing, thereby bolstering Hong Kong's development into an international innovation and technology centre and a regional IP trading centre, in alignment with the National 15th Five-Year Plan."
      
     The Bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for First Reading and Second Reading on October 28.