Tag Archives: China

     Correctional officers stopped three remand persons in custody from assaulting another remand person in custody at Pak Sha Wan Correctional Institution today (February 24).      At 7.18am today, … read more

     In response to media enquiries about a video being circulated on social media, in which outsourced cleansing workers were suspected of removing display bills posted by themselves in Nam Cheong Street, Sham Shui Po, a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (February 24) responded as follows:

     The FEHD is very concerned about, and is investigating, the incident. A preliminary investigation revealed that the four staff members involved were employed by an outsourced street cleaning service contractor. The FEHD has instructed the contractor to suspend the staff members concerned from carrying out their contractual duties until the investigation is completed.

     The spokesman reiterated that the department attaches great importance to the performance of contractors and the behaviour and conduct of their employees. The FEHD has immediately requested the contractor to submit a report on the incident. If the investigation confirms the incident, the FEHD will seriously hold the contractor liable in accordance with the contract, which may include the deduction of service fees, and record the incident as a considering factor for future service procurement. Moreover, the FEHD will refer the suspected falsification of records to the Police for follow-up.

     The spokesman said that the workers concerned are responsible for removing unauthorised display bills and posters in public places, and must take photos for record purposes. The FEHD has not set a minimum target for the number of bills and posters to be removed by the contractors.

     The FEHD will continue to closely monitor the contractor’s service performance to ensure compliance with the service contract requirements. read more

     The Anti-“Space Oil Drug” Week campaign, co-organised by the Narcotics Division (ND) of the Security Bureau and the Education Bureau (EDB), is being held in all schools in Hong Kong this week from February 24 to 28. The campaign aims to enhance the correct understanding among students of the harm of the “space oil drug” and strengthen their resolve to stay away from drugs. Diverse learning activities will be held in schools, including talks, anti-drug videos and drama shows, as well as dissemination of anti-“space oil drug” messages in class.
 
     A spokesperson from the ND said, “The EDB has produced and uploaded anti-‘space oil drug’ life event examples and a music video entitled ‘Building Our Dreams – Let’s Knock Drugs Out’, and has issued a circular informing schools of the relevant resources produced by various government departments for reference and deployment. The ND has also provided anti-‘space oil drug’ publicity materials to schools. Following the campaign, the Government will continue to incorporate knowledge about combating the ‘space oil drug’ in preventive education and publicity in schools. We also welcome schools to arrange visits for students to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Drug InfoCentre.”
 
     A spokesperson from the EDB emphasised, “The EDB has always attached importance to the cultivating of correct values and positive life attitudes among students, guiding them to practice lawful and appropriate behavior, and establishing healthy lifestyles. We encourage schools to teach students to stay away from the ‘space oil drug’ through learning activities of the campaign, and work together to protect our next generation from the harm of drugs. We also urge teachers, school social workers and parents to work hand in hand. If they notice any signs of drug use among students, they should refer the students to suitable counselling and treatment programmes.”
 
     Action Committee Against Narcotics member Dr Rizwan Ullah, who is also an education worker, agreed that schools must take actions to remind students of the harm of the “space oil drug” and educate students in ways to resist drug temptations in schools. Dr Ullah said, “Drug problems may appear in any school, and the school sector must take the initiative to deal with it. The Anti-‘Space Oil Drug’ Week provides an opportunity for schools to intensively educate their students about the harm of drugs and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I noticed that some schools are actively holding activities under the campaign, and also joining hands with others in the community to safeguard schools from drugs. Indeed, everyone can make a contribution to the anti-drug cause.”
 
     Students or others who face issues related to the “space oil drug” or have other drug problems can contact professional social workers for information or assistance through WhatsApp or WeChat at 98 186 186, or call the 24-hour hotline at 186 186.

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     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (February 24) reported the latest number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease (LD), and reminded the public of the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, adding that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.

     From February 16 to 22, the CHP recorded two community-acquired LD cases. The details of the cases are as follows:
 

1. A 71-year-old male patient with underlying illnesses living in Sha Tin District; and
2. A 70-year-old female patient with underlying illnesses living in Eastern District.

     The CHP is conducting epidemiological investigations to identify potential sources of infection, high-risk exposure and clusters, if any.

     As of February 22, 19 LD cases had been recorded this year. In 2024 and 2023, there were 135 and 121 LD cases respectively.

     Men, people aged over 50, smokers, alcoholics and persons with weakened immunity are more susceptible to LD. Some situations may also increase the risk of infection, including poor maintenance of water systems; living in areas with old water systems, cooling towers or fountains; using electric water heaters, whirlpools and spas or hot water spring spas; and recent stays in hotels or vessels.

     Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpools and spas, water fountains and home apparatus that support breathing. People may become infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems, or when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.

     Immunocompromised persons should:
 

• Use sterile or boiled water for drinking, tooth brushing and mouth rinsing;
• Avoid using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices; and
• If using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices, fill the water tank with only sterile or cooled freshly boiled water, and not water directly from the tap. Also, clean and maintain humidifiers/devices regularly according to manufacturers’ instructions. Never leave stagnant water in a humidifier/device. Empty the water tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and change the water daily. 

