The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (April 30) urged the public to enhance their vigilance against upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) as increasing number of URTI outbreaks in schools has been recorded recently.
 
     The CHP has recently received increased reports of institutional URTI outbreaks. A total of 51 URTI outbreaks affecting 361 persons were reported in the past two weeks (April 18 to 29), compared to six URTI outbreaks affecting 48 persons recorded in the previous two weeks (April 4 to 17). Majority of the outbreaks occurred in kindergartens/child care centres (74.5 per cent), followed by primary schools (21.6 per cent); and two outbreaks involving a special child care centre and a special school respectively.
 
     A spokesman for the CHP said, "Young children, the elderly and patients with chronic diseases are prone to respiratory tract infection and its complications. As schools are collective assembly places, infectious diseases could easily spread among people through their daily contacts."
 
     The CHP today issued letters to schools and doctors to appeal for heightened vigilance and appropriate actions. To prevent outbreaks of respiratory tract infections including COVID-19, it is of prime importance that children with fever, regardless of the presence of respiratory symptom, should not be allowed to attend school. They should wear a mask and consult doctors promptly. Schools should check the body temperature of all students every day when they arrive at school so as to identify students with fever. Moreover, staff should also check their temperature before work every day. Students and staff with fever or respiratory illnesses should not go to school and seek medical attention immediately. Doctors are also urged to remain vigilant and arrange testing for respiratory infections for all patients presenting with acute respiratory symptoms.
 
     "The symptoms of URTI and other respiratory infections, including influenza and COVID-19, could be similar. It could be difficult to differentiate them clinically. Therefore, testing of COVID-19 at an earlier stage to facilitate earlier case detection is crucial in coping with the COVID-19 epidemic. The CHP has earlier adopted the most stringent precautionary measures that schools will be required to suspend class immediately for five days if there is a URTI outbreak in the school. All staff and students of the school concerned will also be issued with a compulsory testing order for testing of COVID-19 so as to identify the infected persons as early as possible and minimise the risk of transmission in schools and the community," the spokesman said.
 
    Meanwhile, the public should maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses:
 

• Receive a seasonal influenza vaccination for personal protection;
• Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
• 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;
• Avoid touching one's eyes, mouth and nose;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
• When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
• Cover the nose and mouth with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards; 
• Maintain good indoor ventilation;
• 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; and
• Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

 
     Members of the public, particularly children, the elderly and those with chronic diseases, should wear a face mask and consult a doctor promptly if they develop symptoms of respiratory tract infection.
 
     Information on seasonal influenza vaccination can be found at the website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/100632.html). The Government has also launched the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, eligible persons can learn more about the programme at the designated website (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk).

     The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been implemented for the 64th day since February 26, 2021.
 
     So far, about 1 413 600 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered for members of the public (please see Annex 1). Among them, about 916 300 persons have received their first dose, with about 430 300 persons receiving the Sinovac vaccine and about 486 000 persons receiving the BioNTech vaccine. About 497 400 persons have received their second dose, with about 310 700 persons receiving the Sinovac vaccine and about 186 700 persons receiving the BioNTech vaccine.
 
     In the last 24 hours ending at 8pm today (April 30), about 35 900 persons have received vaccination and about 21 900 new vaccination bookings have been made online, detailed as follows:
 
(i) About 6 500 persons received their first dose of the Sinovac vaccine, including about 3 000 persons vaccinated at Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) and about 3 500 persons at private doctors and clinics participating in the programme;
 
(ii) about 5 800 persons received their second dose of the Sinovac vaccine, including about 4 600 persons vaccinated at CVCs and about 1 200 persons at private doctors and clinics;
 
(iii) about 12 600 persons received their first dose of the BioNTech vaccine at CVCs, and about 11 000 persons received their second dose of the BioNTech vaccine;
 
(iv) the overall percentage of people who have received the Sinovac vaccine at CVCs is about 96 per cent; while the overall percentage of people who have received the BioNTech vaccine at CVCs is about 96 per cent; and
 
(v) about 5 000 persons have made online bookings for receiving their first and second doses of the Sinovac vaccine, while about 16 900 persons have made online bookings for receiving their first and second doses of the BioNTech vaccine.
 
     In the last 24 hours ending at 0.00am today, there were six cases of ambulance transfers to hospitals. Among them, three persons were discharged and three persons were admitted for observation (please see Annex 2).
 
     As background information, in the last 24 hours ending at 0.00am today, there were 43 cases of stroke or myocardial infarction that required admission to the Intensive Care Unit, Acute Stroke Unit and Cardiac Care Unit of public hospitals. The state of new cases admitted to the wards concerned is provided as a cross reference to enhance fuller public understanding of cases of the kind recorded on vaccine recipients.

     â€‹The opening ceremony for the 20th anniversary of the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department was held tonight (April 30) at the Grand Theatre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. The ceremony was followed by the premiere of the 4K digitally restored version of "The Valiant Ones" (1975), which marked the opening of the 20th anniversary celebration screening programme "Treasure-Hunt Stories".
 
