The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, joined an activity of the New Home Association to visit ethnic minority families and distribute face masks and other daily necessities to them in Yau Tsim Mong district this evening (March 1).

     Mrs Lam and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Home Association, Mr Hui Wing-mau visited several ethnic minority grassroots families. Mrs Lam chatted with the residents and knew that the principal tenants have been living in Hong Kong for years and are the breadwinner of the family with school-age children. Particularly concerned about their lives amid the epidemic, Mrs Lam distributed face masks, leaflets with health information prepared in the languages they are familiar with and other daily necessities to them.

     For the benefit of the ethnic minorities, in addition to producing leaflets with health information in different languages, the Government has also translated parts of the content on the thematic website on COVID-19 (www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html) into different languages to help the ethnic minority community keep abreast of the latest updates on the epidemic released by the Government.

     Noting that some residents are security worker or construction worker, Mrs Lam said that to thank security workers for the large volume of extra work they have done for the public amid the epidemic, the Anti-epidemic Fund of the Government will provide each cleaning worker, toilet attendant and security worker engaged under government and Hong Kong Housing Authority service contracts with a monthly allowance of $1,000 for no fewer than four months. Each of the frontline property management workers, including cleaning workers and security workers, in private residential and composite buildings will also be given a monthly "hardship allowance" of $1,000 per eligible worker for four months to strengthen their capacity on personal and environmental hygiene, and give recognition to their committed services provided during the critical period. The Anti-epidemic Fund also provides a subsidy of $1,500 to each eligible registered construction worker for the purchase of personal protective equipment and antiseptic supplies.

     Mrs Lam is also very concerned about the situation of learning at home of the children she visited during class suspension. She pointed out that the Anti-epidemic Fund will provide an additional $1,000 to each recipient of the Student Grant for the 2019-20 school year, i.e. the Student Grant amount of this year will be increased from $2,500 to $3,500, to alleviate the burden on parents in buying learning materials or e-learning devices.

     The Chief Executive decided earlier to pass all the face masks donated by various sectors to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) so that they can distribute them to the underprivileged groups. The move is aimed at sharing the relatively scarce resources with the community to fight the disease together. The New Home Association is one of the NGOs being allocated the face masks donated by private organisations to the Government.

     "The situation of the infection is still severe. I appeal to the whole community, regardless of backgrounds and races, to stand united, maintain personal hygiene at all times and minimise social contacts as much as possible, fighting the disease together. The Government will strive to implement various relief measures under the Anti-epidemic Fund and the 2020-21 Budget as soon as possible to help people ride out the difficult times," Mrs Lam said.

      

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) announced today (March 1) that its Registration and Permit Office in its Kowloon Bay headquarters will maintain normal services and implement crowd control measures in order to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 in the community, which may lead to longer waiting time.

     The Office will be open between 9am to 5.15pm from Monday to Friday. Applicants should avoid submitting their applications in person. Instead, applications, with the cheque for payment, can be submitted by post (3 Kai Shing Street, Kowloon Bay) or through the drop-in box located at the G/F lobby of the EMSD headquarters during office hours. Submitted applications would be processed as soon as practicable and applicants would be notified of the results by phone or by post.

     In addition, various measures will be implemented to reduce social contact and prevent the risk of the spread of COVID-19. All members of the public will be required to wear a mask and have their body temperature checked when entering the EMSD HQs and other EMSD venues. People with abnormal body temperature will not be allowed access.

     For enquiries, please contact the EMSD at 2333 3762.   

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at noon today (March 1), public hospitals had reported to the Department of Health the admission of 49 patients (17 male and 32 female, aged 20 months to 90 years) in the past 24 hours who met the reporting criteria of COVID-19. Appropriate tests have been arranged for the patients.
 
     There are 122 patients under isolation currently. So far, 36 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.

     The Drainage Services Department (DSD) announced today (March 1) that starting from tomorrow (March 2), its public services will largely resume as normal.
 
​     In the interest of public health, various measures will be implemented to reduce social contact and prevent the risk of the spread of COVID-19. Such measures include:
 
*All DSD staff and members of the public will have their body temperatures checked when entering DSD premises. Only those with normal temperatures will be allowed access; and
*DSD staff who need to perform duties involving face-to-face contact with the public will wear a mask. Members of the public entering DSD premises are also required to wear a mask.
​
     DSD facilities will continue to be temporarily closed for public visits or other educational purposes until further notice.
 
​     The DSD will continue to review the situation and adjust relevant preventive measures as and when necessary.

     The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) announced today (March 1) that its public services will continue to be maintained as normal. The office hours are as follows:

(1) The Civil Engineering Library will be open from 9am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday;
(2) Applications for dumping licences and sand removal permits can be made from 9am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5.15pm, Monday to Friday; and
(3) The Permit and Licensing Office of the Mines Division will be open from 9am to noon and 2pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am to 11am on Saturday.

     In the interest of public health, various measures will be implemented to reduce social contact and prevent the risk of the spread of COVID-19. Such measures include:
 

• All CEDD staff and members of the public will have their body temperature checked when entering the Civil Engineering and Development Building and CEDD offices. Only those with normal temperatures will be allowed access; and
• CEDD staff who need to perform duties involving face-to-face contact with the public will wear a mask. Members of the public entering CEDD premises are also required to wear a mask.

     The CEDD will continue to review the situation and adjust relevant preventive measures as and when necessary.