The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for Yan Chai Hospital (YCH) made the following announcement today (February 28) regarding an incident of injury of an infant inpatient:

     The incident took place on February 21, when a 16-month-old baby girl, an inpatient in the Department of Paediatrics of YCH, was bathed by staff.  The baby started to cry when being put into water and was promptly taken out from water. Two other staff members entered the bathroom and redness was noted over the patient's lower trunk and lower limbs. The affected body areas were immediately cooled down for pain relief while paediatrician and wound care nurse specialist were informed. Having examined the clinical situation of the patient, the paediatrician further consulted with the surgical team. Meanwhile, wound care nurse specialist also offered wound treatment. The surgical team at Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) was consulted for further treatment.

     The paediatrician and ward manager met the parents of the patient in the afternoon on the same day to explain the incident and extend an apology. With parent's consent, the patient was escorted to the Paediatric Surgery Department of QMH for further specialised treatment in the afternoon on the same day. The patient is now remains hospitalised and in stable condition and progressively recovering. The hospital will work with the Paediatric Surgery Department of QMH to follow up the condition of the patient and render the assistance as required.

     The hospital is very concerned about the incident and has reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office through the Advance Incident Reporting System. A root cause analysis panel will be set up to look into the incident and make appropriate recommendations to prevent recurrence of similar incidents. The investigation report will be submitted to the Head Office in eight weeks.  

     The Department of Health (DH) today (February 28) announced that a list of buildings where persons under compulsory quarantine pursuant to the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C) (the Regulation) are conducting quarantine has been uploaded onto the Government’s "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/).
 
     Starting February 8, save for persons exempted under the Regulation, the DH will issue quarantine orders to all persons, including Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents, entering Hong Kong from the Mainland or have been to the Mainland in the past 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong. Thus far, the vast majority of them are Hong Kong residents conducting quarantine at home while some are conducting quarantine at hotels or at quarantine camps (Tso Kung Tam Outdoor Recreation Centre and Sai Kung Outdoor Recreation Centre) under individual circumstances for the 14-day quarantine.
 
     By requiring the persons under quarantine to stay at their dwelling places for 14 days, the measure aims to reduce two-way cross-boundary people flow between the two places. Persons under quarantine are not allowed to leave Hong Kong within the quarantine period. They are required to measure body temperature on their own on a daily basis to monitor their health condition. If fever or other symptoms arise, they may call the Centre for Health Protection’s hotline. Upon assessment, they will be arranged for treatment in hospital if necessary.
 
     Persons under quarantine at home, hotel or quarantine camps are asymptomatic and have passed body temperature screening upon arrival in Hong Kong, and have not visited Hubei Province 14 days preceding their arrival.  They are not close contacts of confirmed cases of COVID-19. Thus far, no person under compulsory quarantine became confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the quarantine period.
 
     Contravening the compulsory quarantine requirement is a criminal offence. Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. Thus far, the majority of the persons under quarantine have been cooperative and stay at their dwelling places. Also, the Government has various measures in place for monitoring the compliance. While officers from disciplinary forces would assist in spot checks, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer would make use of a location-sharing function of communication software and electronic wristbands to ensure that persons under quarantine are staying at their dwelling places.
 
     The Centre for Health Protection has also provided guidelines on personal and environmental hygiene (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/nid_guideline_general_public_en.pdf; www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/advice_for_properties_management_for_nid_of_public_health_significance_eng.pdf) to keep the public and property management companies updated on the latest development.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, visited Lei Muk Shue Fire Station and Ambulance Depot in Kwai Chung today (February 28), expressing her gratitude to firemen and ambulancemen for fighting COVID-19 infection at the forefront by providing emergency services to the public day and night. She then visited Queensway Government Offices (QGO) to inspect the infection control measures implemented in the building to prepare for the gradual resumption of more public services next Monday (March 2).
 
     Accompanied by the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee, and the Director of Fire Services, Mr Li Kin-yat, Mrs Lam visited Lei Muk Shue Fire Station and Ambulance Depot to meet with front-line personnel to learn more about the emergency services carried out by firemen and ambulancemen amid the epidemic. They include the first responder service, treatment, delivery to hospitals and inter-hospital transfer for patients of suspected and confirmed cases, as well as fire safety support for the quarantine centres. Noting that firemen and ambulancemen are invariably the first ones to contact patients, she said that although the department has provided appropriate protection and operational guidelines, front-line colleagues and their families are unavoidably subject to pressure psychologically amid the epidemic. Praising the firemen and ambulancemen for their commitment in providing emergency services and serving the public with bravery and professionalism under pressure, she stressed that the Government will prioritise the distribution of protective equipment to front-line colleagues including firemen and ambulancemen so that they can work with peace of mind. She also expressed her gratitude to the current and retired staff members of the Fire Services Department who are proactively participating in anti-epidemic voluntary work, working together with the community to fight the disease.
 
     Accompanied by the Government Property Administrator, Miss Leonia Tai, Mrs Lam then inspected the preparatory work for the implementation of infection control measures at QGO, including enhancing the cleaning of public facilities, such as lifts and escalators; checking the body temperature of persons entering the government building and its offices; and providing alcohol hand sanitiser and sanitising mats. The Government announced yesterday that, upon the instruction of the Steering Committee cum Command Centre in relation to the COVID-19 virus, the Government will implement targeted measures to reduce social contact and other infection control measures and gradually resume more public services from March 2 in an orderly manner.
 
     Mrs Lam chatted with cleaning and security workers at the government offices, expressing her gratitude for the large volume of extra work they have done for the public amid the epidemic. She said that under the Anti-epidemic Fund, each cleaning worker, toilet attendant and security worker engaged under government and Hong Kong Housing Authority service contracts will be provided with a monthly allowance of $1,000 for no fewer than four months as financial support for them as well as recognition for their committed services provided at this critical juncture.
 
     "The situation of infection is still severe and it may last for some time. The Government will continue to put the prevention and control of the disease as our top priority and various government departments will gradually resume public services while reducing social contact as far as possible and implementing other infection control measures. I hope that members of the public will bear with the inconvenience caused by the incomplete resumption of public services. I also appeal to the public to support the work of the Government on prevention and control of the disease to fight the epidemic together," Mrs Lam said.

              

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 8pm today (February 28), the CHP is investigating one additional case of COVID-19, taking the number of confirmed cases to 94 in Hong Kong so far.
      
     The confirmed case today involves a 61-year-old female passenger of Diamond Princess cruise (the 94th case). The patient, with underlying illnesses, stayed on the cruise from January 25 to February 19 and returned to Hong Kong by a chartered flight arranged by the Hong Kong Government on February 20. Her respiratory specimen showed preliminary positive results for COVID-19 virus on February 27 and she was transferred from Chun Yeung Estate quarantine camp to Queen Mary Hospital. Her respiratory specimen was confirmed positive for COVID-19 virus today. She is now in a stable condition. Her husband, elder sister and elder sister’s husband, who travelled with her on the cruise, have no symptoms and are currently under quarantine in Chun Yeung Estate quarantine camp.

     Meanwhile, the CHP is continuing its investigations into the cluster related to a Buddhist temple named Fook Wai Ching She. People who had visited the temple on January 25 onwards are urged to call the CHP hotline and those who developed relevant symptoms will be arranged to hospitals for treatment.

     The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. Quarantine will be arranged for close contacts while medical surveillance will be arranged for other contacts. For the progress on the contact tracing of the cases, please see annex.
 
     A spokesman for the CHP said, "According to our preliminary epidemiological investigations, clusters are observed in local community involving large meal gatherings and other gatherings. Members of the public are urged to go out less and reduce social activities such as meals gatherings or other gatherings, and maintain appropriate social distance with other people as far as possible."
 
     The spokesman said, "The CHP strongly urged the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community. On the personal level, members of the public should wear a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, taking public transport or staying in crowded places. They should also perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes."
 
     "As for household environmental hygiene, members of the public are advised to maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps); after using the toilet, they should put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs."
 
     The CHP will report the cases to the World Health Organization, National Health Commission, Health Commission of Guangdong Province and the Hospital Authority.
     
     The CHP has set up a hotline (2125 1122) for public enquiries. The hotline operates from 8am to midnight daily. As at 4pm today, a total of 23 583 calls were received.
 
     Moreover, the Government has launched the website "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk/eng/index.html) for announcing the latest updates on various news on COVID-19 infection and health advice to help the public grasp the latest updates.
 
     To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infection, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They are advised to:
 
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes; after touching public installations such as handrails or door knobs; or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
• Maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly (about once a week) pour about half a liter of water into each drain outlet (U-traps) to ensure environmental hygiene;
• After using the toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, performing hand hygiene with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub is an effective alternative;
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissues into a lidded rubbish bin, then wash hands thoroughly; and
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending class at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly.
 
     The public should take heed of the health advice below when travelling outside Hong Kong:
 
• Do not travel to Hubei Province of Mainland where there is widespread community transmission of COVID-19 virus;
• Avoid unnecessary travel to Korea (especially Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do where the majority of the cases were reported);
• When travelling to countries/areas with active community transmission of COVID-19 virus, the public should avoid close contact with persons with fever or respiratory symptoms. If it is unavoidable to come into contact with them, put on a surgical mask and continue to do so until 14 days after returning to Hong Kong;
• Avoid visiting hospitals. If it is necessary to visit a hospital, put on a surgical mask and observe strict personal and hand hygiene;
• Avoid touching animals (including game), poultry/birds or their droppings;
• Avoid visiting wet markets, live poultry markets or farms;
• Avoid making close contact with patients, especially those with symptoms of acute respiratory infections;
• Do not consume game meat and do not patronise food premises where game meat is served;
• Adhere to food safety and hygiene rules such as avoiding consuming raw or undercooked animal products, including milk, eggs and meat, or foods which may be contaminated by animal secretions, excretions (such as urine) or contaminated products, unless they have been properly cooked, washed or peeled;
• If feeling unwell when outside Hong Kong, especially if experiencing a fever or cough, wear a surgical mask, inform the hotel staff or tour escort and seek medical advice at once; and
• After returning to Hong Kong, consult a doctor promptly if experiencing a fever or other symptoms, take the initiative to inform the doctor of any recent travel history and any exposure to animals, and wear a surgical mask to help prevent spread of the disease.
 

     The Rating and Valuation Department announced today (February 28) that it will resume normal operation of public services from March 2, with its enquiry counters opening from 8.15am to 6pm from Mondays to Fridays (public holidays excluded).

     To achieve social distancing, crowd control measures may be implemented at the enquiry counters when necessary.  Members of the public may experience longer waiting time and are therefore encouraged to use the department's 24-hour electronic services (www.rvd.gov.hk) to submit forms or obtain information as far as possible.  Public enquiries may also be made to the department by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2152 0138) or by phone at 2152 0111 / 2152 2152.