The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (September 26) investigating a suspected food poisoning cluster affecting 51 persons. The CHP reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent foodborne diseases.

     The cluster involved 48 students of a school in Tai Po, comprising 34 males and 14 females, aged 5 to 15, and three staff members of the school, aged 31 to 55. They developed diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, about 4 to 31 hours after having lunch at the school canteen on September 24. Six of the affected persons sought medical advice and none required hospitalisation. All affected persons are in stable condition.

     Initial investigations of the CHP revealed that the affected persons consumed common food, with a higher chance of involving food poisoning. The affected persons' symptoms is likely related to consumption of the beef lasagna prepared by the canteen. The personnel from the CHP and the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department visited the place for an environmental investigation, and provided preventive advice against food poisoning to the school. Investigations are ongoing.

     To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:
 

• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
• Pre-cooked or leftover foods should be stored and reheated properly before consumption;
• Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hotpot or barbecue meal;
• Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
• Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked foods;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine or wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
• Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.

     As directed by the Chief Executive, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, chaired the inter-departmental working group meeting on festival arrangements today (September 26) to holistically review and steer the overall co-ordination work of various government departments in welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the National Day Golden Week. The Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk; and representatives of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, and other relevant Government departments attended the meeting.

     At the meeting, Mr Chan instructed various departments to better prepare for receiving visitors during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week, actively coordinate and consolidate supporting services of boundary control points (BCPs), traffic and public transport, promptly respond to various emergency situations, and strengthen information dissemination, with a view to providing quality experience to residents and visitors in celebration of the National Day.

Estimated visitor flow and preparatory work

     According to the Immigration Department (ImmD)'s estimate, around 7.01 million passengers (including Hong Kong residents and visitors) will pass through Hong Kong's sea, land and air control points during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week (October 1 to October 7) this year, among which 5.98 million passengers will pass through land control points. The number of outbound and inbound passengers using land boundary control points will peak on October 1 (Tuesday).

     In terms of Mainland inbound visitors, it is estimated that about 1.23 million passengers will visit Hong Kong via various sea, land and air control points during the seven-day Mainland's National Day Golden Week.

     The Travel Industry Authority has reminded travel agents receiving Mainland inbound tour groups to stagger arrival time as far as possible, and will coordinate with agencies such as tourist spots to adopt appropriate diversion measures to enable proper management of the flow of visitors and tour buses, with a view to offering a pleasant travel experience to visitors.

     There will be a rich array of celebratory activities before, during and after the Mainland's National Day Golden Week. Major mega events include the "Celebration of National Day – The Next Generation Chorus Performance" at the West Kowloon Cultural District on September 30 night (Monday) and the 2024 National Day Fireworks Display at the Victoria Harbour on October 1 night (Tuesday). The Hong Kong Police Force (Police) will arrange sufficient police manpower to implement corresponding crowd management measures and special traffic arrangements as necessary to ensure that all celebrations will be conducted in a safe and orderly manner. Various district offices will also closely monitor the flow of visitors within their corresponding districts during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week and strengthen management of the relevant spots having regard to the actual circumstances.

Coordinate control points, traffic and public transport facilities

     The Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre set up by Hong Kong Customs, the Police, the ImmD and other departments will be activated from September 28 (Saturday) to October 7 (Monday) to monitor the real-time situation at various control points, maintain close liaison with the Mainland port authorities through the established port hotlines and real-time notification mechanism, and take timely contingency actions to flexibly deploy manpower at the BCPs to ensure smooth operation of the land control points. The Security Bureau will also activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre in a timely manner to closely monitor and co-ordinate the public order situation at various BCPs and facilitate interdepartmental follow-up actions where necessary to respond promptly to various kinds of emergencies.

     For transport arrangements, the Transport Department (TD) has worked with relevant Mainland authorities and relevant operators to formulate plans to strengthen services at various ports, including increasing the frequency of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus (Gold Bus) and the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus), as well as arranging dedicated public transport lanes at the HZMB Port, Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang Port and Shenzhen Bay Port as necessary, with a view to ensuring smooth public transport services. Regarding local public transport services, the TD has approached various public transport operators proactively to enhance the capacity, and reserve vehicles and manpower to meet the travel needs of visitors. Amongst them, the MTR Corporation Limited will enhance train service of railway lines during September 28 to October 13, with a total of about 950 extra trips, so as to facilitate the travelling of local residents and visitors. The TD's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will operate 24 hours to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services of different districts including various BCPs and major stations. The TD will adopt various measures including increasing the frequency of public transport services as appropriate so as to cope with the service demand and passenger flow, and will disseminate the latest traffic information through various channels.

