Tag Archives: China

     The Department of Health (DH) today (May 25) announced that a total of 15 persons were sentenced by the Magistrates’ Courts in the past week (May 18 to 24) for violating the Prevention and Control of Disease Regulation (Cap. 599A).

     The 15 cases involved 11 men and four women aged between 20 and 67. They were sentenced to imprisonment for up to 14 days, suspended for 12 months, or a fine of up to $10,000 by the Magistrates’ Courts.

     The DH will continue its actions against those who have breached the relevant regulations earlier. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The Hospital Authority (HA) today (May 25) published the biannual issue of Medication Safety Bulletin (MSB). This issue highlights the annual medication safet… read more

     The Transport Department (TD) reminded the public today (May 25) that the HKeToll will be implemented at Lion Rock Tunnel from 5am this Sunday (May 28). Motorists can drive through the toll plaza without having to stop or queue at toll booths for payments. All manual toll booths and Autotoll lanes will be cancelled.
   
     To tie in with the implementation of the HKeToll, temporary traffic arrangements will be implemented in phases in the vicinity of Lion Rock Tunnel starting from 10pm on May 27. Both directions of Lion Rock Tunnel and the slip roads leading to Lion Rock Tunnel on both-bounds of Lung Cheung Road will be closed from 4.30am to 5am on May 28 to facilitate the works to close the toll booth facilities, amend traffic signs and road markings, etc. Traffic signs and road markings will be provided on site to guide motorists. Five overnight bus routes (N170, N182, N271, N281 and N373) and six overnight New Territories green minibus routes (61S, 63S, 65S, 501S, 616S and 805S) will be diverted. Please refer to Annex 1 for the above-mentioned traffic and transport arrangements.
 
    In addition, the TD reminds that vehicle owners who have used the Tsing Sha Control Area (Eagle’s Nest Tunnel, Sha Tin Heights Tunnel and Tai Wai Tunnel) without paying the toll after the implementation of the HKeToll must pay the toll within 14 business days after passing through the tunnel. The vehicle owner should immediately log on to the HKeToll website (hketoll.gov.hk) or mobile app to check and pay the outstanding toll, either by credit card, by following the instructions to generate a QR code to either pay via the Faster Payment System or at 7-Eleven convenience stores by cash. Payments of outstanding tolls can also be made at the four customer service centres and four service outlets.
 
    Motorists should note that late payments will incur a surcharge of $175, and that the maximum penalty for evading tolls is a fine of $5,000 (per trip), and the license of the vehicle concerned will not be renewed.
 
    If vehicle owners need assistance, they can browse the HKeToll website, call the 24-hour customer service hotline 3853 7333, or visit the four customer service centres, four service outlets, two car park service counters, and consultation counters located at the designated MTR stations and the Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in the New Territories District Offices. The locations and service hours of the above-mentioned facilities are shown in Annex 2.
   
     As of May 24, more than 740 000 vehicle tags had been issued, accounting for over 91 per cent of licensed vehicles in Hong Kong, of which about 80 per cent of vehicle owners had opened HKeToll accounts. With the progressive implementation of the HKeToll in Government tolled tunnels, the TD once again appeals to vehicle owners to complete the three steps for HKeToll service as soon as possible: (1) install a vehicle tag, (2) open an HKeToll account and (3) set up an automatic payment means, so as to fully enjoy the convenience of the HKeToll.
 
     Following Lion Rock Tunnel, the HKeToll will be implemented at the three road harbour crossings. Details and the exact date will be announced later.

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     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Thursday, May 25, 2023 is 103.4 (up 0.3 against yesterday’s index). read more

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 25) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay, see Note 2).
 
     Twenty beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 17 as Fair (Grade 2) and three as Poor (Grade 3).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:          

Cafeteria New Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Repulse Bay Beach*
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach*	Shek O Beach*
Chung Hom Kok Beach	South Bay Beach*
Clear Water Bay Second Beach*	St. Stephen’s Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach*	Tai Po Lung Mei Beach*
Hap Mun Bay Beach*	Tong Fuk Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach*	Trio Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

Grade 2 beaches are:

Anglers’ Beach*	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Approach Beach	Kadoorie Beach*
Big Wave Bay Beach*	Kwun Yam Beach
Butterfly Beach*	Lido Beach*
Casam Beach*	Lower Cheung Sha Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Pui O Beach*
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Silver Mine Bay Beach*
Discovery Bay	Stanley Main Beach*
Golden Beach*

 
Grade 3 beaches are:

Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach*	Ting Kau Beach*
Silverstrand Beach*

     Compared with the grading released last week, Silver Mine Bay Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2. Golden Beach, Kwun Yam Beach and Stanley Main Beach have been changed from Grade 1 to Grade 2, and Ting Kau Beach from Grade 2 to Grade 3.
 
     “The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches,” an EPD spokesman said.
 
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
 
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
 
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666.
 
Note 1: Lifeguard services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 22 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from May 1.
 
Note 2: Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service. read more