     Officiating guests at the ceremony included the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mr Vincent Liu; the donor of the Tai Ping Theatre's artefacts, Ms Beryl Yuen; and the film donor of "Days of Being Wild" (midnight screening version), Mr Gordon Fung.
 
     Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Liu said that with its mission of preserving Hong Kong's cinematic culture, the HKFA is dedicated to collect, conserve and restore Hong Kong films and related materials. Mr Liu thanked various members of the society, especially the film industry, for their generous donations to the HKFA that have helped preserve Hong Kong's cinematic culture.
      
     He added that film restoration plays a vital role in preserving Hong Kong's film heritage. In recent years, the HKFA has invested its efforts in film digitalisation projects, sharing the results with the public through its screening programmes. 
 
     Today's ceremony also premiered a promotional video specifically made for the HKFA 20th anniversary starring the emerging actor, Terrance Lau. Another video that was filmed last month showed the donation from movie star Rebecca Pan of the award statuette of Best Supporting Actress at the 28th Golden Horse Awards, and the letter of honour of Best Supporting Actress at the 36th Asia-Pacific Film Festival.
 
     The opening film of "Treasure-Hunt Stories", the 4K digitally restored version of "The Valiant Ones", is the first 4K digital restoration project carried out by the HKFA. Self-funded by director King Hu, "The Valiant Ones" is a wuxia masterpiece that tells of a famous general in the Ming dynasty fighting against marauding Japanese pirates with a band of lionhearted warriors. The film carries the classic signature of Hu in its martial arts choreography and aesthetics.
 
     Hu deposited the film's negatives with the HKFA in 1996 for permanent storage. Scratches were found, and the following year, the HKFA digitally restored the negatives. Compared with the first digitally restored version, the version shown during tonight's screening is of a quality much closer to the condition of the film's original release.
 
     â€‹To mark its 20th anniversary, the HKFA is presenting from today until December "Treasure-Hunt Stories", with the theme of "acquisition and sharing", screening 36 archival gems collected between 1992 and 2012.
 
      Apart from "Treasure-Hunt Stories", the HKFA has organised a stream of programmes for celebration including the exhibition "Out of the Past – From the Tai Ping Treasure Trove" that will be held from May 28 to October 17 at the HKFA Exhibition Hall. The exhibition will showcase over 100 paper items donated by Ms Yuen, the third-generation owner of the Tai Ping Theatre. A free-admission fun day will also be held on May 29 at the HKFA for the public to join a variety of exciting activities. For programme enquiries, please call 2739 2139 or visit www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en_US/web/hkfa/20a-programmes.html.
 
       Situated at 50 Lei King Road, Sai Wan Ho, the HKFA first started operation on January 3, 2001, housing a cinema, an exhibition hall, a resource centre, film vaults and restoration laboratories. In addition to its mission of preserving film heritage through the acquisition and restoration of film prints, the HKFA has also forged ahead in research, publications, screenings, exhibitions and various other activities, introducing the riches of Hong Kong's cinematic heritage to film lovers and the general public. Since its establishment, the HKFA has collected over 1 million film artefacts locally and overseas. The HKFA is a member of the International Federation of Film Archives.

        

     The Government yesterday (April 29) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Tung Chung (i.e. Tower 11, Carmel Cove, Caribbean Coast, 1 Kin Tung Road, Tung Chung) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. As at 3am today, around 950 persons subject to compulsory testing had collected combined nasal and throat swab samples at the temporary specimen collection stations set up in the "restricted area" to undergo a COVID-19 virus test. The exercise finished at around 7.30pm today. The test results of all persons subject to compulsory testing were negative. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).

     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Islands District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 310 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration.

     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agency for their hard work to arrange for implementation of the declaration within a very short period of time. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing. 

     Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from April 16 to 29, 2021, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing on or before May 1. The Government reminds relevant persons to receive COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to the compulsory testing notice.
          
     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, at "Why Invest in Hong Kong: Current Opportunities" Webinar today (April 30):

Laura (Chairman of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Mrs Laura Cha), Christopher (Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui), Tony (Chairman of the Asian Academy of International Law, Dr Anthony Neoh), distinguished panellists, ladies and gentlemen,

     It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the second webinar in the "Why Hong Kong" series. Triggered by a comment from a media, the Asian Academy of International Law has taken the initiative to organise an event entitled "Why Hong Kong is Irreplaceable". Thereafter the "Why Hong Kong" series is organised monthly, starting with "Why Arbitrate in Hong Kong" last month, and today, "Why Invest in Hong Kong: Current Opportunities".

     The legal services in Hong Kong is not just about dispute resolution as some may perceive. Since 2018, extra efforts have been made in promoting Hong Kong as a deal-making hub in the light of the opportunities rendered under the Belt and Road Initiative and the Greater Bay Area. Dispute resolution services are but a corollary to deal making for the simple reason that it is inevitable that transactions, unfortunately, tend to generate disputes. As the shift of the global economy is without a doubt moving to Asia, disputes should be dealt with inside the region, preferably where the transactions took place, for reasons of costs and efficiency and importantly the understanding of the culture. 

