Tag Archives: China

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (February 3) investigating a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection.

     The case involves a 6-year-old girl with good past health, who has presented with fever, cough and runny nose since January 24. She was admitted to the Hong Kong Sanitorium and Hospital for treatment yesterday (February 2) and was transferred to the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of Queen Mary Hospital on the same day for further management.
      
     Her nasopharyngeal aspirate tested positive for influenza A (H1) virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated with severe pneumonia. She is now in a serious condition.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had not received seasonal influenza vaccination for the current season and had no travel history during the incubation period. Her home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far.
      
     The CHP’s investigations are ongoing.
       
     “While the percentage that tested positive for seasonal influenza viruses among the respiratory specimens received by the CHP’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch has slightly decreased in the past week, we expect that the local influenza activity may remain at an elevated level for some time. We urge the community to continue heightening its vigilance against seasonal influenza. As young children are particularly affected in this influenza season, we appeal to parents who have not yet arranged vaccination for their children in this season to do so as soon as possible to strengthen their personal protection,” a spokesman for the CHP said.

     Apart from children, people aged 50 to 64 years, the elderly and those with underlying illnesses who have not yet received influenza vaccination this season are also urged to get vaccinated as early as possible to prevent seasonal influenza as it takes about two weeks for antibodies to develop in the body after vaccination. Medical advice should be sought promptly if influenza-like symptoms develop so that appropriate treatment can be initiated as early as possible to prevent potential complications. Parents and carers are reminded to render assistance in prevention, care and control for vulnerable people.

     Besides receiving seasonal influenza vaccination as early as possible for personal protection, the public should maintain good personal and environmental hygiene for protection against influenza and other respiratory illnesses. For more information, please visit the CHP’s influenza page and weekly Flu Express. read more

     During the peak air traffic flow of the Lunar New Year (LNY), the flight movements handled by the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) hit new records. Over 2 300 daily flight movements were handled for 11 consecutive days (January 23 to February 2). The CAD handled 2 467 flights yesterday (February 2), setting a new single-day record.

     The previous single-day record of 2 341 flight movements was recorded on August 24, 2017, after Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) resumed flight operation after the passing of Super Typhoon Hato. Entering 2019, the CAD broke the record on January 18 by handling 2 342 flights. In the run-up to the LNY, flight movements handled by the CAD reached new records. The CAD handled 2 359, 2 409 and 2 444 flights on January 24, January 25 and February 1 respectively. A new single-day record of 2 467 flights was set yesterday, including 1 226 flight movements at HKIA and 1 241 overflights (which is also a new record for the highest number of overflights handled).

     Between January 23 to February 2 (the 18th to 28th day of the last Lunar month), the CAD handled about 2 380 flights per day on average (including flight movements at HKIA and overflights), representing an increase of about five per cent when compared with 2 265 flights over the corresponding period a year earlier.

     The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Simon Li, today (February 3) expressed his gratitude to CAD’s air traffic control (ATC) officers who provide professional and efficient ATC service as always despite the heavy work.

     “This year, the number of flights handled by the CAD saw a significant increase around two weeks before the LNY, showing the strong demand for air traffic. The extra flights were mostly operated to destinations in Japan, Korea and the Mainland. The CAD has deployed additional staff to cater for the seasonal demand to maintain safe, smooth and orderly air traffic service during the festive periods,” Mr Li said. read more

     The Transport Department (TD) announced today (February 3) that according to the notification of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Authority, the toll-free policy for small passenger vehicles will be implemented on the HZMB for seven consecutive days from 0.00 am on February 4 to midnight on February 10. During the period, small passenger vehicles travelling to Zhuhai or Macao Ports via the Toll Plaza of the HZMB will not be required to pay the toll of RMB150, while the arrangements for small passenger vehicles to pass through the electronic toll lanes (i.e. non-stop) and manual toll lanes (i.e. stop to pay) will remain unchanged. Small passenger vehicles refer to passenger carrying vehicles with seven seats and less (including the driver’s seat), i.e. private cars and hire cars.
 
     The HZMB Main Bridge is located within Mainland waters and the Toll Plaza is also situated in the Mainland. According to the territoriality principle, the HZMB Authority, which is responsible for the operation of the Main Bridge, will implement the Mainland’s nationwide toll-free policy on small passenger vehicles during the Lunar New Year holiday (from February 4 to 10).  
 
     Members of the public are reminded that if they wish to drive their private cars going to or returning from Zhuhai or Macao, the private car must possess a valid HZMB private car regular quota and licences and permits issued by the three governments, or have completed registration of the HZMB Macao Port Park-and-Ride Scheme and obtained a valid permit, including reserving parking spaces for the East Car Park of the HZMB Frontier Post at the Macao Port.
 
