Police today (May 28) appealed to the public for information on a woman who went missing in Hung Hom.

     Ying Yuek-lan, aged 84, went missing after she left her residence on Man Tai Street on May 26 night. Her family made a report to Police on the next day.
    
     She is about 1.5 metres tall, 50 kilograms in weight and of medium build. She has a round face with yellow complexion and short black curly hair. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, black trousers and black shoes, and carrying a black shoulder bag and a long grey umbrella.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing woman or may have seen her is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8038, 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:

     The spokesperson for Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) made the following announcement today (May 28) regarding an incident of improper handling of patient data:
 
     A research staff member of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) under the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology attended a ward round and observed a surgery with department staff in QMH on May 17. During this time, he took photos without permission. Two days later, six of the photos were posted to his social media platform, including those taken in a ward and operating theatre as well as a document showing the name, identity card number, gender, age and brief operation details of seven patients. The research staff removed the post from social media the next day.
 
     On May 26, the hospital was informed of the incident and contacted the HKUMed immediately. Representatives of QMH and the HKUMed met with the staff member and his supervising professor afterwards. The research staff member deleted all 13 photos in his mobile phone, which were taken without permission, on site as witnessed by his supervisors.
 
     The hospital is concerned about the incident and has reported the case to the Hospital Authority Head Office through the Advance Incident Reporting System. The incident was reported to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, Hong Kong. The hospital has contacted all the affected patients to disclose the incident. Meanwhile, staff and research fellows of the HKUMed are reminded of the need for prudent handling of patients' personal data and ensuring strict compliance with the guidelines. Related training has to be provided in order to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future. A joint panel will also be set up with the HKUMed to investigate this incident.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital made the following announcement today (May 28):
 
     Three male patients (aged 82 to 99) of a medical ward have been confirmed as carriers of Multi-drug Resistant Acinetobacter since May 12. Two of the patients had been discharged earlier. The remaining patient is currently under medical surveillance and isolation treatment with stable condition.
 
     Following the activation of the Emergency Response Level in public hospitals, the visiting arrangement for the ward has been suspended. The following enhanced infection control measures have been adopted according to established guidelines:
 

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

 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation in the ward concerned. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson of Kwai Chung Hospital made the following announcement today (May 28):
 
     Four patients (one male and three females, aged from 12 years to 16 years) of a child and adolescent ward had presented with respiratory symptoms since May 24. Appropriate viral tests had been arranged for the four patients and their test results were positive for Human Rhinovirus/Enterovirus. The patients concerned are being treated under isolation with stable condition.
 
     Admission to the ward has been suspended. Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines:
 

1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned;
2. Enhanced medical surveillance of the patients and staff in the ward concerned; and
3. Applied stringent droplet and contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients.

 
     The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 27) seized about 33 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $90 million and a duty potential of about $63 million in Yuen Long and Sheung Shui. The amount of illicit cigarettes seized in this smuggling case has broken Customs' records in the past two decades.

     During an anti-illicit cigarette operation conducted in Yuen Long and Sheung Shui yesterday, Customs officers intercepted two container trucks in Lau Fau Shan and Sheung Shui and seized about 22 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the two containers. After an initial investigation, Customs officers intercepted another container truck at a container yard in Lau Fau Shan and further seized about 11 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the container.

     During the operation, Customs officers arrested three men, aged between 49 and 64, and detained three containers suspected to be in connection with the case.

     An investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source and the flow of the illicit cigarettes. The likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out. 

     Together with the seizures in this case, Customs has so far this year seized about 186 million suspected illicit cigarettes, which has reached 90 per cent of last year's total seizure amount. 

     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multi-pronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to combat illicit cigarette activities.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).