Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (August 30) that due to suspension of water supply resulting from a water pipe burst in the vicinity, Kwai Shing Swimming Pool in Kwai Tsing District has been temporarily closed until further notice.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (August 30) reported the latest number of cases of dengue fever (DF) and chikungunya fever (CF), and strongly urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.
A. Dengue fever
From August 23 to 29, the CHP recorded 11 imported DF cases. The patients had been to the Philippines (three cases, including two epidemiologically linked cases), Malaysia (two cases), Thailand (two cases), Cambodia (one case), India (one case), Sri Lanka (one case) and multiple countries (one case, who had been to Laos and Thailand) during the incubation period.
As of yesterday (August 29), 134 cases had been recorded this year, as compared with 92 cases recorded in the same period last year. All the cases recorded in 2019 were imported, mainly from Thailand (28), Malaysia (23) and Cambodia (19).
The CHP has been closely monitoring the latest DF situation in neighbouring and overseas areas. DF is endemic in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. According to the World Health Organization, some Asian countries are experiencing unusually high numbers of DF cases for this time of year. The number of cases in several countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam was about two to six times the number for the same period in 2018.
According to the Health Commission of Guangdong Province, Guangdong is currently in the epidemic season of DF. As of July 31, 796 cases have been recorded in Guangdong this year, which was significantly higher than that in the same period last year (121 cases). In Taiwan, 421 cases (including 75 local cases) have been recorded in 2019 (as of August 29). According to the health authority of Taiwan, the number of imported DF cases recorded so far this year was the highest compared to the number for the same period in the past 10 years.
Detailed information on the latest DF situation in Hong Kong as well as neighbouring and overseas countries and areas this year has been uploaded to the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/df_imported_cases_and_overseas_figures_eng.pdf). Members of the public should stay vigilant and carry out effective mosquito prevention and control measures.
​"Apart from general measures, travellers returning from areas affected by DF should apply insect repellent for 14 days upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to the doctor," a spokesman for the CHP said.
B. Chikungunya fever
​ From August 23 to 29, the CHP recorded one CF case. The patient had been to Myanmar during the incubation period. As of yesterday (August 29), eight confirmed CF cases had been recorded this year, including six imported from Thailand and two imported from Myanmar.
CF is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the chikungunya virus. It is clinically characterised by fever frequently accompanied by joint pain. Other common signs and symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and a rash. Joint pain is often very debilitating, but usually lasts for a few days or may be prolonged for weeks. Most patients recover fully, but in some cases joint pain may persist for several months, or even years.
Chikungunya virus is transmitted to humans by mosquito bites. Although the vector Aedes aegypti is not found in Hong Kong, another vector, Aedes albopictus, is widely distributed locally. These mosquitoes can be found biting throughout daylight hours, though there may be peaks of activity in the early morning and late afternoon.
The public should take heed of the following advice on mosquito control:
DEET-containing insect repellents are effective and the public should take heed of the tips below:
* For children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent.
The public should call 1823 in case of mosquito problems and may visit the following pages for more information: the DF page of the CHP and the Travel Health Service, the CF page of the CHP, the latest Travel Health News, tips for using insect repellents, and the CHP Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.
Two illegal workers comprising a Bangladeshi and a Pakistani were jailed by Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (August 29) and today (August 30) respectively.
During a joint operation against illegal workers conducted by the Immigration Department (ImmD) and the Labour Department codenamed "Rainbow" on July 24, officers of the ImmD General Investigation Section raided a food shop in Kwai Chung. One female Bangladeshi illegal worker, aged 39, was arrested. When intercepted, she was found working as a shop assistant. Upon identity checking, she produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits her from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that she was a non-refoulement claimant. Two employers suspected of employing the illegal worker were arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
Moreover, ImmD investigators received a referral from the Hong Kong Police Force to further investigate an illegal employment case in May. Enforcement officers arrested a male Pakistani worker, aged 36, conveying goods in Tai Po. Upon identity checking, he was found to be a holder of a recognisance form issued by ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment, and further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant. An employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
The two illegal workers were charged at Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday and today with taking employment after landing in Hong Kong unlawfully and remaining in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director of Immigration or while being a person in respect of whom a removal order or deportation order was in force. They pleaded guilty to the charges and were sentenced to 15 months' and 18 months' imprisonment respectively.
The ImmD spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months' imprisonment should be applied in such cases.
The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threat and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.
The Government today (August 30) welcomed the Financial Dispute Resolution Centre (FDRC)'s new appointment of Mr Richard Leung Wai-keung as a non-official Director to its Board. His term will be two years from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2021.
A government spokesman said, "We welcome Mr Leung to the Board of the FDRC, and express our heartfelt thanks to the retiring Director Mr Frederick Kan Ka-chong for his contributions as a Board Director and chairman of the Appointment Committee over the past six years."
The FDRC administers in an independent and impartial manner a financial dispute resolution scheme. The scheme provides an alternative avenue which is independent and affordable for resolving monetary disputes between financial institutions and their customers primarily by way of "Mediation First, Arbitration Next". It is governed by a Board of Directors, comprising the non-official Chairman; four non-official members; one representative each from the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Securities and Futures Commission; and the Chief Executive Officer of the FDRC.
The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, today (August 30) visited Yau Tsim Mong District, where she called on Tung Wah College (TWC) and the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) and met with District Council members.
Accompanied by the Chairman of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council (YTMDC), Mr Chris Ip, and the District Officer (Yau Tsim Mong), Mrs Laura Aron, Professor Chan first visited King's Park Campus of TWC. TWC was established by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals in 2010. The School of Nursing and the School of Medical and Health Sciences of TWC offer training of local nurses and allied health professionals including medical laboratory technologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and radiographers.
Professor Chan said, "The healthcare manpower situation is challenging in light of the increasing demand for healthcare services. The Government attaches great importance to the training of healthcare professionals. In the past 10 years, the Government has substantially increased the number of University Grants Committee-funded healthcare training places. The Government will also subsidise 1 160 students to pursue self-financing undergraduate programmes in nursing under the Study Subsidy Scheme for Designated Professions/Sectors in the 2019/20 academic year, representing an increase of about 400 places compared with that of the 2018/19 academic year. We expect that increasing the number of training places will alleviate the manpower shortage of healthcare staff in the medium to long term."
Afterwards, Professor Chan visited HKRC Headquarters. The new headquarters was opened in 2015 to accommodate HKRC head offices, the Jockey Club Convention Hall, meeting facilities and activity rooms, which provide services including apheresis donation, blood transfusion, haematopoietic stem cell service, youth development and education, first aid and health care as well as special education and rehabilitation services.
She said, "The HKRC Blood Transfusion Service is the only organisation that provides blood supplies for all public and private hospitals in Hong Kong. The demand for blood supply is expected to be on a continuous rise as a result of an ageing population. The Government will continue to support the work of the HKRC and blood donation drives as well as promote blood donation."
Before concluding her visit, Professor Chan met with YTMDC members to exchange views on medical and environmental hygiene issues in the district.