     As regards the two homeporting calls of a mega cruise ship at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week, while the cruise terminal operator will continue to coordinate with the cruise company, transport service operators and travel agents etc. to make proper transport planning, the Tourism Commission (TC) has also liaised with the bus companies and the taxi trade through the TD to provide additional support. Shuttle bus services will also be strengthened subject to demand. As it is anticipated that many Mainland visitors will come to Hong Kong to join cruise itineraries via the land BCPs, the TC has also assisted the trade in coordinating with BCPs to ensure smooth immigration clearance. Direct coach services will be provided to take visitors from the BCPs to the cruise terminal.

Weather forecast

     The weather in Hong Kong is expected to be generally fine during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week, with low chances of being affected by heavy rain and tropical cyclones. A fresh to strong northeasterly monsoon is expected to arrive in Guangdong on the National Day, followed by a couple of days of slightly cooler and drier weather, with a minimum temperature of around 22 degrees Celsius in the urban areas. The above forecast is a preliminary assessment, and the Observatory will update the forecast depending on the latest weather changes.

Information dissemination

     To facilitate visitors in planning their itineraries, the inter-departmental working group will strengthen information dissemination including the latest inbound visitor arrivals, the situation at various BCPs, information on celebratory events, transport arrangements and the latest weather information, etc, to facilitate residents and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation.

     The Tourism Board (TB) has also launched a dedicated webpage to consolidate various useful information during the Mainland's National Day Golden Week, including the operating arrangements of major tourist attractions in Hong Kong, details of various unique celebratory events, special discount and promotional activities around the National Day, so as to facilitate residents and visitors to plan their itineraries more conveniently. The TB has also stepped up promotion in the Mainland, including launching special offers with major online integrated tourism platforms in the Mainland, in order to promote large-scale events with characteristics, explore the unique cultural and tourism experiences in Hong Kong through the promotional channel of the platforms and boost spending of more Mainland visitors in Hong Kong as well as enhance visitors' experience.

  

     Following is the video speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Kick-off Ceremony of the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) today (September 26):
      
Mr Charles Yang (Council Chairman of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts), Professor Gillian Choa (Director of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts), staff and students of the HKAPA, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
      
     It gives me great pleasure to speak to you all, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. First of all, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the Academy on its ruby jubilee, a key milestone in the institution's development.
      
     Since its establishment in 1984, the Academy has remained committed to nurturing new generations of performing arts professionals in a diverse, cross-disciplinary learning environment. The Academy has gone from strength to strength in the past four decades, becoming Asia's top performing arts institution. The Academy's international reputation is testament to its holistic approach to performing arts education.
      
     This year heralds the beginning of a new chapter for the Academy, with the launch of its visionary 10-year strategic plan from 2024 to 2033. From talent development and technology-enabled arts practices, to campus development and cultural influence, the exciting plans and new projects will further consolidate the strengths of the Academy.
      
     The Government supports the Academy's efforts in nurturing cultural talent for Hong Kong and the country. We believe that the Academy's potential establishment of a new campus in the Northern Metropolis could provide much-needed space for programme development. Meanwhile, we also support the Academy in bringing in a higher proportion of non-local students to its programmes. These developments, I am certain, could enrich Hong Kong's talent pool in performing arts in light of the industry's evolving needs.
      
     As an international metropolis boasting a fine blend of cultures, Hong Kong enjoys unparalleled connectivity with the Mainland and the rest of the world. I am confident that the Academy will continue to thrive as a performing arts educational hub, nurturing artists and arts practitioners that shape Hong Kong's future as a dynamic East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
      
     I take the opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts and dedication of the Academy's Council, teaching staff, students and alumni. Your passion and hard work are key to the Academy's success. My appreciation also goes to donors, industry partners and everyone who has supported the Academy all along. The Government looks forward to continuing joining hands with you in advancing Hong Kong's cultural development.
      
     On that note, I wish the Academy a wonderful celebratory year ahead and every success in the future. Thank you.     

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, led a delegation to begin their visit to Beijing today (September 26) and called on the National Health Commission (NHC), the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM) and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) to introduce to the Mainland officials the latest developments of various healthcare reforms in Hong Kong to keep deepening synergistic collaboration on healthcare-related areas with the Mainland.

     During the meeting with Vice-minister of the NHC Mr Yu Xuejun, Professor Lo engaged in an in-depth discussion on how to further deepen cross-boundary collaboration on health and medical innovation between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Professor Lo also actively put forward to the NHC multiple proposals on measures for promoting cross-boundary flow of innovation elements (including entry and exit of human genetic resources) in the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park of Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Development Plan for Shenzhen Park) promulgated by the State Council, with a view to supporting and encouraging innovative application of advanced biomedicine technologies with full effort. 

