In response to the Japanese Government's plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at Fukushima nuclear power station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt, and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on September 1 to noon today (September 4), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological level of 82 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the "aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt" category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS's thematic website titled "Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan" (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
     
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological tests. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD's website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
     
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly was detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO's website
 (www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological level of 1 593 samples of food imported from Japan (including 870 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 550 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (September 4) investigating a suspected food poisoning case involving two persons who had eaten porcini mushrooms.

     The case involves two female patients aged 37 and 52, who presented with abdominal pain, diarrhoea, dizziness, sweating, nausea and vomiting around one to two hours after having lunch with porcini mushrooms purchased in the Mainland earlier and cooked at home yesterday (September 3). They sought medical attention at the Accident and Emergency Department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital on the same day. They were in stable condition and were later discharged against medical advice.

     The CHP's investigation is ongoing.

     "Mushroom poisoning is generally acute. Common presentations include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain appearing shortly after ingestion. Depending on the mushroom species, patients may also have other symptoms like profuse sweating, hallucinations, comas or other neurological symptoms, as well as liver failure. Death may result in severe cases," a CHP spokesman said.

     "We advise the public to buy mushrooms from reputable and reliable suppliers and not to buy mushroom products which may be mixed with unknown species. Members of the public should not pick wild mushrooms for consumption as it is difficult to distinguish edible mushroom species from inedible ones. Mixing of edible species with inedible or poisonous species of mushroom will not dilute toxicity. Cooking in most cases does not destroy toxicity," the spokesman added.

     â€‹"If mushroom poisoning is suspected, the patient should seek immediate medical attention and bring along any available remnant for identification," the spokesman said.

     Police today (September 4) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Cheung Sha Wan.
      
     Zhang Diankuan, aged 77, went missing after he left his residence at the junction of Fuk Wing Street and Cheung Wah Street on September 2 morning. His family made a report to Police on the same day.
      
     He is about 1.6 metres tall, 65 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a long face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a black cap, a grey jacket, dark blue trousers, and carrying a black recycle bag.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

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 Octopus Cards Limited relating to fraudulent websites and phishing emails. The relevant stored value facility (SVF) licensee has reported the case to the HKMA. 
      
     The fraudulent websites and phishing emails reported by the SVF licensee known at the time are as follows:
hxxps://texasboomelite[.]com/g/cn
hxxps://quitosaludable[.]gob[.]ec/oct_en.html
hxxp://www[.]monre[.]gov[.]la/media/oen/
hxxps://www[.]pamainfissi[.]com/soft/cn/
hxxps://kipa[.]kebbistate[.]gov[.]ng/octopus_refund/banks/bank_cn
hxxps://kipa[.]kebbistate[.]gov[.]ng/octopus_refund/banks/bank_en
xksiki@uniwa[.]gr
admin@careerride[.]com
peterr@serenityoakswellness[.]com
 
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that anyone who has provided his or her personal information or account credentials, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the websites or emails concerned, should contact the relevant SVF licensee, and report to the Police or contact the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre of the Police at 18222.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital gave the following update today (September 4):
 
     Following a contact tracing investigation, one more male patient, aged 68, in the High Dependency Unit of the Department of Neurosurgery, was also identified as a carrier of Candida auris while not having signs of infection. He is in stable condition and is now being treated in isolation.
 
     The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patient 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 wards 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 patient. The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.