The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (March 23), 35 COVID-19 confirmed patients were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 10 936 patients with confirmed or probable infection have been discharged.
 
     At present, there are 648 negative pressure rooms in public hospitals with 1 184 negative pressure beds activated. A total of 227 confirmed patients are currently hospitalised in 21 public hospitals and the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, among which 10 patients are in critical condition, nine are in serious condition and the remaining 208 patients are in stable condition. In addition, an 89-year-old male COVID-19 confirmed patient (case number: 9066) passed away today. The patient, with chronic diseases, was attended to the Accident and Emergency Department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital on January 5 due to cough, running nose and poor appetite. He subsequently tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to an isolation ward for treatment. His condition continued to deteriorate and he eventually succumbed at 1.30pm today. Including this patient, 198 COVID-19 confirmed patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.
 
     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.
 
     Details of the above-mentioned patients are as follows:
 

     Three Indian illegal workers, each holding a recognisance form, were jailed by Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday (March 22).

     During an anti-illegal worker operation conducted on January 21, Immigration Department (ImmD) investigators raided a garbage collection point in North Point. A male Indian illegal worker, aged 39, was arrested while working as a garbage collector. Upon identity checking, he produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant. An employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was also arrested and an investigation is ongoing.
 
     In addition, during a joint operation conducted by the ImmD and the Hong Kong Police Force codenamed "Champion" on February 3, ImmD investigators raided a vegetable stall in Tsuen Wan. A male Indian illegal worker, aged 35, was arrested while working as an odd-job worker. Upon identity checking, he produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant. An employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was also arrested and the investigation is ongoing.

     Furthermore, ImmD investigators received a referral from the Hong Kong Police Force to further investigate an illegal employment case in February. Enforcement officers raided a vegetable stall in Kwai Chung. A male Indian illegal worker, aged 25, was arrested while working as an odd-job worker. Upon identity checking, he produced for inspection a recognisance form issued by the ImmD, which prohibits him from taking employment. Further investigation revealed that he was a non-refoulement claimant. An employer suspected of employing the illegal worker was also arrested and the investigation is ongoing.

     The three illegal workers were charged at Shatin Magistrates' Courts yesterday with taking employment after landing in Hong Kong unlawfully and remaining in Hong Kong without the authority of the Director of Immigration or while being a person in respect of whom a removal order or deportation order was in force. They pleaded guilty to the charge and were each sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment.
 
     The ImmD spokesman warned that, as stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, illegal immigrants or people who are the subject of a removal order or a deportation order are prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years' imprisonment. The Court of Appeal has issued a guideline ruling that a sentence of 15 months' imprisonment should be applied in such cases.

     The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. The maximum penalty is imprisonment for three years and a fine of $350,000. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. The maximum penalty for failing to inspect such a document is imprisonment for one year and a fine of $150,000.

     Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct initial screening on vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers who are arrested during any operation, with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter, temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments.

     The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (March 23) that a residential site and a commercial site in the 2020-21 Land Sale Programme will be disposed of by public tender.
      
     The two sites are Fanling Sheung Shui Town Lot No. 279 at Area 25, Kwu Tung, New Territories, and Inland Lot No. 8945 at Caroline Hill Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. The tender invitation for Fanling Sheung Shui Town Lot No. 279 will commence on March 26 and close on April 23. The tender invitation for Inland Lot No. 8945 will commence on March 26 and close on May 7.
      
     Fanling Sheung Shui Town Lot No. 279 has a site area of about 18,567 square metres and is designated for non-industrial (excluding godown, hotel and petrol filling station) purposes. The minimum gross floor area and the maximum gross floor area are 66,842 square metres and 111,402 sq m respectively. Both include the gross floor area of Government Accommodation, being a public transport interchange, to be constructed by the purchaser under the Conditions of Sale.
      
     Inland Lot No. 8945 has a site area of about 14,802 sq m and is designated for non-industrial (excluding residential, godown and petrol filling station) purposes. The minimum gross floor area and the maximum gross floor area are 60,000 sq m and 100,000 sq m respectively. Both include the gross floor area of the Government Accommodation, being a child care centre, a day care centre for the elderly and a district health centre but exclude the gross floor area of the public vehicle park, all to be constructed by the purchaser under the Conditions of Sale.
      
     Land sale documents including the Forms of Tender, the Tender Notices, the Conditions of Sale and the sale plans of the two lots will be available for downloading from the LandsD website (www.landsd.gov.hk), and the sale plans will be available for distribution and inspection by the public from March 26, when the particulars of the tenders will also be gazetted.

     The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Workshop on Energy Intensity Reduction in the APEC Regions' Urbanised Cities was held in Hong Kong via video conferencing today (March 23).
      
     Delivering the opening remarks this morning, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, said that, taking into account views collected from a territory-wide public engagement on Hong Kong's long-term decarbonisation strategy, the Chief Executive announced in her Policy Address last year that Hong Kong would strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, and that the Government would examine various means to reduce carbon emissions. He added that Hong Kong was honoured to host the online workshop, which was part of the city's first-ever APEC-funded project. The workshop allowed APEC economies to share their experiences in reducing energy intensity and the emerging technologies that can help accelerate APEC's regional goal to reduce energy intensity by at least 45 per cent by 2035.
 
     More than 100 experts and delegates from 12 APEC member economies attended the workshop to exchange views on energy efficiency and conservation policies, regulations, implementation and innovative technologies in the region. The workshop was part of the APEC-funded project proposed by Hong Kong. The project aims to analyse the outstanding performance of seven APEC members' cities in reducing energy intensity, and identify key drivers for enhancing building energy efficiency which can help accelerate aggregated energy intensity reduction in APEC economies.
 
     In his closing remarks, the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Pang Yiu-hung, said that the workshop provided an opportunity for the exchange of knowledge among member economies and enhanced their capacity in energy intensity reduction. He emphasised that Hong Kong has continued to play an active role in the collective effort to promote energy efficiency and new technologies to achieve APEC's energy intensity reduction goal.

    

     Hongkong Post announced today (March 23) that, as advised by the postal administration of Australia, due to flooding, mail delivery services (including Speedpost) to New South Wales and Queensland for areas with the postcodes listed below are subject to delay.