The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients confirmed to be carriers of Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) in a medical ward, the spokesman for Tuen Mun Hospital made the following update today (April 26):

     In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has conducted contact tracing. One more 86-year-old male patient was found to be a VRE carrier without any symptoms of infection with stable condition.

     The ward concerned has adopted the following enhanced infection control measures:

1. Enhanced hand hygiene and stringent contact precautions;
2. Enhanced attention to contamination-prone procedures; and
3. Enhanced disinfection and cleaning of the ward concerned.

     The hospital will continue the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward. The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow up.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (April 26) addressed more than 800 Japanese entrepreneurs and business executives during a webinar on "Hong Kong as a pro-business gateway to China", in which she highlighted how Hong Kong's strong fundamentals and unique advantages under "One Country, Two Systems" make it an ideal partner for Japanese enterprises to tap the vast market in the Mainland of China, in particular the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau; the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui; the Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Alfred Sit; and the Commissioner for the Development of the GBA, Mr Tommy Yuen, also joined the webinar.
 
      During the session, Mrs Lam emphasised that "One Country, Two Systems" is not only the bedrock of Hong Kong's stability and continued success, but also regarded by the Central Authorities as an institutional strength of the nation. She said that the two important Decisions made by the National People's Congress in the past year, namely the enactment and implementation of the national security law and the improvement to the electoral system of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), have put the implementation of "One Country, Two Systems" in the HKSAR back on the right track, enabling the city to flourish while leveraging such unique strengths.
 
     Through a short video recapping her visits to Japan and meetings with Japanese officials and representatives of various sectors since taking office, Mrs Lam highlighted the close ties between Hong Kong and Japan. She said this was also reflected in Hong Kong hosting nearly 1 400 Japanese companies, the largest group of foreign companies that have set up offices in Hong Kong, with about half of them using Hong Kong as their regional headquarters or regional offices. She pointed out that Hong Kong's traditional strengths, including the rule of law, an independent judiciary, a free flow of capital and information and a deep talent pool, are as strong as ever, and that the city will continue to serve as a gateway for businesses and investment between the Mainland and Japan.
 
     She also said that in the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, Hong Kong's competitive strengths as international financial, transportation and trade centres, as well as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region, continue to be recognised for advancement, while for the first time the city's aspiration and ability to develop an international innovation and technology (I&T) hub, an international aviation hub, an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange and an intellectual property trading hub have been given recognition.

     Mrs Lam highlighted that the huge market and growth potential of the GBA presents unlimited opportunities not only to Hong Kong but also to the world. She said she expected exciting developments in the GBA in the coming years and encouraged Japanese enterprises to partner with Hong Kong to seize those opportunities.

     She and the three Principal Officials present addressed wide-ranging questions from participants during the one-and-a-half-hour session, covering topics such as travel restrictions due to COVID-19, Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre, I&T development and the decarbonisation policy. 
 
     The webinar was organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Tokyo) and co-organised by Invest Hong Kong. Speakers included the Chief Executive Officer of KDDI Hong Kong Limited, Mr Kojima Yasuyuki; the Managing Director of OMRON Hong Kong Limited, Mr Yamauchi Takao; and the Director General of the Japan External Trade Organization, Mr Takashima Tomohiro. Other supporting organisations included Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Hong Kong Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area Entrepreneurs Union and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

  

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson of the Hospital Authority (HA) today (April 26) announced the suspension of seasonal influenza vaccination services at General Outpatient Clinics (GOPCs) from tomorrow (April 27).
 
     "In light of the latest COVID-19 epidemic situation, the HA intends to focus manpower and other resources to handle the COVID-19 vaccination and other related services. In addition, there has been a significant drop in the demand for seasonal influenza vaccination services recently, therefore the seasonal influenza vaccination services at GOPCs will be suspended starting from tomorrow. Eligible persons can still receive a flu vaccination at the designated vaccination points of the Department of Health or via the clinicians who have joined the 'Vaccination Subsidy Scheme'".
 
     At the same time, the 21 GOPCs providing COVID-19 vaccination services will also suspend the service of pneumococcal vaccination services from tomorrow. Eligible persons can receive the vaccination at the other 52 GOPCs.
 
     Members of the public can visit the following website www.ha.org.hk/goto/gvp202021/en/ for the latest information on the Government Vaccination Programme.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (April 26) that a sample of prepackaged frozen bigeye fish imported from Vietnam was found to contain Ponceau 4R, a non-permitted colouring matter in fish in a raw and unprocessed state. It was also inconsistent with the relevant claim on its food label. The CFS is following up on the case.

     Product details are as follows:

Product name: Frozen Sea Caught Big Eye Fish
Place of origin: Vietnam
Distributor: Best Way Food International Trading Limited
Net content: two pieces
Best before: June 30, 2022

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a supermarket in Lai Chi Kok for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that it contained Ponceau 4R, which was inconsistent with the 'no artificial colourant is added' claim on its food label.

     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the above-mentioned irregularities and instructed it to stop sale and remove from shelves the affected batch of the product. The distributor concerned has initiated a recall according to the CFS' instructions. Members of the public may call the distributor's hotline at 3568 9170 during office hours for enquiries about the recall. The CFS is also tracing the source of the affected product. Prosecution will be instituted should there be sufficient evidence," the spokesman said.

     "Under the Colouring Matter in Food Regulations (Cap. 132H), Ponceau 4R is a permitted colouring matter in certain food but not in fish in a raw and unprocessed state. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment," the spokesman added.

     Furthermore, as stipulated in Section 61 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132), if any person falsely describes a food or misleads as to the nature, substance or quality of the food on a label of the food sold by him, he shall be guilty of an offence and be liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months' imprisonment upon conviction.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the case and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.

     Correctional officers stopped a person in custody from assaulting another person in custody at Tai Lam Correctional Institution today (April 26).

     â€‹At 12.22pm today, a 33-year-old male person in custody attacked another 41-year-old male person in custody with a plastic stool inside a workshop. Officers at the scene immediately stopped the assailant.

     During the incident, the victim sustained an injury to his head. After examination and treatment by an institution medical officer, he did not need to be sent to a public hospital. The assailant did not sustain any injury.

     The case has been reported to the Police for investigation.

     The two persons in custody were sentenced to imprisonment for the offence of remaining in Hong Kong without authority and trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively.