The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at noon today (March 7), public hospitals had reported to the Department of Health the admission of 32 patients (15 male and 17 female, aged two months to 96 years) in the past 24 hours who met the reporting criteria of COVID-19. Appropriate tests have been arranged for the patients.
      
     There are 89 patients under isolation currently. So far, 55 patients with the COVID-19 infection have been discharged upon recovery.
      
     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.

     A man who went missing in Tin Sum has been located.

     Cheung Wai-hung, aged 67, went missing after he left his residence on Kak Tin Street on March 3 morning. His family made a report to Police on March 5.

     The man turned up to Police to cancel the missing person report this afternoon (March 7). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, accompanied by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, and the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Dr Leung Siu-fai, visited Tai Mo Shan Country Park this morning (March 7) to learn more about the management services of the park amid the epidemic. Mrs Lam noted that the number of visitors in various country parks across the territories increased by 25 per cent in February.

     Mrs Lam visited the Tai Mo Shan Country Park Visitor Centre and the Twisk Country Park Management Centre of Tai Lam Country Park as well as its campsite and hiking trails to learn about the anti-epidemic measures and management work of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), including temperature checks for visitors at the visitor centre.

     She also visited a refreshment kiosk at Tai Mo Shan Country Park to know more about its business. The AFCD has provided rent concessions to all kiosks in country parks and will extend such relief measures until September this year to help tide small shop operators over the difficult times. She appreciated the kiosk's contribution to environmental protection and its reduction of waste and disposable plastics, which helps the public adopt a green lifestyle while enjoying the countryside.

     Dr Leung also introduced the work of the AFCD on enhancing country parks to Mrs Lam along the way, including the enhancement of campsites and associated facilities, the improvement of hiking trails with natural materials, the provision of more lookout points for enjoying the scenery and strengthening the services of visitor centres. Among them, a new refreshment kiosk at the Tai Mo Shan Visitor Centre will be opened on April 1 this year.

     Praising AFCD personnel for their commitment to service, Mrs Lam said in the face of the increase in visitors in country parks during the epidemic, front-line staff members have been strengthening anti-epidemic and cleaning work to protect the health of the public. The AFCD has also enhanced its promotions and public education on anti-epidemic measures and protection of the environment through various means including social media and the networks of partner organisations. She appealed to members of the public to keep an appropriate social distance while enjoying the countryside amid the epidemic.

            

      Police today (March 7) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tin Sum.

     Cheung Wai-hung, aged 67, went missing after he left his residence on Kak Tin Street on March 3 morning. His family made a report to Police on March 5.
         
     He is about 1.7 metres tall, 66 kilograms in weight and of slim build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing an army green and black jacket, brown trousers, a pair of black sports shoes and carrying a blue recycle 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 New Territories South on 3661 1176 or 6317 7858 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after attending a radio programme today (March 7):

Reporter: What advice do you have for people remain travelling in the upcoming holiday like the Easter holiday? You are advising them to postpone their holiday. Do you have any advice on until when they should restore holiday like the summer holidays? Does the Government have any plan to issue travel alert to more countries?

Secretary for Food and Health: In view of the global epidemic situation, especially in some of the countries that they have an increased number of confirmed cases very rapidly, the Government has already issued the red outbound travel alert to three countries including South Korea, Italy and Iran. The Centre for Health Protection is closely monitoring and doing risk assessment every day on the global situation and also taking into account the advice of the World Health Organization. The Department of Health has also issued health advice to people who are planning to travel and asked them to delay their travel plans. Obviously, we are continuing to monitor the situation. At this point in time, we are not able to say when. However, I would also appeal to the public that they can look into the situation of the global places and all the different countries, and avoid unnecessary travel. In terms of how to prevent and control the epidemic, social distancing is very important. Not only we are appealing to the public to delay their travel plans, we also want to advise everyone to maintain social distancing and not to go to parties and gatherings. It is because according to our data of the confirmed cases, there are many clusters that involved people gathering and then being infected. So, maintaining social distance is very important.

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