The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 0.00am, March 10, the CHP was investigating eight additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 11 129 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 11 128 confirmed cases and one probable case).
 
     Among the newly reported cases announced, two are imported cases, three are local cases with unknown sources while the remaining three cases are epidemiologically linked with local cases.
           
      The first case with unknown sources involves a 26-year-old man (case number: 11123) who developed fever on February 21. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of United Christian Hospital on March 3 and was admitted for treatment on the same day. His sample collected on March 8 was tested positive. He is a project assistant and last went to work on March 2.
 
     The second case with unknown sources involves a 58-year-old man (case number: 11128) who developed fever on March 3. His sample collected on March 8 was tested positive. He is a company management personnel and last went to work on March 5.
 
     The third case with unknown sources involves a 27-year-old man (case number: 11129) who was asymptomatic. His sample collected on March 8 was tested positive. He is a fitness trainer at Ursus Fitness and last went to work on March 9.
 
       According to the latest information of the epidemiological investigations of case 11129, the CHP noticed that nine additional preliminary positive cases of COVID-19 involving staff and customers also occurred at Ursus Fitness located at Units 2-4, Ground Floor, 64-68 Pok Fu Lam Road, Sai Ying Pun. The CHP is proactively following up to investigate whether the infections of the cases are related, so as to stop the potential risk of further spread of the virus. The CHP appeals to those who visited Ursus Fitness from March 1 to 10 to call the CHP's hotlines 2125 1111 or 2125 1122 as soon as possible to facilitate the CHP's epidemiological investigations and contact tracing.

      A total of 224 cases have been recorded in the past 14 days (February 24 to March 9), including 171 local cases of which 59 are from unknown sources.

     The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the confirmed cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the list of buildings with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and the latest local situation of COVID-19 available on the website "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).
      
     Meanwhile, the CHP reminded those who had visited specified venues under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to receive COVID-19 nucleic acid testing according to the compulsory testing notice. The public are also urged to seek medical attention early if symptoms develop.
      
     The CHP called on members of the public to avoid going out, having social contact and dining out. They should put on a surgical mask and maintain stringent hand hygiene when they need to go out. The CHP strongly urged the elderly to stay home as far as possible and avoid going out. They should consider asking their family and friends to help with everyday tasks such as shopping for basic necessities.
      
     The spokesman said, "Given that the situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and that there is a continuous increase in the number of cases reported around the world, members of the public are strongly urged to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong.
      
     "The CHP also strongly urges the public to maintain at all times strict personal and environmental hygiene, which is key to personal protection against infection and prevention of the spread of the disease in the community. On a personal level, members of the public should wear a surgical mask when having respiratory symptoms, taking public transport or staying in crowded places. They should also perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes.
      
     "As for household environmental hygiene, members of the public are advised to maintain drainage pipes properly, regularly pour water into drain outlets (U-traps) and cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use. After using the toilet, they should put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs."
      
     Moreover, the Government has launched the website "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for announcing the latest updates on various news on COVID-19 infection and health advice to help the public understand the latest updates. Members of the public may also gain access to information via the COVID-19 WhatsApp Helpline launched by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer. Simply by saving 9617 1823 in their phone contacts or clicking the link wa.me/85296171823?text=hi, they will be able to obtain information on COVID-19 as well as the "StayHomeSafe" mobile app and wristband via WhatsApp.
      
      To prevent pneumonia and respiratory tract infections, members of the public should always maintain good personal and environmental hygiene. They are advised to:
 
• Wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, especially before touching the mouth, nose or eyes, after touching public installations such as handrails or doorknobs, or when hands are contaminated by respiratory secretions after coughing or sneezing;
• Maintain drainage pipes properly and regularly (about once a week) pour about half a litre of water into each drain outlet (U-trap) to ensure environmental hygiene;
• Cover all floor drain outlets when they are not in use;
• After using the toilet, put the toilet lid down before flushing to avoid spreading germs;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water, and rub for at least 20 seconds. Then rinse with water and dry with a disposable paper towel. If hand washing facilities are not available, or when hands are not visibly soiled, performing hand hygiene with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub is an effective alternative;
• Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissues into a lidded rubbish bin, then wash hands thoroughly; and
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending class at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly.

     In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Hong Kong City Hall in 2022, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) invites Hong Kong composers to join the Call for Composers scheme. A composer will be selected by the LCSD to create a new piece for orchestra under the theme, "Hong Kong City Hall: the cradle of arts and culture in Hong Kong's past, present and future". The commissioned work will be premiered by a world-class visiting orchestra at Hong Kong City Hall in July 2022.
 
