Tag Archives: China

     Two red tides were sighted over the past week, the Inter-departmental Red Tide Working Group reported today (August 23).

     The first red tide was spotted by a mariculturist on August 22 at Sai Kung Kau Sai Fish Culture Zone. Another red tide was spotted at Sai Kung Public Pier today by staff of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). Both red tides still persist. No associated fish deaths have been reported as of today.

     A spokesman for the working group said, “The above red tides were formed by Levanderina fissa, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters and non-toxic.”

     The AFCD urged mariculturists at Kau Sai, Ma Nam Wat, Leung Shuen Wan, Tai Tau Chau, Tiu Cham Wan and Kai Lung Wan fish culture zones to monitor the situation closely and increase aeration where necessary.

     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The AFCD’s proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public. read more

     Hong Kong Customs conducted a nine-day special operation between August 14 and 22 to combat the online sale of game circumvention devices and infringing game consoles. A total of eight suspected circumvention devices, 640 sets of suspected infringing game consoles, about 200 SD cards containing suspected infringing games and a batch of computer equipment, with an estimated market value of about $1 million, were seized in the operation.

     Through carrying out cyber patrols and conducting analyses by a big-data analytics system, Customs earlier found that sellers were utilising online social platforms and online marketplaces to sell suspected game circumvention devices and suspected infringing game consoles. After an in-depth investigation, and with the assistance of the copyright owner, Customs officers disguised as customers to conduct online test purchases, and took enforcement action. A commercial unit in Kwun Tong and a residential unit in Tsuen Wan were raided, and the batch of suspected game circumvention devices and suspected infringing game consoles were seized. Customs officers from the Computer Forensic Laboratory were also summoned to the scene to support the operation. Through on-site digital examination, more than 1 000 suspected infringing games were found on two computers connected with external storage media, which were used to process infringing games. 

     During the operation, two men, aged 28 and 41, were arrested. They were suspected of violating the Copyright Ordinance. One of the arrestees was charged with the offence of breaching the conditions of stay, while the other arrestee was released on bail pending further investigation. 

     The investigation is ongoing.

     Customs urges members of the public to obtain games through official channels if they wish to run the games on game consoles legitimately. Consumers should respect intellectual property rights and refrain from purchasing circumvention devices, modified gaming consoles, or infringing games. Circumvention devices or modified game consoles may be connected to unknown websites linking to computer viruses or malicious programs, which could cause irreparable consequences for users.

     Customs reminds that game programming, regardless of new or old versions, is protected by the Copyright Ordinance. Selling infringing games or circumvention devices, or providing circumvention services, is a serious offence. Members of the public are urged not to defy the law. 

     Under the Copyright Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses an infringing copy of a copyright work with a view to selling it commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 per infringing copy and imprisonment for four years. Any person who, for the purpose of a circumvention business, or in the course of a circumvention business, sells or lets for hire a relevant device, or provides relevant service in order to allow circumventing an effective technological measure which has been applied in relation to a copyright work, is liable to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for four years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected infringement activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

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     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) raided an unlicensed food factory in Causeway Bay during a blitz operation yesterday (August 22). A spokesman for the FEHD appealed to the public not to order lunch boxes from unknown sources. 

     Acting on intelligence collected, the FEHD conducted a blitz operation yesterday, successfully raiding an upper floor unit on Lee Garden Road, Causeway Bay, which was suspected to be used as an unlicensed food factory. During the operation, the FEHD arrested one person and initiated prosecution procedures for suspected operation of a food factory without a licence and dirty food premises, and disposed of about 30 kilograms of food (including lunch boxes ready for delivery). Additionally, the case has been referred to relevant departments for action regarding the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas cylinders and open-fire cooking at the unlicensed food factory, which posed a safety hazard to the public.

     The spokesman said, “It is believed that the unlicensed food factory provided lunch boxes to persons working in the district by distributing promotional leaflets and receiving orders by phone.” The spokesman reminded members of the public that poor hygiene conditions of unlicensed food factories may pose health risks. Improper storage and use of fuel and the lack of fire prevention equipment also endanger the lives of neighbours. When ordering lunch boxes through the Internet or phone, members of the public should make sure that the food manufacturing premises hold a valid food business licence issued by the FEHD to safeguard food safety and hygiene. Licensed food premises are required to exhibit a sign, at a conspicuous place near the main entrance, indicating that the premises have been licensed. Licensed food premises providing food delivery services shall provide the licence information legibly on the printed promotional materials for the knowledge of the public. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD’s website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/list_licensed_premises.html).

     The FEHD will continue to take stringent enforcement action against unlicensed food business to safeguard food safety and public health. Under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), anyone operating a food factory without a licence commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     Members of the public can report any suspected illegal food business activities by calling the FEHD hotline 2868 0000.