     Professor Lo said that the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park emphasises co-ordinated development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong through the establishment of an internationally competitive base for industrial pilot-scale testing and transformation in Hetao to support the innovative application of advanced biomedicine technologies. "The Chief Executive's 2023 Policy Address" also proposed the development of Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub. To this end, the Health Bureau (HHB) strives to push forward with multiple key initiatives as follows: 

(1) To reform Hong Kong's evaluation, approval and registration mechanism for drugs and medical devices and prepare for the establishment of the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation, with a view to progressing towards the "primary evaluation" approach; 

(2) To join forces with the Shenzhen Municipal Government to set up in the Hetao Area an international clinical trial collaboration platform for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area under the "one zone, two parks" model in expectation of simultaneous commencement of operation in the fourth quarter of this year;

(3) To promote cross-boundary real-world data research; and

(4) To introduce world-leading enterprises of advanced therapeutic products as well as innovative drugs and medical devices.

     He continued, "The development of innovative drugs and medical devices not only enhances healthcare standards but also transforms the industry, thus realising the vision of introducing good drugs for use in Hong Kong, bringing benefits to citizens with research and development, fostering transformation of innovation and technology, and driving the development of the industry. The healthcare system of Hong Kong must keep abreast of times and pursue transformation with innovation. With the staunch support of national policies in various areas, the HHB will certainly make greater efforts to motivate the local healthcare and medical sector to actively integrate into the overall national development by fully utilising the unique advantages of the HKSAR and playing an active role in the country's comprehensive deepening of reforms, thereby serving the nation's needs with the strengths of Hong Kong." 

     Professor Lo and the delegation today also met with the Commissioner of the NATCM, Professor Yu Yanhong, and discussed issues related to the promotion of the development of Chinese medicine (CM). He said, "The HKSAR Government expresses sincere gratitude to the NATCM for its robust support for the development of CM in Hong Kong, particularly with regard to the establishment of the first Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong and the Government Chinese Medicines Testing Institute as well as collaboration on rolling out the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Talent Training Programme, etc. The HKSAR Government will continue to press ahead with the high-quality development of CM in Hong Kong on all fronts by giving full play to the characteristics of CM in Hong Kong and the city's strengths in areas such as service delivery, standard-setting, international connectivity and clinical research in a bid to foster the better integration of Hong Kong into the construction of CM highlands in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as the overall development of the country, thereby assisting our nation to propel CM to go global."

     Separately, at the meeting with the Head of the Department of Political Affairs of the GACC, Ms Lyu Weihong, Professor Lo said that, since the signing of the Co-operation Arrangement for Entry-exit Health Inspection and Quarantine between the GACC and the Health Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government by the HHB and the GACC in November last year, the HKSAR Government has been maintaining close co-operation with the entry-exit health inspection and quarantine authorities of the Mainland as well as strengthening the joint efforts in disease prevention and control in terms of entry-exit health inspection and quarantine between the Mainland and Hong Kong, with a view to safeguarding the wellbeing and safety of residents and travellers of the two places. The two parties also exchanged views on the promotion of cross-boundary flow of innovation elements as mentioned in the Development Plan for Shenzhen Park. 
     
     Members of the delegation include the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; Deputy Secretary for Health Mr Sam Hui; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; and the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko. The delegation will call on the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Medical Products Administration tomorrow (September 27) before departing for Hong Kong in the evening.

          

     To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the "Glorious Voyage: Splendid Achievements of the People's Republic of China in Its 75 Years" Exhibition Series, at the Hong Kong Museum of History (HKMH) and the Hong Kong Science Museum (HKScM) from tomorrow (September 27) to illustrate the important developments and achievements of China over the past 75 years from a variety of perspectives. Admission to the exhibitions is free.
      
     Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition today (September 26), the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, said that China is a force to be reckoned with in the areas such as economy, manufacturing, trade, technology, infrastructure, culture and sports. Today, China is the world's second-largest economy, the largest industrial manufacturing country, the largest goods trading country and the largest foreign exchange reserve holding country. These are the results of the people's forging ahead steadfastly and also the pride of all Chinese people. This exhibition series is one of the signature events organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, to promote the spirit of patriotism in the community. Its three exhibitions, namely "Leapfrog Development", "Scientific Breakthroughs" and "Era of Intelligence", showcase the country's modernisation process from the perspectives of economy, education, technology, culture, sports and people's livelihood. It aimed to enhance the understanding of the public, especially the younger generation, of the achievements of New China over the past 75 years, thereby enhancing their sense of national identity and sense of belonging.
      
     Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Mr Yin Zhonghua; Vice President and Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the China Association for Science and Technology, Mr Meng Qinghai; Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the HKSAR Mr Fang Jianming; the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung; the Chairman of the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, Mr Li Dahong; the Convenor of the Working Group on Patriotic Education under the Constitution and Basic Law Promotion Steering Committee, Ms Starry Lee; the Chairperson of the History Sub-committee of the Museum Advisory Committee, Professor Joshua Mok; and the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu.
      
     The "Leapfrog Development" exhibition, located in the Lobby, 1/F, HKMH, presents the developments and achievements of the economy, infrastructure, culture, sports and ecological conservation initiatives of China through text and images. It also displays medals won by athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Games to showcase their spirit of perseverance and hard work. They include the first gold medal won by Hong Kong, China windsurfer Ms Lee Lai-shan at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics for the HKSAR, the gold medal won by So Wa-wai, representing Hong Kong, China in the men's 100m races (T36) at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic Games, the gold medal won by Chinese diver Ms Guo Jingjing in the women's three-metre springboard event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the silver medal won by Ms Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, representing Hong Kong, China in the women's 100m freestyle events at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. For details of the exhibition, please visit hk.history.museum/en/web/mh/exhibition/75A-Exhibition.html.
      
     The country's scientific and technological endeavours have made remarkable progress over the past 75 years. The "Scientific Breakthroughs" exhibition at the 2/F Exhibition Hall, HKScM is divided into three parts, namely "The Lifeblood of the People's Republic of China", "Silent Thunder", and "A Chip-driven Patriotic Heart", based on three significant historical events: the 65th anniversary of the discovery of the Daqing Oil Field, the 60th anniversary of the successful detonation of China's first atomic bomb, and the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the State Preeminent Science & Technology Award. The exhibition showcases China's outstanding achievements in science and technology through graphics, videos, objects, and interactive exhibits, demonstrating the patriotic spirit and steadfast beliefs of Chinese scientists. Highlight exhibits include the Core Sample from Songliao Basin No.3 Stratigraphic Well (replica), which is important historical evidence for the discovery of the Daqing Oil Field; the immersive space "Big Bang in the East", which explores significant historical events such as the launch of the Dongfeng-1 missile, atomic bomb detonation, hydrogen bomb detonation, and the launch of the Dongfanghong-1; and the model of the Zuchongzhi Superconducting Quantum Computer, developed independently by a Chinese research team, which is the only one in China and one of only two globally to achieve "quantum advantage".
      
     The "Era of Intelligence" exhibition at the Special Exhibition Hall, G/F, HKScM introduces the transformative technology of artificial intelligence, which has experienced rapid developments in recent years. The application of artificial intelligence in daily life will also be demonstrated at the exhibition. The exhibition features a total of 22 exhibits, with about 70 per cent of them being interactive. These include the immersive zone "Gravitational Battlefield", which is based on Mainland writer Liu Cixin's science fiction novel "The Three-Body Problem" and integrates artificial intelligence and mixed reality technologies; a simulation of autonomous driving; and an artificial intelligence model named Master Guess, with which visitors can train and play paper-scissors-stone. Visitors can engage directly with multiple artificial intelligence models to understand how they function in various scenarios such as chess playing, music composition, painting and the implementation of mixed reality. For details of the "Scientific Breakthroughs" and "Era of Intelligence" exhibitions, please visit hk.science.museum/en/web/scm/exhibition/75A2024.html.
      
     The exhibition series is presented by the LCSD. The "Leapfrog Development" exhibition is organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office and the Hong Kong Ta Kung Wen Wei Media Group, in collaboration with the HKMH, and supported by the Academy of Chinese Studies and the Hong Kong China Sports Alliance. The "Scientific Breakthroughs" exhibition is organised by the HKScM and the China Science and Technology Museum, in collaboration with the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the China Association for Science and Technology and the Beijing – Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre. The "Era of Intelligence" exhibition is organised by the HKScM, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, the Hong Kong Institution of Science and Innovation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and SenseTime. The exhibitions will run until February 5 next year.
      
     Apart from museums, a display titled "Trendsetting Travel in China", which showcases the remarkable achievements of the motherland through a stunning array of media photographs and a relaxed curatorial approach, will be held at the covered walkway of Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park from September 28, providing members of the public an additional opportunity to learn more about the country's achievements.
      
     The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.