     The adjudication panel of the first phase selection will be made up of professional composers and conductors. They include Professor Johnny Poon, Associate Vice-President Interdisciplinary Research and Head of Department of Music, Hong Kong Baptist University; Professor Lei Liang, Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of Music, University of California, San Diego; Professor Toshio Hosokawa, professor, Tokyo College of Music; Judith Weir, composer and Master of The Queen's Music in the United Kingdom, and Lio Kuokman, Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. The panel will compile a shortlist of candidates based on the reference orchestral works submitted as well as proposals on the composition of the commissioned work. The performing orchestra will then select one composer to write the commissioned work.

     For details of the scheme, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/music/programs_1088.html. The submission deadline is noon, April 26 (Monday). 

     For enquiries, please contact Ms Javy Chiu, Assistant Manager of the LCSD, at 2268 7230 or via email ammus1@lcsd.gov.hk.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch a new phase of the Online Interactive Sports Training Programmes in April. Enrolment for the programmes will be open from March 17 (Wednesday).
      
     The Online Interactive Sports Training Programmes are conducted by coaches through an online platform in real time, enabling participants to learn interactively and practise physical activities at home, and to establish a healthy lifestyle. Ten types of sports programmes will be offered. They are aerobic dance, fitness exercise, "Body-mind Stretch", parent-child fitness, tai chi, fitness yoga and "Hip Hop Dance" as well as the newly organised courses on badminton, "Play Tennis" and table tennis, introducing the basic grip, shuttlecock or ball control, footwork and physical co-ordination skills of these games. Participants who complete the online classes of these three types of games will be invited to attend a practical session to practice the skills learned in the programmes. The courses are designed by relevant national sports associations and are suitable for people of all ages.
      
     Participants can join the online courses at home by using their desktop or tablet computers or their mobile phones, with Zoom software downloaded in advance. Both daytime and night-time courses will be held, with each course consisting of two or three one-hour sessions.
           
     Members of the public can enrol on a first-come, first-served basis from 8.30am on the first day of enrolment through the Leisure Link Internet Booking service (leisurelink.lcsd.gov.hk). The course fee is $20. Please visit the LCSD website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/visavis) or call 2414 5555 for details.
           
     The Online Interactive Sports Training Programmes are part of the interactive "vis-a-vis +01" series under the LCSD Edutainment Channel (www.lcsd.gov.hk/edutainment/en) which promotes leisure, sports and culture through a one-stop online platform covering informative and learning materials.

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     â€‹Regarding media enquiries concerning members of the public not being able to receive test results within two days after attending the community testing centre at Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre on March 3, the Food and Health Bureau (FHB) immediately followed up with the service provider concerned and gave a response as follows:  

     It is understood that the KingMed Diagnostics (Hong Kong) Limited, which ran the community testing centre at Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre, encountered technical issues on March 4 while uploading test results of specimens collected from community testing centres and mobile testing stations the previous day (March 3). Due to the problem in uploading the test results to the information system in accordance with established procedures, the service provider failed to send out on March 4 the negative results of those underwent testing.  Such delay was resolved by noon on March 6 (the third day after testing), and relevant test results had all been sent to the concerned persons on the same day.

     About 6 000 persons were affected by the incident. All their test results were negative. The incident does not involve the accuracy or validity of the test and no personal data of persons who underwent testing were lost.
       
     It was also mentioned in a media report that a person who underwent testing on March 4 at the community testing centre located at Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre has yet to receive test result by March 6.  The service provider, on our request to account for the situation, stated that specimens collected from that community testing centre on March 4 were all tested on March 6. Test results were uploaded in batches for dissemination to persons who underwent testing on the same day.

     Though the incident did not affect the service provider’s progress in conducting tests or the accuracy of the results, and it did not compromise the objective of identifying confirmed cases as early as possible to cut the transmission chain, it did cause inconvenience to those who underwent testing.  Staff of the concerned community testing centre also failed to reply accurately enquiries from the public.  The FHB found the situation very unsatisfactory and had taken stringent follow-up actions, including instructing the service provider to conduct thorough investigation, submit incident report and make improvements. The service provider was also suspended from operating new mobile specimen collection stations when the situation was being resolved.  The FHB will take further follow-up actions in accordance with the contract should there is occurrence of similar situations in future.