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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) today (August 23) announces the root cause analysis report of a previous sentinel event:

     A 61-year-old male patient with tetraplegia, who requires feeding with a nasogastric tube, has been admitted to an Orthopaedic ward of QEH since June 2023. A nurse carried out the routine change of the patient’s nasogastric tube at noon on June 16, 2024, and made an appointment for a chest X-ray examination to confirm the position of the nasogastric tube. While the patient was waiting for the chest X-ray examination, another nurse re-examined the patient and decided to reinsert the nasogastric tube, and resumed formula milk feeding afterwards. The patient’s condition suddenly deteriorated on the early morning of June 18. Doctors immediately performed resuscitation and arranged a bronchoscopy examination for the patient. It was revealed that the nasogastric tube was misplaced into his left-sided bronchus. The patient is now in the Intensive Care Unit in critical condition.

     A Root Cause Analysis Panel was set up to investigate the incident. The Panel completed the investigation and submitted the report to the Hospital Authority Head Office. The Panel opined that after reinserting the nasogastric tube, the nurses complied with the prevailing guideline to collect aspirated fluid samples for pH test and verified the position of the nasogastric tube by auscultation. The first nurse also made an appointment for a chest X-ray examination for the patient. The result of the pH test at that time was “equal to or less than 5.5”, which misled the nurse into believing that the tube was located in the stomach which had an acidic pH value according to the guideline, and feeding of formula milk was then resumed.

     The Panel reviewed the clinical records, and believed that the tip of the nasogastric tube might have passed through the bronchus and entered the left pleural cavity. Coincidently, the patient had pneumonia in the left lung with the presence of infected pleural effusion in the left pleural cavity. The acidic test result at that time might have been a “false-positive” result, which was highly uncommon.

     In addition, the Panel reviewed the findings of the chest X-ray examination conducted after the nasogastric tube was inserted, and found that the chest X-ray image could not fully show the tip of the nasogastric tube. The on-duty intern did not have sufficient clinical experience to interpret the position of the nasogastric tube, and could not detect the malposition of the nasogastric tube. The Hospital agrees with the Panel that training and supervision of interns should be strengthened, and that the healthcare team has the responsibility to review the clinical judgment of interns when handling high-risk patients to minimise clinical risks.

     The Panel made the following recommendations:
 

1. The HA should review the existing guidelines on inserting nasogastric tubes, including widening the use of chest X-ray examination to confirm the position of nasogastric tubes, in view of the possibility of “false-positive” results of pH tests;
2. Enhance training and guidance for interns in interpreting findings of chest X-ray examinations;
3. Improve the system to ensure case doctors review X-ray examination results of high-risk patients; and
4. Set the standard specifications for chest X-ray examinations required for confirming the position of nasogastric tubes to ensure the quality of chest X-ray images. 

     
     The Hospital accepts the recommendations of the Panel, and will review the clinical guidelines on verifying the position of the nasogastric tube in collaboration with the Hospital Authority Head Office. QEH has met with the patient’s family to explain the report and apologise. QEH will continue to closely communicate with the patient’s family and provide necessary assistance.

     The hospital also expresses gratitude to the Panel. The membership of the Panel is as follows:

     Chairperson:
     Dr Tang Kam-shing
     Hospital Chief Executive, Kwong Wah Hospital

     Members:
     Dr Fong Wing-chi
     Chief of Service, Department of Medicine, QEH

     Ms Li Wah-chun
     Cluster General Manager (Nursing), Kowloon Central Cluster

     Dr Leung Chi-shing
     Consultant, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Caritas Medical Centre

     Mr Yip Chun-ki
     Department Operations Manager, Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital

     Ms Chiu So-yan
     Manager (Patient Safety and Risk Management), Hospital Authority read more

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, met with the visiting Prime Minister of Djibouti, Mr Abdoulkader Kamil Mohamed, at Government House today (August 23) to exchange views on issues of mutual interest. The Under Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Dr Bernard Chan, and the Commissioner for Belt and Road, Mr Nicholas Ho, also attended the meeting.
      
     Mr Lee welcomed the Prime Minister’s visit to Hong Kong. Mr Lee said that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong has the distinctive advantage of enjoying strong support of the country and being closely connected to the world, and is the only city in the world that enjoys both the China advantage and the global advantage. He also said that Hong Kong, as a major international financial centre and the world’s largest offshore Renminbi business hub, is an ideal place for Belt and Road companies and projects to raise funds, and could contribute to the economic development and co-operation of Djibouti and other African countries.
      
     Noting that there is potential to further deepen the economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and Djibouti, Mr Lee said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government looks forward to strengthening exchanges with the government of Djibouti, with a view to exploring more business opportunities for companies of both places.
      

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