     Today we focus on deal making and the financial services that accompany it. The two areas of law and finance are in fact closely intertwined. Corporate governance, capital raising and legal compliance are essential to any commercial activity. The backing of a solid rule of law and regulatory framework is important to the reliability and vibrancy of financial markets.

     Law does not exist in a vacuum, nor does it solely exist in the ivory tower for academics to pour over. The law in its origin exists in order to be practised and observed in the real world. It provides a legal order for all by which a fair, open and transparent market economy can thrive.

     It is with these two points in mind – the law only exists in practice, and the law and finance are intertwined – that our target audience and speakers are not only lawyers, but also those engaged in business and finance. Today's speakers are here to discuss, from a user perspective and with their abundant experience on capital and financial markets, on why they see Hong Kong as a platform to invest in, and through.

     The regulatory and legal compliance of any deal or financial transaction necessitate the support of mature international legal services. The legal system has to be such that investors can be satisfied of the legal certainty and predictability of the laws, in particular that in the commercial area, and that there are checks and balances to ensure a level playing field.

   Hong Kong practices common law under the "one country, two systems" policy which is constitutionally backed by the Basic Law. Our common law system is open, transparent, rule-based, and independent. The case law developed here also provides a business friendly, certain and predictable legal framework for investors and the international business community.

     One extremely important facet of the common law is the independence and strength of our judiciary, which is highly regarded and internationally recognised. Hong Kong cases are cited in overseas jurisprudence from time to time, which speaks volumes on the confidence of the global legal community in the integrity and quality of Hong Kong's judicial system. As the Chief Justice notes: 

     "An independent judiciary is essential to the rule of law in Hong Kong and the due administration of justice. It is equally crucial to public and business confidence – whether local or overseas – in our judicial system, as well as to the international reputation of Hong Kong as a society that is governed by the rule of law under the 'one country, two systems' arrangement."

     Hong Kong's judicial independence is evidenced by the solid infrastructure that is primarily laid down in the Basic Law, and judgments rendered are well reasoned and publically available for all to see. Judicial independence is taken seriously in Hong Kong. As Lord Sumption, a former Judge of the United Kingdom Supreme Court and a Non-Permanent Justice of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal noted in a statement published in The Times: 

     "The permanent judiciary of Hong Kong is completely committed to judicial independence and the rule of law. Successive chief justices have made this clear in public statements. These statements are not just lip service. They represent the convictions of experienced, courageous and independent-minded judges." 

     The Department of Justice is also committed to promoting and upholding the rule of law. By launching the "Vision 2030 for Rule of Law" initiative ("Vision 2030"), we aim to promote the better and proper understanding of the rule of law, fair and inclusive societies, access to justice and furthering the Department's mission of "Rule of Law and Justice for All". One of the important projects of "Vision 2030" is the collection of objective data which will enable us to better understand how these data, together with the culture of the region (both social and legal cultures) may influence on the subjective perception of citizens on the rule of law. This, we believe, will help solidify the proper understanding of how the rule of law is practised and hence to improve on it as necessary. 

     While we are not dealing with dispute resolution today, it is worth noting that mediation and arbitration are both widely practised in Hong Kong. In 2015, Hong Kong was ranked the third most preferred seat worldwide just behind London and Paris. Whilst there is some minor fluctuation in 2018, Hong Kong remains in the top five most preferred seats of arbitration in the world. The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre has been consistently ranked first for location, value for money, helpfulness of staff and IT services by the Global Arbitration Review's Hearing Centres Surveys from 2013 to 2020. As to mediation, apart from the Mediation Ordinance, Hong Kong is the first Asian jurisdiction to enact the Apology Ordinance which helps foster the culture of amicable dispute resolution and dispute avoidance.

     Returning to deal making, the objective data shows that Hong Kong is a unique platform. For example, Hong Kong's Initial Public Offering market has ranked number one in the world in seven of the last 12 years, and in 2020 alone 398 billion Hong Kong dollars were raised in the Hong Kong IPO market. Last year, Hong Kong ranked number two, just after NASDAQ, raising some US$51 billion, which is an increase of over 25 per cent from 2019. The numbers also reflect our strong legal fraternity in providing the necessary legal services. We have over 1 500 practising barristers and 10 000 practising solicitors in Hong Kong. There are also more than 85 foreign law firms and 1 500 registered foreign lawyers in Hong Kong as well, and of a course a pool of financial talents. As Eddie Yue, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority said in his keynote in the "Why Hong Kong is Irreplaceable" webinar, "talent always follows the money".

     Hong Kong is indeed irreplaceable because we have the solid legal and financial infrastructure, business opportunities unique under the "one country, two systems" policy, and a pool of talents with a diverse background and outlook.

     Looking forward, the Department of Justice has been working closely with the Mainland, creating more unique opportunities for Hong Kong and reinforcing our strengths discussed above. We are hopeful that there will be some good news soon. Indeed, the next webinars "Why use Hong Kong Law", and "Why Invest in Hong Kong: a Look to the Future", are not to be missed.

     Finally, let me thank the convenors and speakers for sharing their unique insights and first-hand experience on the ground in Hong Kong so that myths may be dispelled, confidence reinforced, and opportunities seized. Thank you very much.