The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     â€‹The spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made the following announcement today (March 4):
      
     A 90-year-old male patient in a medicine and geriatrics ward was found to be a carrier of Candida auris through screening on March 1 without signs of infection. In accordance with the prevailing guidelines, PMH conducted contact tracing and found six more male patients in the same ward carrying Candida auris (aged 56 to 86) without signs of infection. One patient has been discharged. One patient is in serious condition due to his underlying disease. The remaining four patients are now being treated in isolation. One of them was transferred to North Lantau Hospital for treatment earlier, and all of them are in stable condition.
      
     The ward concerned has adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:
      

1. Enhanced patient and environmental screening procedures;
2. Applied stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients; and
3. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned.

      
     The hospital will continue the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow up.   

     â€‹Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) hosted the Women's Health & Tech Forum 2025 today (March 4), bringing together distinguished speakers from the Government, academia, and the private sector to explore the intersection of technology and women's health. The forum featured comprehensive sessions and media opportunities covering policy initiatives, clinical research translation, and ecosystem development, attracting key stakeholders from Hong Kong's rapidly evolving health sector.
      
 Government's strategic vision for advancing women's health

     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has positioned health innovation as a key driver of new quality productive forces in Hong Kong, with a clear vision to develop the city into an international health and medical innovation hub. Through comprehensive reforms in drug and medical device approval mechanisms, enhanced clinical trial capabilities, and accelerated research translation, the Government is creating a robust foundation for innovation in crucial sectors including women's health.
      
     The Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee, stated, "The HKSAR Government is committed to complementing technological innovation with institutional innovation, developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub. As we move forward, we must continue to prioritise health and well-being of people in our innovation agenda. This requires collaboration across sectors – Government, academia, healthcare providers, and the private sector – all working together to address unmet needs and create sustainable and scalable solutions. Together, we can harness technology to improve health outcomes, empower women, and build a healthier society for all."
      
InvestHK's pivotal role in fostering innovation
      
     Hong Kong's growing prominence in health technology is supported by InvestHK's strategic initiatives to attract and facilitate innovative companies. The agency's comprehensive approach combines with Hong Kong's world-class infrastructure development, talent pool, and comprehensive ecosystem, developing Hong Kong as a leading health tech hub.
      
     The Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, Ms Alpha Lau, commented, "As a global innovation and technology hub, Hong Kong is leveraging cutting-edge technologies and world-class expertise to advance women's healthcare. With the global femtech market expected to grow substantially, InvestHK is dedicated to attracting pioneering solutions to strengthen the healthcare ecosystem in Hong Kong and across Asia."
      
Advancing women's health through academic-government collaboration
      
     Primary healthcare has become the backbone of Hong Kong's public health initiatives. A significant development announced at the forum was the collaboration between the District Health Centre and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) to introduce post-natal health services within the primary healthcare framework, showcasing how academic-government partnerships can effectively serve the unmet needs in local communities.
      
     The Commissioner for Primary Healthcare, Dr Pang Fei-chau, emphasised, "Primary healthcare has become the foundation of our public health initiatives, bringing essential services closer to the community through the District Health Centre Scheme. The Government has launched the Life Course Preventive Care plan. Based on the core principles of prevention-oriented and whole-person care, a personalised preventive care plan will be formulated according to the latest evidence to establish healthy lifestyle patterns and raise self-health management awareness among citizens of different age groups, thereby improving the overall health of the population, providing accessible and coherent healthcare network services, and establishing a sustainable healthcare system."
      
     The Chairperson of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the CUHK, Prof Liona Poon, highlighted, "This collaboration helps address the unmet needs in post-natal health, which represents a significant step forward in women's healthcare delivery. This partnership combines the CUHK's pioneering clinical expertise with the Government's community outreach capabilities. Through this integrated approach, we can better support women's health needs at the community level."
      
Driving innovation in women's health tech

     Hong Kong's health tech ecosystem continues to attract and nurture innovative companies addressing critical women's healthcare needs. WomenX Biotech Limited, a Hong Kong-based start-up inventing non-invasive HPV test using menstrual blood, and EveryBaby, an Irish health tech company specialising in preterm birth prevention through cervical tissue analysis, exemplify how both local and international companies are leveraging the city's advantages to advance women's health technologies.

