The Lands Department announced today (December 5) that the tender for a site, Lot No. 765 in Demarcation District No. 332 at South Lantau Road, Cheung Sha, Lantau Island, New Territories, has been awarded to the highest tenderer, Danford Development Limited (parent company: Sino Land Company Limited), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $203.889 million.

     The tenderers, other than the successful tenderer, in alphabetical order, with the name of the parent company where provided by the tenderer in brackets, were:

(1) All Brilliant Inc Limited;
(2) CPT Asia Holdings Limited (Chevalier International Holdings Limited);
(3) Effect Guide Limited and Wealth Shelter Limited (CSI Properties Limited);
(4) Hanforth Limited;
(5) Huge Choice Group Limited (Dynamic Triumph Limited);
(6) Li Wo Properties Investments Company Limited;
(7) Long Think Limited;
(8) Lucky Phoenix Limited (The Development Studio Limited);
(9) Regal Galaxy Investment Limited (Treasure Dynasty Investments Limited);
(10) Rich Sea Limited (Asia Standard International Group Limited); and
(11) Tin Wah International Limited (K Wah Properties (Holdings) Limited).

     Lot No. 765 in Demarcation District No. 332 has a site area of about 2 692 square metres and is designated for private residential purposes. The minimum gross floor area is 646 sq m and the maximum gross floor area that may be attained is 1 076 sq m.

     Hongkong Post announced today (December 5) that, as advised by the postal administration of the United States, December 5 has been designated as a National Day of Mourning and mail delivery services will be suspended for one day.
 

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 5) investigating a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection.

     The 10-year-old boy, with good past health, has presented with fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting and confusion since December 2. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Tuen Mun Hospital on December 4 and was admitted for further management on the same day. He is now in a stable condition.
 
     His respiratory specimen tested positive for influenza A virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated with encephalopathy.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had not yet received seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) for the current season and had travelled to Guangdong during the incubation period. His mother and younger sister had upper respiratory tract infection symptoms recently and are in a stable condition. His elder sister was asymptomatic. The CHP's investigations are ongoing.
 
    "Influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons. Given that influenza vaccines are safe and effective, all persons aged 6 months or above, except those with known contraindications, are recommended to receive SIV for personal protection," a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     As it is already December and Hong Kong will soon enter the winter influenza season, eligible persons are urged to receive SIV early for protection against seasonal influenza as it takes about two weeks to develop antibodies. Vaccination among family members is key to protecting their personal and family's health."
 
     The public should maintain good personal and environmental hygiene for protection against influenza and other respiratory illnesses:
 

• Receive seasonal influenza vaccination for personal protection;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
• When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub as an effective alternative;
• Wash or clean hands frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, or after touching public installations such as handrails or door knobs;
• Cover the nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
• Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly in a lidded rubbish bin;
• Put on a surgical mask when respiratory symptoms develop;
• Maintain good indoor ventilation;
• Avoid going to crowded or poorly ventilated public places; high-risk individuals may consider putting on surgical masks when staying in such places; and
• Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

     For more information, please visit the CHP's influenza page and weekly Flu Express.

     The Commissioner of Police, Mr Lo Wai-chung led the Hong Kong delegates, including the Director of Immigration, Mr Tsang Kwok-wai, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management), Ms Chiu Wai-yin, and the Director of Personnel and Training, Mr Li Kin-fai, to attend the 13th Symposium on Police Studies of the Strait cum Hong Kong and Macao in Nanjing from December 3 to 5.

     The event is held each year in the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao by rotation. The theme of the 13th Symposium is "New Situations of Security Governance and Deepening of Cross-boundary Policing Co-operation". A total of 176 participants including police officers, expert delegates and academics from the Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao participated in the event to present their papers and exchange views on related topics.

     On December 4, the Executive Vice Minister, Ministry of Public Security of China, Mr Wang Xiaohong; the Political and Legal Committee Secretary of Jiangsu Province, Mr Wang Like; the Chairman of Taiwan Criminal Investigation and Prevention Association, Mr Chen Shiang-li; the Commissioner of Hong Kong Police, Mr Lo Wai-chung; and the Commissioner General of Unitary Police Service, Macao, Mr Ma Lo-kun delivered speech at the opening ceremony.

     During the seven plenary sessions of the two-day symposium, 29 papers were presented. The participants focused on the theme and shared experiences in coping with the changes of global security situations by means of technology, big data analysis, crime analysis and cross boundary policing co-operation, etc.
     
 

     A man was fined $10,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (December 5) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
           
     The courts heard that in May this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department, inspected a suspected unlicensed guesthouse on Chung Wui Street in Tai Kok Tsui. The OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented a room in the guesthouse on a daily basis.
           
     According to the OLA's records, the guesthouse did not possess a licence under the Ordinance on the day of inspection. The man responsible for operating the premises was charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
           
     A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence and will lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years' imprisonment.
           
     The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA through the hotline (Tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website (www.hadla.gov.hk), or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses".