The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: As at 9am today (May 1), 15 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. Including a patient (case number: 11772) discharged ear… read more
​The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (May 1), Labour Day, expressed her gratitude to the labour sector for their enduring contributions to Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, pointing out that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government will continue to strive to create and stabilise employment and improve labour welfare to enhance labour protection. She also appealed to members of the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible so that society and the economy can return to normal as soon as possible, thereby providing more job opportunities.
In a video released on her social media platform, Mrs Lam said that the loyalty, hard work and stamina of Hong Kong’s labour force has all along been the cornerstone of the city’s success. Pointing out that over the past two years, Hong Kong’s economy has been hard hit by the violent riots and the epidemic, putting the labour market under pressure with the latest unemployment rate reaching 6.8 per cent, she said that the HKSAR Government has made every effort to create and stabilise employment through a series of measures. The measures include those worth more than $300 billion rolled out under several rounds of the Anti-epidemic Fund and the Budget to safeguard jobs and relieve people’s financial burden as far as possible.
Mrs Lam said that the Government is also committed to improving labour welfare and has implemented various rights that the labour sector had been fighting for continually for years. The rights include the extension of statutory maternity leave from 10 weeks to 14 weeks since last December and the extension of statutory paternity leave from three days to five days since January 2019. Moreover, the Government submitted a bill last month proposing the progressive increase of the number of statutory holidays from 12 days to 17 days to place it on par with that of general holidays. The Government will also continue to press ahead with the preparatory work in relation to the abolition of the offsetting arrangement under the Mandatory Provident Fund, including formulating relevant legal provisions and enforcement details with a view to submitting a bill to the Legislative Council at the beginning of the next legislative year.
On safeguarding employees’ occupational safety and health, Mrs Lam said that the Government has increased the levels of compensation for work injuries and occupational diseases under employees’ compensation-related ordinances starting in April this year, and that the Government also proposed legislative amendments to raise the maximum penalty for violating the laws on occupational safety and health in order to enhance the deterrent effect. The legislative amendments are expected to be completed within the current term of the Government.
Noting that controlling the epidemic is still the most important task at present, she appealed to members of the public to get vaccinated as early as possible to protect oneself and others, and enable society and the economy to return to normal as soon as possible. read more
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 0.00am, May 1, the CHP was investigating eight additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 11 783 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 11 782 confirmed cases and one probable case).
All newly reported cases are imported cases.
A total of 139 cases have been recorded in the past 14 days (April 17 to 30), including 29 local cases (including 1 possibly local) of which 15 are from unknown sources.
The CHP’s epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the list of buildings with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and the latest local situation of COVID-19 available on the website “COVID-19 Thematic Website” (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).
Meanwhile, the CHP reminded those who had visited specified venues under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to receive COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to the compulsory testing notice. The Regulation also requires all household members of close contacts of confirmed cases to undergo a COVID-19 nucleic acid test within a specified period according to compulsory testing notices published in the Gazette. The public are also urged to seek medical attention early if symptoms develop and undergo testing as soon as possible.
The Government has launched the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Members of the public are encouraged to get vaccinated. Details of the programme can be found at the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk).
The CHP called on members of the public to avoid going out, having social contact and dining out. They should put on a surgical mask and maintain stringent hand hygiene when they need to go out. The CHP strongly urged the elderly to stay home as far as possible and avoid going out. They should consider asking their family and friends to help with everyday tasks such as shopping for basic necessities.
The spokesman said, “Given that the situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and that there is a continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong.
“The CHP also strongly urges the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene, which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community. On a personal level, members of the public should wear a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, taking public transport or staying in crowded places. They should also perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes.
“As for household environmental hygiene, members of the public are advised to maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps). After using the toilet, they should put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs.”
Moreover, the Government has launched the website “COVID-19 Thematic Website” (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for announcing the latest updates on various news on COVID-19 infection and health advice to help the public understand the latest updates. Members of the public may also gain access to information via the COVID-19 WhatsApp Helpline launched by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. Simply by saving 9617 1823 in their phone contacts or clicking the link wa.me/85296171823?text=hi, they will be able to obtain information on COVID-19 as well as the “StayHomeSafe” mobile app and wristband via WhatsApp.
