The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (February 9) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Dortmund District in the State of Nordrhein-Westfalen in Germany, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from Dortmund District and its adjacent Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis District and Bochum District with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 470 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 1.06 million poultry eggs from Germany last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the German authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Government today (February 9) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 2pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tin Shui Wai (i.e. Shing Yin House, Tin Shing Court, Tin Shui Wai. See Annex) are required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at around noon tomorrow (February 10).
 
     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. As the sewage discharged from the above building was tested positive for COVID-19, it is suspected that there are asymptomatic patients in the building. Given the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, the Government decided to make a 'restriction-testing declaration' for the relevant area."
 
     The Government will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 10pm today. Arrangements will be made for persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to compulsory testing must stay at their place of residence until all test results are ascertained to avoid cross-infection risk. The Government will arrange for door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility and elderly persons.
 
     The Government spokesman said, "We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience to the public. The Government has made arrangements to carry out testing for all persons present in the 'restricted area' as soon as possible. The aim is to strive to complete testing of all identified persons subject to compulsory testing and confirm the results, and finish the exercise at around noon tomorrow. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration expires officially. In the cases in which employees are unable to go to work because of the declaration, the Government hopes their employers can exercise discretion and not deduct the salaries or benefits of the employees."
 
    If staying in the "restricted area" will cause unreasonable hardship to individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow that person to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. That person must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and leave his/her personal information for contact purposes.
 
     According to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 27 to February 9, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before February 11, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.
 
     The Government appeals to persons subject to compulsory testing for their full co-operation by registering and undergoing testing, and waiting for the results patiently at home. The Government will strictly follow up on whether the persons concerned have complied with the compulsory testing notices and "restriction-testing declaration". Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The Inland Revenue Department today (February 9) learned that a Clerical Assistant who works on the 12th floor of Revenue Tower has tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19.
 
     The officer felt unwell on February 7 and underwent testing for COVID-19 on the same day. She tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 today (February 9). The officer concerned is responsible for internal clerical work without the need to have contact with the public. She had worn masks and followed relevant disease prevention measures at work. She last worked in the office on February 7. There is no service counter for members of the public on the 12th floor.

     The department has completed a thorough cleaning and sterilisation on the 12th floor of Revenue Tower in accordance with the Centre for Health Protection's (CHP) advice, and will arrange for staff of that floor to undergo COVID-19 testing.

     During the COVID-19 epidemic, the department has been strictly implementing disease prevention measures. The department will continue to maintain close liaison with the CHP, co-operate with the CHP's quarantine arrangements and remind its staff to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant.

     The Government yesterday (February 8) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 8pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Sha Tin (i.e. Mei Fung House, Mei Lam Estate, Sha Tin, does not include Mei Lam Estate Property Services Management Office, Hong Kong Elite Athletes Association, Hong Kong Paralympic Committee & Sports Association for the Physically Disabled, Onesiphorus Mei Lam Church Ltd. and Shop No. 1-6 on G/F) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained.
 
     In addition, the Government had issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 23, 2022 to February 8, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before February 10, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons are also required to undergo testing.
 
     The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around noon today (February 9) and is now carrying out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" to verify that all people in the "restricted area" have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
 
     Starting from around noon today, persons in the "restricted area" in Sha Tin who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results as proof of having undergone testing may leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer.
 
     The Government set up temporary specimen collection stations in the "restricted area" yesterday and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to collect combined nasal and throat swab samples at the stations to undergo a COVID-19 virus test before 12am today. As at 12am today, around 2 670 persons had undergone testing. A total of eight preliminary positive cases from four households and seven preliminary positive cases from four households were found in Block A and Block B of Mei Fung House respectively. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will take follow up action.
 
     Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit 1 072 households, among which 74 households did not answer the door. The Government will take measures to follow up.
 
     The Government reiterates that enforcement actions will be taken seriously. Any person who fails to present an SMS notification with a test result as proof of having undergone testing breaches the compulsory testing notice and may be liable to a fine of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him/her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

  

     The Government exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" on February 7 with effect from 7pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Sham Shui Po (i.e. Fu Yuet House, Fu Cheong Estate, 19 Sai Chuen Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon.) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. The Government yesterday (February 8) extended the period of operation to today (February 9). Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises and undergo two tests under the designated arrangement until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained.
      
     In addition, those who have visited Fu Yuet House in the past two weeks for more than two hours should undergo testing on or before February 9, in accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued earlier. The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 8.30am today and carried out enforcement action in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 10.30am today.
      
     In this exercise, the Housing Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, and the Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office of the Department of Health mobilised 463 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
      
     The Government delivered meal boxes to persons subject to compulsory testing and provided simple food for them, including canned food and instant noodles, so as to facilitate the meal arrangements of persons subject to compulsory testing.
      
     The Housing Department set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
      
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 8.30am today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative test result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 10.30am. Test records of 688 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. No person was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
      
     The Government reminded the households who have not answered the door to contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
      
     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
      
     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.