The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital (HKBH) gave the following update today (August 30):
 
     Two more patients, females both aged 101 in the medical ward of HKBH, were confirmed to carry Candida auris without signs of infection. The two patients are now being treated in isolation with stable condition.
 
     The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patients in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
 
1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned;
2. Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures; and
3. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patients. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited relating to fraudulent websites, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 30) investigating two epidemiologically linked food poisoning clusters affecting nine persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent foodborne diseases.

     The first cluster involved two males and four females, aged between 36 and 46, who developed abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and fever about 10 to 15 hours after having dinner at a restaurant in Mong Kok on August 28.
 
     The other cluster involved one male and two females, aged between 28 and 30, who developed similar symptoms about nine to 31 hours after having dinner at the same restaurant on the same day.

     Among the nine affected persons, five of them sought medical advice. Two of them required hospitalisation. The stool specimen of one affected person was positive for Vibrio parahaemolyticus upon laboratory testing. All patients are in stable condition.
 
     Initial investigations by the CHP revealed that the affected persons had consumed common food and the food concerned was clam in preserved fish sauce. The incident might have been caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

     Personnel from the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department conducted an inspection at the restaurant, took food sample for examination, and instructed the premises concerned to suspend the sale of relevant food as well as carry out cleaning and disinfection of the premises. The CFS has also provided health education related to food safety and environmental hygiene to the staff of the premises. The investigations of the CHP and the CFS 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.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesman for Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) made the following statement today (August 30) regarding an incident of a patient care assistant suspected to have been indecently assaulted:
      
     A patient care assistant (PCA) was suspected to have been indecently assaulted while preparing to measure blood pressure for a 69-year-old male patient in the emergency medicine ward on August 28. Upon receiving the report from the PCA, the hospital reported the incident to police officers at the scene immediately. A man was subsequently arrested by the Police in the ward.
      
     CMC is highly concerned about the incident. The hospital strongly condemns the suspected indecent acts against our staff, resolutely adopts a zero-tolerance attitude towards this incident, will follow up seriously and fully co-operate with the Police investigation. The hospital has expressed sympathy and provided support to the PCA concerned.
      
     The hospital has reported the incident to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.

     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, and Vice Mayor of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government Mr Luo Huanghao co-chaired the 11th meeting of the Joint Task Force on the Development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop in Shenzhen today (August 30).

     Professor Sun said at the meeting that the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone (Co-operation Zone), which consists of the Hong Kong Park and the Shenzhen Park, is one of the major co-operation platforms among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao under the 14th Five-Year Plan. The Hong Kong Park in the Loop (Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park) will be developed in two phases from west to east.  With the completion of the planning stage, the first phase has a total floor area of up to 1 million square metres and contains various clusters to establish a diverse innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystem with different industry themes, including life and health technology, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and industry, academic and research sectors.  The first three buildings in the first batch will be completed gradually from the end of this year.  The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to support the construction of the Hong Kong Park in the Loop, as well as the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited's (HSITPL) efforts in taking forward the relevant leasing and investment promotion work, with a view to promoting jointly with Shenzhen the unique advantages of "one zone, two parks" under the "one country, two systems" principle in the Co-operation Zone.

     "The HSITPL held the Partnership Launching Ceremony and signed Memoranda of Understanding with some 60 partners from nine economies in April this year.  With its strategic location, the Hong Kong Park in the Loop will become a key area of I&T development with the Mainland, which will help drive Hong Kong’s integration into national development.  Hong Kong will continue to join hands with Shenzhen to work out various innovative and cross-boundary facilitation measures for the benefit of our partners in the Hong Kong Park in the Loop and the local I&T industry," said Professor Sun.

     Both sides were briefed on the progress of I&T co-operation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and construction of the HSITP from the HSITPL, the progress of the supporting infrastructure in the Loop from the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), as well as the latest developments of the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone from the Development Authority of Shenzhen Park of the Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality. In addition, both sides exchanged views on the future development of the Co-operation Zone, as well as explored the construction of a cross-boundary footbridge.

     Other officials from the Hong Kong side attending the meeting today included the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Eddie Mak, and representatives from the Development Bureau; the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau; the Security Bureau; the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau; the Innovation and Technology Commission; the CEDD; the Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department. Officials from Shenzhen Municipality included representatives of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office; the Development and Reform Commission; the Education Bureau; the Science, Technology and Innovation Bureau; the Industry and Information Technology Bureau; the Justice Bureau; the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau; the Development Authority of Shenzhen Park of the Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen Municipality; and the People's Government of Futian District, as well as the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone Development Ltd.