To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infections, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They are advised to:
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or doorknobs, or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
• Maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly (about once a week) pour about half a litre of water into each drain outlet (U-trap) to ensure environmental hygiene;
• After using the toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, performing hand hygiene with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub is an effective alternative;
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissues into a lidded rubbish bin, then wash hands thoroughly; and
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending class at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly. read more
​Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after attending a radio programme today (May 1):
Reporter: Is there any plan to extend the deadline for domestic helpers to get tested because many employers say they don’t have sufficient time to ask the helpers to get tested? Secondly, many migrant workers groups have complained that it is unjust to only ask foreign domestic helpers to get tested and vaccinated, how can you convince that this is not the case?
Secretary for Food and Health: First of all, as far as the compulsory testing of foreign domestic helpers is concerned, we have issued the compulsory testing notice which is effective until May 9. We are trying to give a longer time for testing because of the number of people involved. Also, if you noticed, there are two weekends. We want to facilitate the testing of foreign domestic helpers. On the other hand, it is important for us to increase the capacity of our testing to cater for compulsory testing for a large number of people. The Labour Department has already organised four mobile testing stations at the sites where there are lots of foreign domestic helpers gathering during the weekend. On top of the 21 community testing centres that we already have, we are also setting up, starting from today, a total of another ten mobile stations including those designated for foreign domestic helpers as well as to cater for the needs of other compulsory testing. We will continue to monitor the situation and see whether further adjustment is needed. For the community testing centres, we are also extending the opening hours to until 10pm instead of 8pm so as to cater for the needs of compulsory testing in the coming days.
Reporter: Migrant workers say it is unjust for them to be asked to get vaccinated……
Secretary for Food and Health: I think as far as migrant workers or foreign domestic helpers are concerned, it’s all really risk-based. In a very short time, we have already identified two foreign domestic helpers who have the variants of concern. Therefore, we think it is important for us to ask all foreign domestic helpers, as a very stringent, preventive and control measure, to do compulsory testing so that we can find out and identify the cases and prevent any outbreak. Any further outbreak would be detrimental to the current situation in Hong Kong. In order to protect the health and safety of people in Hong Kong, I think the prevention and control measures including compulsory testing, including quarantines and additional number of tests coupled with the stringent border control measures are really something we have to move ahead.
As far as vaccination is concerned, as I have said many times, it can protect us so that when we unluckily contracted COVID-19, the overall clinical situation would be less severe. I think in order to protect individuals and our family, vaccination is something that we should move ahead and get vaccinated. As far as the entire community is concerned, it is also important for us to build herd immunity so that everybody is being protected including those who can’t be vaccinated. So, this is a very important measure. There is no discrimination in the measures that the Government has recently come up with.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more
The Land Registry (LR) announced today (May 1) that compact discs for the 53rd edition of the Index of Streets, House Numbers and Lots in Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Kowloon (Street Index), and the 22nd edition of the New Territories Lot/Address Cross Reference Table (CRT) have been released. The discs facilitate searches of land records of urban and the New Territories properties by correlating property addresses, building names or lot numbers.
The new edition of the Street Index features 368 amendments to the last edition, with nine new streets and 29 new lots/sections/subsections added. In the latest edition of the CRT, 1 035 amendments have been made and 19 new streets and 690 new lots/sections/subsections have been added.
The new editions of the Street Index and CRT compact discs cost $370 each. Licences for using them on computer networks are also available for sale. The respective licence fees are $2,960 for computer networks linked to less than 50 terminals and $5,920 if linked to 50 terminals or more.
Members of the public who wish to purchase the compact discs and the licences may submit a completed order form by post or in person to the LR’s Customer Centre (19/F, Queensway Government Offices (QGO), 66 Queensway, Hong Kong) or the LR’s Street Index and CRT Help Desk (Unit 1202, 12/F, One Kowloon, 1 Wang Yuen Street, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon) or deposit it in the drop-in box located near the Information Counter on the Deck Floor of the High Block of QGO. The form can be obtained at the LR’s website (www.landreg.gov.hk), by fax by calling the customer service hotline at 3105 0000, or at the LR’s Customer Centre, the New Territories Search Offices and the Street Index and CRT Help Desk.
Given the latest situation of COVID-19, to achieve social distancing and to reduce the risk of the spread of the virus, members of the public are encouraged to obtain order forms online or by calling the customer service hotline and submit completed application forms by post or use the drop-in box as much as possible.
An online version of the new Street Index and CRT is also available for free browsing on the LR’s website (www.landreg.gov.hk) or through the hyperlink on the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services (www.iris.gov.hk).
For enquiries, please call the Street Index and CRT help desk or the Customer Service Manager of the LR at 3105 0000. read more