The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident that happened in Ta Kwu Ling this morning (May 25) in which a man died.
                               
     The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation to look into its cause.

     The Labour Department (LD) is investigating a fatal work accident that happened in Ta Kwu Ling this morning (May 25) in which a man died.
                               
     The LD immediately deployed staff to the scene upon receiving a report of the accident, and is now conducting an investigation to look into its cause.

     Four vehicle owners, whose vehicles were involved in illegal waste disposal in Ping Che, New Territories, were convicted and fined a total of $8,000 at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (May 25) for contravening the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation. In addition to these four convictions, 13 other cases of the same kind that happened at the same location have been scheduled for hearings in the Fanling Magistrates' Courts.

     A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) said that the department has been concerned about some public places, such as remote kerbsides or laybys, in the rural areas of the New Territories easily becoming illegal waste disposal sites. In December last year, the EPD installed two sets of surveillance camera systems with a night vision function at a fly-tipping black spot at the roadside of Ng Chow Road in Ping Che, North District, in order to step up monitoring and deterrence against illegal waste disposal, and to assist in evidence collection and prosecution. The waste deposited at this site, including some large-sized commercial and industrial (C&I) waste, not only created obstruction to passages, but also caused environmental hygiene problems.
 
     In addition to the installation of surveillance camera systems at various black spots, the EPD also displayed banners in the district to remind the public that anyone who engages in fly-tipping contravenes the law and may be prosecuted. The spokesman called on all sectors, especially members of the logistics and construction industries, to dispose of waste in accordance with relevant laws. The logistics sector and the C&I sector may contact recyclers to collect C&I waste with reusable or recycling value, while non-recyclable waste should be delivered to refuse transfer stations or landfills.

     According to the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, it is an offence to dispose of waste on the streets or in public places from vehicles, including goods vehicles, private cars and motorcycles. The registered vehicle owners concerned may be prosecuted. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $25,000 and six months' imprisonment on first conviction.

  

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 25) that in view of a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Nidzicki District of WarmiÅ„sko-mazurskie Region in Poland, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 2 920 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 12.06 million poultry eggs from Poland in the first three months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Polish authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     The Immigration Department (ImmD) today (May 25) said that in relation to a person who had visited the Fo Tan Office of ImmD and had subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, the Government exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) and published in the Gazette a compulsory testing notice, which requires any person who had been present at the relevant office for more than one hour on April 30 or May 11 to undergo COVID-19 nucleic acid testing. The office had suspended service today and public services of the office will be resumed tomorrow (May 26).

     The person concerned approached the office for registration and collection of an identity card on April 30 and May 11, and briefly stayed there for less than 20 and five minutes, respectively. In accordance with the CHP's advice, the ImmD had conducted a thorough cleaning and sterilisation at the office, and had arranged all staff of the office to undergo COVID-19 testing. Members of the public who have appointments at the Fo Tan Office may consider proceeding to the office in the days ahead, or other Registration of Persons Offices for identity card applications or other branch offices for travel document applications without the need to make another appointment. Information on the address and working hours of other Registration of Persons Offices and other branch offices can be obtained at www.immd.gov.hk/eng/contactus/address.html. For enquiries during the closure of the office, please contact the ImmD by calling the enquiry hotline 3521 6565 (for identity card related enquiries) or 2852 3045 (for travel document related enquiries) during office hours.

     During the situation of COVID-19 infection, the department has been strictly implementing various disease prevention measures, including measuring the body temperature of and providing alcohol-based handrub to all persons before their entry into the building, providing employees with masks and other protective equipment, requiring employees to wear masks when performing duties, and stepping up cleaning and sterilising measures for the working environment.
 
     The department will continue to maintain close liaison with the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) and co-operate with the CHP's quarantine arrangements. It has also reminded its staff to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant. Staff have been reminded to seek medical advice and inform the department as soon as possible if feeling unwell.