A 40-year-old woman was fined $3,500 by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (November 12) for violating the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J).

     The woman, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, failed to comply with the instruction of a requirement to undergo a specified test given by a prescribed officer before the deadline when a "restriction-testing declaration" was in force on January 26, 2021. She was charged with contravening section 19(E) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today to a fine of $3,500.

     Breaching a prescribed officer's requirement to undergo a specified test during the effective period of a "restriction-testing declaration" is a criminal offence, and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. A spokesman for the Department of Health said the sentence sends a clear message to the community that the Government will not tolerate such violations, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the regulations. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.

     A 40-year-old woman was fined $3,500 by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (November 12) for violating the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J).

     The woman, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, failed to comply with the instruction of a requirement to undergo a specified test given by a prescribed officer before the deadline when a "restriction-testing declaration" was in force on January 26, 2021. She was charged with contravening section 19(E) of the Regulation and was sentenced by the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today to a fine of $3,500.

     Breaching a prescribed officer's requirement to undergo a specified test during the effective period of a "restriction-testing declaration" is a criminal offence, and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. A spokesman for the Department of Health said the sentence sends a clear message to the community that the Government will not tolerate such violations, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the regulations. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (November 12) the key analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund at the end of October 2021.

     Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, increased during the month by HK$24.5 billion to HK$4,069.2 billion.

     The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government-issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$2,120.6 billion.

     Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$217.2 billion.

     The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).

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     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of November 2021, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) released today (November 12) the key analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund at the end of October 2021.

     Foreign assets, representing the external assets of the Exchange Fund, increased during the month by HK$24.5 billion to HK$4,069.2 billion.

     The Monetary Base, comprising Certificates of Indebtedness, Government-issued currency notes and coins in circulation, the balance of the banking system and Exchange Fund Bills and Notes issued, amounted to HK$2,120.6 billion.

     Claims on the private sector in Hong Kong amounted to HK$217.2 billion.

     The analytical accounts of the Exchange Fund are released in accordance with the International Monetary Fund's Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS) and are referred to as the Analytical Accounts of the Central Bank under SDDS (Annex).

*********************************************************

     At present, four press releases relating to the Exchange Fund's data are issued by the HKMA each month. Three of these releases are issued to disseminate monetary data in accordance with the SDDS. The fourth press release, on the Exchange Fund's Abridged Balance Sheet and Currency Board Account, is made in accordance with the HKMA's policy of maintaining a high level of transparency. For the month of November 2021, the scheduled dates for issuing the press releases are as follows:
 

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (November 12) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in uMlalazi Local Municipality and Ulundi Local Municipality of KwaZulu-Natal Province and Randfontein Local Municipality of Gauteng Province in South Africa, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong currently has an established protocol with South Africa for the import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, no poultry meat was imported from South Africa in the first nine months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the South African 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.