     
     The public should observe the health advice below:
 

• Observe personal hygiene;
• Do not smoke and avoid alcohol consumption;
• Strainers in water taps and shower heads should be inspected, cleaned, descaled and disinfected regularly or at a frequency recommended by the manufacturer;
• If a fresh-water plumbing system is properly maintained, it is not necessary to install domestic water filters. Use of water filters is not encouraged as clogging occurs easily, which can promote growth of micro-organisms. In case water filters are used, the pore size should be 0.2 micrometres (µm) and the filter needs to be changed periodically according to the manufacturer’s recommendations;
• Drain and clean water tanks of buildings at least quarterly;
• Drain or purge for at least one minute infrequently used water outlets (e.g. water taps, shower heads and hot water outlets) and stagnant points of the pipework weekly or before use;
• Seek and follow doctors’ professional advice regarding the use and maintenance of home respiratory devices and use only sterile water (not distilled or tap water) to clean and fill the reservoir. Clean and maintain the device regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After cleaning/disinfection, rinse the device with sterile water, cooled freshly boiled water or water filtered with 0.2 µm filters. Never leave stagnant water in the device. Empty the water tank, keep all surfaces dry, and change the water daily; and
• When handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes: 

1. Wear gloves and a face mask;
2. Water gardens and compost gently using low pressure;
3. Open composted potting mixes slowly and make sure the opening is directed away from the face;
4. Wet the soil to reduce dust when potting plants; and
5. Avoid working in poorly ventilated places such as enclosed greenhouses.

     â€‹â€‹The public may visit the CHP’s LD page, the Code of Practice for Prevention of LD and the Housekeeping Guidelines for Cold and Hot Water Systems for Building Management of the Prevention of LD Committee, and the CHP’s risk-based strategy for prevention and control of LD. read more

     The 15th National Games Triathlon Test Event will be held at the Central Harbourfront and Victoria Harbour on March 1 and 2.

     A total of around 110 athletes from the Mainland, Hong Kong, and Macao will compete in the men’s individual, women’s individual, and mixed relay events. The women’s individual and men’s individual races are scheduled for 8am and 10.30am respectively on March 1, while the mixed relay race will take place at 2pm on March 2. The starting point of the races will be located at the waterfront of the Wan Chai Temporary Promenade. Athletes will first complete the swimming segment, followed by the cycling segment, and finally the running segment. The cycling route will pass by Golden Bauhinia Square, and the running route will mainly loop around the Central Harbourfront Promenade, passing by several iconic Hong Kong landmarks, with the finish line located at the Central Harbourfront Event Space.

     Individual athletes will complete a 0.75km swim, a 20km bike ride and a 5km run. For mixed relay race, a team is composed of four athletes (two men and two women), and each athlete needs to complete a 0.3km swim, an 8km bike ride and a 1.8km run.

     To prepare for and facilitate the test event, from February 26 to March 2, special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in phases on the following road sections in Central and Wan Chai districts.

1. Road closures

(i) From 10am on February 26 to 6pm on March 2, the section of Expo Drive between Legislative Council Road and Expo Drive Central will be temporarily closed;

(ii) From 5am to 8am on February 28, intermittent road closures will be implemented by the Police in the vicinities of Central Harbourfront and Wan Chai North (including Lung Wo Road, Yiu Sing Street, Lung Hop Street, Expo Drive, Expo Drive Central, and Expo Drive East); and

(iii) From 2am to 2pm on March 1 and from 8am to 6pm on March 2, road closure measures will be implemented in the road sections mentioned in (ii) above. Affected motorists should divert via Fleming Road, Connaught Road Central, Harcourt Road or Gloucester Road as appropriate.

2. Public transport arrangements

     â€‹During the road closure measures being implemented from 2am to 2pm on March 1 and from 8 am to 6 pm on March 2, four bus routes traversing the affected road sections will be subject to temporary diversions via Fleming Road (cross-harbour bus route nos. 104 and 961) or Connaught Road Central (Citybus route nos. H1 and H2). At the same time, the terminal point of cross-harbour bus route no. 961 at Expo Drive East will be temporarily relocated to Harbour Road outside Wan Chai Swimming Pool, and the bus stop of Citybus route no. H1 at Expo Drive East near Golden Bauhinia Square will also be temporarily suspended.

     Members of the public are advised to make use of public transport services as far as possible to avoid traffic congestion and unnecessary delays. During the event, the Transport Department (TD) and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation. The Police may adjust the traffic arrangements subject to the prevailing crowd and traffic conditions in the areas. Members of the public should pay attention to the latest traffic news through radio, television or the “HKeMobility” mobile application.

     For details of the special traffic and transport arrangements for the triathlon test event, members of the public may refer to the TD’s relevant notice (www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_13/TDN%20-Triathlon%20Test%20Event%20-%20eng%20v3.pdf), its mobile application “HKeMobility”, passenger notices issued by the relevant public transport operators, and the press release on the special traffic arrangements for the test event issued by the Police (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202502/24/P2025022400395.htm). 
 
     A spokesperson for the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) said, “The test event will be organised in accordance with the requirements of the National Games and will differ from previous international competitions held in Hong Kong in terms of the competition events, routes and difficulty. This test event will also mark the first time the Central Harbourfront Event Space is being used as the finish line, with the race route passing through a number of iconic landmarks in Hong Kong, showcasing the city’s beauty and unique characteristics to the entire nation. Members of the public and travellers are advised to take note of the special traffic arrangements during the test event and plan their journeys in advance.”

     For more information on the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games in Hong Kong, please visit the thematic website (www.2025nationalgames.gov.hk/en/index.html), as well as the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/2025nationalgames.hk) and Instagram page (www.instagram.com/2025nationalgames.hk). read more