Police today (January 4) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Hung Hom.

     Yeung Kam-mun, aged 52, went missing after he left an elderly home on Lok Shan Road, Hung Hom on December 31, 2020 afternoon. A staff member of the elderly home made a report to Police on January 2.

     He is about 1.6 metres tall, 67 kilograms in weight and of fat build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a blue long-sleeved shirt, black trousers and blue slippers.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8036 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (January 4), 44 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 8 055 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.
 
     At present, there are 691 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 259 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 728 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 23 public hospitals and a community treatment facility, among which 50 patients are in critical condition, 45 are in serious condition and the remaining 633 patients are in stable condition.
 
     The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.
 
     Details of the above-mentioned patients are as follows:
 

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 4) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Spree-Neiße District, State of Brandenburg in Germany; a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Å�Ä™czyÅ„ski District, Lubelskie Region in Poland; and a notification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Gifu Prefecture in Japan, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
      
     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, in the first nine months of last year, Hong Kong imported about 2 500 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 880 000 poultry eggs from Germany; about 9,900 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 21.32 million poultry eggs from Poland; and about 50 tonnes of chilled poultry meat, about 4 300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 200 million poultry eggs from Japan.
      
     "The CFS has contacted the German, Polish and Japanese authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     An employer was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay an employee wages and the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer pleaded guilty earlier at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts and was fined a sum of $50,000 today (January 4).  
      
     The employer failed to pay an employee wages totalling $35,000 as required by the EO, and the awarded sum of about $36,000 within 14 days after the date set by the LT.
      
     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay wages to employees within the time limit stipulated in the EO and the awarded sums as ordered by the LT or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the LD said.
      
     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     A 56-year-old male person in custody who was found unconscious in Hei Ling Chau Correctional Institution died in a public hospital today (January 4).

     At 9.16am today, the person in custody suddenly felt physical discomfort inside the dining hall and was immediately sent to the institution hospital for examination. During the course of examination by the institution medical officer, he was found unconscious. First aid treatment was immediately applied and a helicopter was called to send him to a public hospital for further rescue. His condition deteriorated and he was certified dead at 10.43am today.

     The case has been reported to the Police. A death inquest will be held by the Coroner's Court.

     The person in custody, who had a drug abuse history of more than 30 years, was sentenced to imprisonment for the offence of trafficking in a dangerous drug in May 2015.