The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (May 18), four COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 11 535 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.
 
     At present, there are 626 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 149 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 50 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 15 public hospitals and the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, among which two patients are in critical condition, one is in serious condition and the remaining 47 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.
 
     The case numbers of the discharged, critical and serious patients are as follows:
 

     Hong Kong Customs conducted a four-week joint operation with Mainland and Macao Customs from April 19 to yesterday (May 17) to combat cross-boundary counterfeiting activities among the three places and with goods destined for overseas countries. During the operation, Hong Kong Customs seized about 28 000 items of suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $2.9 million.

     The three Customs administrations stepped up inspection of goods across the three places and destined for North America, Europe and Japan during the first joint operation this year to effectively curb cross-boundary counterfeit goods transshipment activities. The suspected counterfeit goods seized by Hong Kong Customs included mobile phones and accessories, leather products, clothes and footwear.

     Hong Kong Customs will continue to work closely with Mainland Customs, Macao Customs and overseas law enforcement agencies to combat cross-boundary counterfeit goods transshipment activities vigorously through intelligence exchanges and joint enforcement actions.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

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

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by OCBC Wing Hang Bank Limited relating to a fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     Two restaurants in Yuen Long, namely Block 18 Doggie's Noodle on Kin Yip Street and Forgetmenot Sweet Heart on Fung Kam Street, illegally discharged wastewater into a communal storm drain. They were fined a total of $16,000 by Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (May 18) for contravening the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) mounted an operation against illegal discharge of wastewater by restaurants in Yuen Long last October and revealed that the restaurants concerned discharged substandard wastewater into an open nullah. EPD staff took wastewater samples for analysis and the results showed that the concentration of oil and grease exceeded the statutory standard by 25 times and 10 times respectively. The department subsequently initiated prosecution against the operating companies of the restaurants in accordance with the WPCO. 

     An EPD spokesman said that the department has been very concerned about the illegal discharge of wastewater into Yuen Long Nullah, which polluted the downstream water quality and caused an odour nuisance to the residents. EPD staff have conducted investigations frequently on suspected polluting sources to prevent illegal discharges of wastewater, with a view to improving the water quality of the nullah.

     The spokesman reminded all restaurant operators that they must install and use appropriate wastewater treatment facilities, such as grease traps, to remove the oil and grease from wastewater. They should also clean those facilities regularly and maintain their effective operation, and avoid wastewater from discharging into the river channel or the sea via the communal storm drainage system and pollute the environment. Under the WPCO, it is an offence for anyone to discharge wastewater into the communal drainage system. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' imprisonment. A maximum fine of $400,000 and six months' imprisonment may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions.

     The Government will introduce the Medical Registration (Amendment) Bill 2021 into the Legislative Council (LegCo) to create a new pathway for admission of qualified non-locally trained doctors who are Hong Kong permanent residents to practise in Hong Kong.
 
     A spokesperson for the Food and Health Bureau (FHB) said today (May 18), "There is a severe shortage of doctors in Hong Kong to meet the increasing demand for public healthcare services amidst the ageing population. According to the Healthcare Manpower Projection 2020 conducted by the FHB, the shortage of doctors will not only remain in the years to come but also become more acute with the projected shortfall of doctors reaching 1 610 and 1 949 in 2030 and 2040 respectively. We thus see an imminent case to create a new pathway under the Medical Registration Ordinance for qualified non-locally trained doctors to obtain full registration in Hong Kong as an alternative to the current pathway of passing the Licensing Examination, subject to certain criteria being met."
 
     The Bill stipulates that in order to be eligible for full registration in Hong Kong, a non-locally trained doctor has to fulfil certain criteria, including:
 
(a) he/she is a Hong Kong permanent resident; 

(b) he/she holds a recognised medical qualification awarded by a non-local medical school and possesses medical registration in any place where the non-local medical schools concerned are located; 

(c) he/she has been engaged in full-time employment as a medical practitioner with special registration in any of the public healthcare institutions (i.e. the Hospital Authority (HA), the Department of Health and the medical schools of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong) for at least five years after obtaining specialist qualification; and 

(d) he/she is considered by the employing healthcare institutions to have served satisfactorily and competently as a medical practitioner during the period of five years (or more). 

     Under the new pathway, a Hong Kong permanent resident possessing a recognised medical qualification on the list as well as medical registration in any place where the medical schools awarding recognised medical qualifications are located will be eligible for special registration in Hong Kong, provided that he/she has a full-time job offer as a medical practitioner from any of the public healthcare institutions and he/she is of good character and has good professional conduct. Prior to applying for full registration, a medical practitioner with special registration must have obtained a specialist qualification recognised by the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine (HKAM) and been subsequently engaged in full-time employment as a medical practitioner with special registration in the public healthcare institutions for at least five years and passed the on-the-job assessment.

     For the purpose of determining the list of recognised medical qualifications awarded by non-local medical schools, the Bill also stipulates that a statutory Special Registration Committee (SRC) be established, comprising the Director of Health (DoH) or his/her representative, the Chief Executive of the HA or his/her representative, the Chairman of the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK), the President of the HKAM, the Deans of the two local medical schools, and not more than four other persons to be appointed by the Chief Executive (including three MCHK members and one other person).
 
     The SRC will determine the list of recognised medical qualifications in an objective, independent and transparent manner, taking into account the medium of instruction and the curriculum of the medical programmes concerned, international rankings of the relevant non-local medical schools, and any other aspects deemed appropriate. The list of recognised medical qualifications determined by the SRC will be submitted to the Registrar of Medical Practitioners (i.e. the DoH) direct for promulgation by legal notice to enhance objectivity and transparency and provide more information for parents and students to make informed decisions on their further studies. The list will be reviewed once every three years.
 
     The Bill will be gazetted on Friday (May 21), and will then be introduced into LegCo on June 2.
 
     For details of the Bill, please visit the FHB's website (www.fhb.gov.hk/en/press_and_publications/otherinfo/210500_amendments_mro/index.html).