     The Founder of WomenX Biotech Limited, Dr Choi Pui-wah, shared, "The city's research capabilities and clinical resources have been crucial in developing our technology for early disease detection. Hong Kong's supportive ecosystem has enabled us to transform monthly menstrual blood collection into a powerful tool for women's health monitoring."

     The CEO of EveryBaby, Mr Dabriel Choi, added, "We chose Hong Kong as our Asian headquarters because of its strong healthcare foundation and strategic position for entering the Mainland China market. The ecosystem here facilitates meaningful partnerships between start-ups, researchers, and healthcare providers, which is essential for developing and validating our innovative preterm birth prevention technology."

A hub for women's health innovation

     The Women Health & Tech Forum 2025 has effectively demonstrated Hong Kong's commitment to advancing women's health through technology. By fostering collaboration between the Government, academia, and the private sector, and by leveraging the city's strengths in life and health science, Hong Kong is establishing itself as a leading hub for women's health innovation. This commitment to combining technological and institutional innovation aligns with the Government's broader vision of developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub, creating impact both locally and across the region.

          

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     The Marine Department today (March 4) reminded masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of vessels navigating in Hong Kong waters to proceed at a safe speed and exercise extreme caution because restricted visibility of less than 2 nautical miles has been reported.

     Appropriate sound signals shall be made when underway or at anchor. All vessels must comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea.

     Also, when radar is used without the benefit of adequate plotting facilities, the information obtained from the equipment is rather limited and should be construed
     accordingly.

     Visibility reports are broadcast by the Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) on VHF channels 02, 12, 14, 63 and 67.

     In the event of an accident, a report shall be made immediately to the VTC at Tel: 2233 7801.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:

     The Marine Department today (March 4) reminded masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of vessels navigating in Hong Kong waters to proceed at a safe speed and exercise extreme caution because restricted visibility of less than 2 nautical miles has been reported.

     Appropriate sound signals shall be made when underway or at anchor. All vessels must comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea.

     Also, when radar is used without the benefit of adequate plotting facilities, the information obtained from the equipment is rather limited and should be construed
     accordingly.

     Visibility reports are broadcast by the Vessel Traffic Centre (VTC) on VHF channels 02, 12, 14, 63 and 67.

     In the event of an accident, a report shall be made immediately to the VTC at Tel: 2233 7801.

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (March 4) said that in order to assist grave sweepers and alleviate crowd conditions, the opening hours of columbaria under the FEHD will be extended to 7am to 7pm during the Ching Ming Festival period (i.e. from March 15 to April 13). The department appealed to grave sweepers to avoid grave-sweeping activities during the peak period on the day of the Ching Ming Festival (April 4), and pay tribute to ancestors over a wider period before and after the festival.

     The FEHD also reminded grave sweepers to pay attention to special traffic and transport arrangements implemented during the Ching Ming Festival. Except for permitted vehicles, all vehicles are prohibited from entering FEHD cemeteries and columbaria while the special traffic and transport arrangements are in operation. Details of the special traffic and transport arrangements in the vicinity of cemeteries and columbaria are available on the Transport Department website (www.td.gov.hk). In addition, the escalator adjacent to the Cape Collinson-San Ha Columbarium has been opened for public use.

     As heavy usage of joss paper burners (JPBs) at the Tsang Tsui Columbarium and the Cape Collinson-San Ha Columbarium are expected during the peak sweeping period, no walk-in queuing for the JPBs will be allowed at both columbaria on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the above-mentioned Ching Ming Festival period. Members of the public are required to make an advance online appointment via the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/cc/notice.html) or obtain a queue ticket on-site on the day of their visit at the two columbaria. For details of the JPB arrangements, please visit the FEHD website.

     Choosing a green burial allows the environment to thrive and love to endure. Members of the public can register their wishes for a green burial through the Green Burial Central Register (www.greenburial.gov.hk). The registration is simple and free of charge. Members of the public can also pay tribute to their loved ones through the Internet Memorial Services webpage (www.memorial.gov.hk) and its mobile application. During the Ching Ming Festival, a Green Burial – Love Living On exhibition will be held on the G/F of Tsang Tsui Columbarium. All are welcome to visit free of charge. Throughout the exhibition period, a food kiosk will be set up to provide food and beverages for sale.