The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients confirmed to be carriers of Multi-drug Resistant Acinetobacter (MDRA) in medical wards, the spokesperson for Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital gave the following update today (May 14):
 
     In accordance with the prevailing guidelines, the hospital commenced contact tracing and confirmed one more patient of a medical ward, an 81-year-old female, as a carrier of MDRA. The 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 wards has been suspended. The following stepped-up infection control measures have been adopted according to the established guidelines:
 
1. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2. Application 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 wards concerned. The case has 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 Judiciary:

     The Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, will visit Beijing from May 18 to 21 at the invitation of the Supreme People's Court.

     While in Beijing, Chief Justice Cheung will meet with the President of the Supreme People's Court, Chief Justice Zhou Qiang, visit the Intellectual Property Court of the Supreme People's Court and Beijing Internet Court, and hold discussions on issues including technology application and judicial exchanges. He will also pay courtesy calls to the General Office, the Legislative Affairs Commission and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Basic Law Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Justice and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

     This is Mr Justice Cheung's first visit to Beijing since he assumed office as the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal. Chief Judge of the High Court, Mr Justice Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor, Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of the High Court, Madam Justice Carlye Chu Fun-ling and Judiciary Administrator, Ms Esther Leung Yuet-yin, will join the visit.

     The delegation will depart for Shenzhen in the evening of May 17 before going to Beijing in the morning of the following day, and will return to Hong Kong in the evening of May 21.

     During Chief Justice Cheung's absence from Hong Kong, Permanent Judge of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Justice Roberto Alexandre Vieira Ribeiro, will be the Acting Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal.

     The Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre Community Vaccination Centre in Central and Western District required urgent repair, due to the loosening of ceiling support frames, at around 3pm today (May 14). Vaccination service at the vaccination centre was consequently suspended. After urgent repair, the ceiling problem was fixed and vaccination service resumed at around 4.30pm.

     During the suspension of service, some 200 members of the public were affected. The Government apologises to them for any inconvenience caused.

     The Government announced today (May 14) that the quarantine and testing arrangements for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in Taiwan will be adjusted.
      
     Currently, persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in places in China (the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan), whether arriving at Hong Kong via the airport or land boundary control points, are subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine at home if they did not return under the Return2hk Scheme. The compulsory home quarantine period for fully vaccinated persons can be reduced to seven days, with a subsequent seven-day self-monitoring period and compulsory testing on the 12th day of arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     In view of the worsening local epidemic situation in Taiwan with an increasing trend in the number of confirmed cases, in order to achieve the objective of preventing the importation of cases, the Government will gazette the relevant revised specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to require all persons who have stayed in Taiwan on the day of arrival at Hong Kong or during the 14 days before that day to undergo compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels starting from May 16, while home quarantine will no longer be allowed, so as to minimise the chance of the virus entering the community.
      
     The relevant persons have to present at boarding the confirmation of a room reservation in a designated quarantine hotel in Hong Kong. Upon arrival at Hong Kong, they will still be subject to the "test-and-hold" arrangement at the airport. Upon confirmation of negative test results, they will then be required to board the designated transport arranged by the Government to proceed to the designated quarantine hotels for compulsory quarantine.
      
     Persons subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine are required to undergo three tests during quarantine, and undergo compulsory testing on the 16th and 19th day of their arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     Fully vaccinated persons subject to a seven-day compulsory quarantine are required to undergo two tests during quarantine, self-monitor for the subsequent seven days, and undergo compulsory testing on the 12th day of their arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     As for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in Taiwan and are already in Hong Kong under home quarantine, the Government will gazette a compulsory testing notice to require them to undergo compulsory testing after the completion of home quarantine. Persons arriving at Hong Kong between May 6 and May 15 and subject to the 14-day compulsory home quarantine are required to undergo compulsory testing on the 16th and 19th day of their arrival at Hong Kong, and fully vaccinated persons arriving on or after May 12 and subject to the seven-day compulsory home quarantine are required to undergo compulsory testing on the 12th day of their arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     A Government spokesman said, "The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation, including the developments of the epidemic situation locally and in different places, vaccination progress, and changes in the volume of cross-boundary passenger traffic, and will adjust the boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from places with different risks when necessary."

     The Government announced today (May 14) that the quarantine and testing arrangements for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in Taiwan will be adjusted.
      
     Currently, persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in places in China (the Mainland, Macao and Taiwan), whether arriving at Hong Kong via the airport or land boundary control points, are subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine at home if they did not return under the Return2hk Scheme. The compulsory home quarantine period for fully vaccinated persons can be reduced to seven days, with a subsequent seven-day self-monitoring period and compulsory testing on the 12th day of arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     In view of the worsening local epidemic situation in Taiwan with an increasing trend in the number of confirmed cases, in order to achieve the objective of preventing the importation of cases, the Government will gazette the relevant revised specifications under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to require all persons who have stayed in Taiwan on the day of arrival at Hong Kong or during the 14 days before that day to undergo compulsory quarantine in designated quarantine hotels, while home quarantine will no longer be allowed, so as to minimise the chance of the virus entering the community.
      
     The relevant persons have to present at boarding the confirmation of a room reservation in a designated quarantine hotel in Hong Kong. Upon arrival at Hong Kong, they will still be subject to the "test-and-hold" arrangement at the airport. Upon confirmation of negative test results, they will then be required to board the designated transport arranged by the Government to proceed to the designated quarantine hotels for compulsory quarantine.
      
     Persons subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine are required to undergo three tests during quarantine, and undergo compulsory testing on the 16th and 19th day of their arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     Fully vaccinated persons subject to a seven-day compulsory quarantine are required to undergo two tests during quarantine, self-monitor for the subsequent seven days, and undergo compulsory testing on the 12th day of their arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     As for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in Taiwan and are already in Hong Kong under home quarantine, the Government will gazette a compulsory testing notice to require them to undergo compulsory testing after the completion of home quarantine. Persons arriving at Hong Kong between May 6 and May 15 and subject to the 14-day compulsory home quarantine are required to undergo compulsory testing on the 16th and 19th day of their arrival at Hong Kong, and fully vaccinated persons arriving on or after May 12 and subject to the seven-day compulsory home quarantine are required to undergo compulsory testing on the 12th day of their arrival at Hong Kong.
      
     A Government spokesman said, "The Government will continue to closely monitor the situation, including the developments of the epidemic situation locally and in different places, vaccination progress, and changes in the volume of cross-boundary passenger traffic, and will adjust the boarding and compulsory quarantine requirements for persons arriving at Hong Kong from places with different risks when necessary."