     A spokesman for the TD advised that owners of Hong Kong-Guangdong cross-boundary private cars under the regular quota for using other boundary crossings (including Lok Ma Chau (Huanggang), Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen Bay) cannot route through the HZMB to travel to / from Zhuhai during the LNY holiday. The trial arrangement for these vehicles, without additional procedures, to use the HZMB to / from Zhuhai will be implemented in two phases on February 25 and April 29.   read more

     The Department of Health (DH) today (February 3) urged members of the public to support World Cancer Day 2019 through leading a healthy lifestyle to prevent and control cancer.
 
     World Cancer Day has been designated for February 4 each year by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to increase community understanding of threats posed by cancer and to unite the global population in cancer prevention. The theme this year is “I am and I will”, which means whoever you are, you have the power to reduce the impact of cancer for yourself, for the people you love and for the world.
 
     A spokesman for the DH said that individuals can have the power to prevent and reduce the risk of cancer by refraining from smoking and drinking alcohol, being physically active and having a healthy diet by consuming more vegetables and fruits as well as eating less energy-dense food and cured meat.
 
     The spokesman reminded members of the public that during the Lunar New Year (LNY) with scrumptious delights, they should use more natural ingredients which are low-fat (such as pork fillet, beef shank, seafood, soybean curd and fresh soybean stick) and adopt healthier cooking methods (such as steaming, boiling and baking) when preparing meals. When having LNY food, they should be mindful of the portions without overeating. Fruit-filled recipes and fresh fruit as gifts can also be considered.
 
     In 2016, about 31 500 new cancer cases were reported in Hong Kong and the five most commonly diagnosed cancers were colorectal cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and liver cancer. Cancer is the leading cause of death locally.
 
     “An unhealthy lifestyle is the leading cause of cancer. Study shows that 40 per cent of cancer cases are preventable by adopting a healthy lifestyle,” the spokesman said.
 
     Tobacco, alcohol, physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet and being overweight or obese are the major risk factors of cancer. Among them, tobacco is the single most important risk factor for cancer, as it leads to 90 per cent of lung cancers. Like tobacco, alcoholic beverages are also classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO).
 
     The WHO also estimated that about 21 to 25 per cent of breast cancer and colorectal cancer cases are mainly attributed to physical inactivity. An unhealthy diet and being overweight or obese can also increase the risk of a number of cancers.
 
     The Government published “Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong” in May last year, setting out nine local targets to be achieved by 2025 and covering actions against the above unhealthy lifestyles.
 
     The DH has been actively promoting a healthy diet and regular physical activity so as to reduce the burden caused by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including cancer on the healthcare system and society. A large-scale publicity campaign, “Healthy Hong Kong 2025 | Move for Health”, was officially launched in December last year, encouraging the public to increase their physical activity to build up an active lifestyle and prevent NCDs.
 
     To encourage the public to “move for health” and do more exercise, the DH has produced a campaign mascot, Lazy Lion. Lazy Lion will motivate the public to develop an active lifestyle through various means and flash mobs will be held across the territory from time to time. Details can be found on Lazy Lion’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/lazylionhk).
 
     More information on World Cancer Day is available on the UICC’s website (www.uicc.org/world-cancer-day-2019).

  

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO),  sponsored a theatre performance “Citizens of Nowhere?” which was played at the restaurant Duddell’s in London on January 31 (London time). It is a live audio drama about a British-Hong Kong family dining in the restaurant and plays out in real time. The audience ‘listens-in’ to the conversation of the family through a unique system of microphones and headsets, while eating a meal themselves.
      
     The play was commissioned by Chinese Arts Now which is an organisation funded by Arts Council England. It supports and commissions British-Chinese contemporary performing arts. “Citizens of Nowhere?” is part of the first ever Chinese Arts Now festival. It was written by award-winning Chinese/Welsh writer Ming Ho, directed by Hong Kong-based David Jiang, and featured actors who have a close connection with Hong Kong.
      
     Speaking after the performance, the Director-General of the London ETO, Ms Priscilla To, said, “It is our great pleasure to once again showcase the talent of Hong Kong’s creative sector on an international stage. It is a very unique experience to see a play at a real restaurant that features the conversation of a British-Hong Kong family over dinner about the generational and cultural identities of British Chinese. Congratulations to all the cast and to the writer, Ming Ho, and director, David Jiang, on a great performance.”
      
     “Citizens of Nowhere” runs until February 2 at Duddell’s in London, then will move to Nottingham on February 4.