The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 29) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and a notification from the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration respectively about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Freiburg im Breisgau and the Districts of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis, Waldshut, Ravensburg, Lörrach, Rems-Murr-Kreis, Böblingen and Ludwigsburg of the State of Baden-Württemberg in Germany, and Holstebro Municipality of Denmark, and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality of North West Province and City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality of Gauteng Province in South Africa, 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 Hong Kong currently has an established protocol with South Africa for import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1 tonne of frozen poultry meat from South Africa, about 3 900 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 1.41 million poultry eggs from Germany, and about 1 640 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 1.33 million poultry eggs from Denmark last year.

     "The CFS has contacted the German, South African and Danish 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.

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited the Civil Service Training and Development Institute (CSTDI) today (April 29) to learn more about its promotion of civil servants' participation in national studies training, development of the Cyber Learning Centre Plus (CLC Plus), and the progress on the Civil Service College project.
 
     Accompanied by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, Mr Cheung first received a briefing by colleagues from the CSTDI on the national studies training offered to civil servants. He expressed appreciation for the Institute's provision of online seminars and learning resources on national studies, the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the Basic Law and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (National Security Law) through CLC Plus. The CSTDI also collaborated with Tsinghua University to launch "Tsinghua Lecture", which provided a series of video-recorded lectures to introduce national policies and the country's latest developments.
 
     Mr Cheung said that the Government attaches great importance to civil service training, especially the enhanced training on the Basic Law and the National Security Law in recent years for civil servants to gain a correct understanding of the National Security Law and an enhanced awareness of safeguarding national security. He encouraged civil servants of various ranks to optimise the learning resources provided by the CSTDI for self-enhancement and sharpen their leadership and management skills.
 
     To ensure that newly recruited civil servants have an accurate understanding of the constitutional order established under the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Basic Law, the CSTDI arranges for all new appointees to the civil service to receive basic training on the Basic Law within three years after joining the Government. The goal is to train approximately 10 000 new appointees to the civil service each year. The CSTDI also organises foundation courses on national affairs for them to deepen their understanding of national development and their sense of national identity.
 
     To strengthen training on the National Security Law, the CSTDI invited authoritative experts from the Mainland in particular to explain topics related to the Basic Law and the National Security Law, and these talks were recorded on video and uploaded to CLC Plus. The CSTDI has also opened a dedicated webpage on safeguarding national security on CLC Plus, which contains the full text of the National Security Law and booklet text and short videos introducing the National Security Law. The dedicated webpage has been well received by civil servants and has been viewed 150 000 times.
 
     In addition, the CSTDI has rolled out a pilot scheme to strengthen training on cultural sensitivity and equal opportunities for civil servants since 2019 in order to enhance their capability in serving people of diverse backgrounds. CLC Plus also launched a thematic website to provide useful information including video clips, case studies and administrative guidelines.
 
     Mr Cheung also learnt about the progress of preparatory work for the Civil Service College by colleagues of the Civil Services Bureau. A site in Kwun Tong that measures about 11 000 square metres has been identified for composite development, including the construction of the Civil Service College and other supporting facilities for the civil service. The completed Civil Service College will be equipped with better and more diversified facilities for civil service training, including modern information and communications technology equipment and training venues for media responses, crisis management, council meetings and more. The Civil Service College will also provide a Learning Commons comprising different learning zones to facilitate more flexible and interactive learning.
 
     Prior to its completion, the Government is upgrading the existing facilities of CSTDI at North Point Government Offices so that the premises can be used as interim accommodation of the College to tie in with the plan to establish the College in 2021.
 
     Mr Cheung pointed out that apart from the hardware facilities, the Government is also committed to enhancing the training for civil servants on the software front. A Civil Service Training Advisory Board comprising professionals and government officials was set up in 2019 to give guidance on training programmes for the civil service and its long-term development strategy, and to prepare for the development of the Civil Service College.
 
     Before concluding the visit, Mr Cheung toured the facilities of the CSTDI, including the Basic Law book corner, and chatted with civil service colleagues who were participating in the Leadership in Action Programme to find out more about their learning experiences.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (April 29) announced that a sample of chicken soup with maitake mushroom and fig was found to contain an excessive amount of coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms. The CFS is following up on the case.

     A CFS spokesman said, "Following up on a food complaint, the CFS took the above-mentioned sample from a restaurant in Lok Fu for testing. The result showed that the food sample contained coagulase-positive staphylococci at a level of 16 000 organisms per gram. Under the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, ready-to-eat food that contains coagulase-positive staphylococci at a level of more than 10 000 organisms per gram is considered unsatisfactory."

     The CFS has informed the restaurant concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to suspend the sale of the food concerned. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene to the person-in-charge and staff of the restaurant, and requested it to review and improve the food production process and carry out a thorough cleaning and disinfection.

     According to Section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), all food for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     "Coagulase-positive staphylococci organisms can produce enterotoxins that cause food poisoning. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, often accompanied by diarrhoea," he added.

     The CFS will continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.
     

     The Chief Secretary for Administration and Chairman of the Youth Development Commission (YDC), Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, today (April 29), together with the Vice-Chairman of the YDC, Mr Lau Ming-wai, and several YDC members, visited the Community Vaccination Centres at Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre and the Hong Kong Central Library to show support to the young people who got vaccinated there, and to call on young people in Hong Kong to get vaccinated as early as possible to protect themselves, their families and friends.
 
     Mr Cheung said, "Vaccination is a top priority in the anti-epidemic strategy. The more people getting vaccinated, the greater the effectiveness of our anti-epidemic effort. The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been expanded to cover persons aged 16 to 29. I earnestly encourage the public, including young people, to proactively get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and others, so as to achieve herd immunity as soon possible and enable the community to gradually return to normality."
 
     He continued, "Since the outbreak of the epidemic, Hong Kong young people have been maintaining a high level of awareness of epidemic prevention. They have been taking care of their families and friends and providing assistance and care for those in need. I encourage young people to uphold the spirit of fighting the epidemic and actively participate in and support the Vaccination Programme by appealing to and accompanying their families and friends to get vaccinated sooner so that we may, with concerted efforts, overcome the epidemic as soon as possible."
 
     The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme has been expanded to cover all persons aged 16 or above. The minimum age for receiving the BioNTech vaccine is 16, and that for receiving the Sinovac vaccine is 18. Persons in the above age groups can make reservations on the designated website of the Vaccination Programme (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk) for receiving vaccines at 29 Community Vaccination Centres and 21 general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority. They can also make appointments for vaccination with private doctors or clinics participating in the programme. Persons whose identity documents show that they are aged 18 or above can get vaccinated without the need to produce other supporting documents. As for persons aged 16 and 17, they are required to bring along a consent form signed by their parents to receive their vaccinations. The consent form can be downloaded from the designated website.
 

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

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority announced today (April 29) that the Monetary Authority has granted a banking licence to NongHyup Bank (NH Bank) under the Banking Ordinance. NH Bank is incorporated in the Republic of Korea. The granting of this banking licence takes effect today.
      
     After the granting of a banking licence to NH Bank, the number of licensed banks in Hong Kong is 163.