The Government yesterday (February 8) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 7pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Jordan (i.e. Man Ying Building, 2-24 Man Ying Street, Ferry Point, Jordan) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 26 to February 8, 2021, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing before February 10. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today (February 9) and carried out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 11am today.
 
     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Yau Tsim Mong District Office and Kwai Tsing District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, the Fire Services Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department mobilised around 300 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
 
     The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including instant noodles, macaroni, crackers, pasta, bread, canned food, cup noodles, soup packs, fruits, cakes, corn kernels, soy milk and bottled water, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks, bleach, detergent and hand sanitiser were also provided to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
 
     The HAD also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
 
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 11am. Seventy persons were found to have not undergone compulsory testing, and compulsory testing orders and/or fixed penalties of $5,000 were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
 
     The Government hopes that the some 200 households (including those in sub-divided units) who have not answered the door will contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after they read the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
 
     The Government understands that residents in the district are worried and anxious because of the increase in confirmed cases in recent days. The Government hopes this temporary inconvenience will completely cut the local transmission chains in the district and ease residents' worries and fear, so that they will regain confidence in resuming social and business activities in the area, and return to a normal life.
 
     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
 
     The Government as a whole is united in fighting against the virus despite all the difficulties, and provided testing for all the residents in the district within a short period of time in the hope of achieving zero cases in the district.
 
     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

  

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (February 9) urged the public not to consume a kind of sesame breadstick imported from Italy because the product concerned was found with a pesticide, ethylene oxide, which is not authorised by the European Union (EU). The trade should stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

     Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: L'altro Pane Sfilatini Sesamo
Brand: Casa Rinaldi
Place of origin: Italy
Net weight: 130 grams per pack
Importer: IL Bel Paese Limited
Lot No.: L. 01002
Best-before date: October 2, 2021

     A spokesman for the CFS said, "The CFS received a notification from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) of the European Commission that the above-mentioned product was found with a substance, ethylene oxide, not authorised by the EU and is being recalled. According to the information provided by the RASFF, the affected product has been imported into Hong Kong. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted the local importer concerned for follow-up."

     A preliminary investigation found that the importer, IL Bel Paese Limited, had imported some of the affected product into Hong Kong. Since ethylene oxide is not authorised by the EU, for the sake of prudence, the importer has removed the product from shelves and stopped the sale of the affected product upon the CFS's advice and has initiated a recall. Enquiries about the recall can be made to the hotline of the importer at 2512 8070 during office hours.

     The spokesman urged consumers not to consume the affected product if they have bought any. The trade should also stop using or selling the product concerned immediately if they possess it.

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

     The Government yesterday (February 8) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 8.30pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Sham Shui Po (i.e. Hang On Building, 88-90 Fuk Wing Street/46A-46C Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. Moreover, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 26 to February 8, 2021, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, to undergo compulsory testing before February 10. The Government announced the completion of the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today (February 9) and carried out enforcement actions in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 9.30am today.
 
     In this exercise, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) (including the Sham Shui Po District Office and the Islands District Office), the Hong Kong Police Force, Hong Kong Correctional Services Department, the Fire Services Department, the Transport Department, the Department of Health, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Auxiliary Medical Service mobilised around 370 staff to arrange for implementation of the declaration and enforcement actions for breaches of the compulsory testing notice issued earlier.
 
     The Government provided simple food for persons subject to compulsory testing, including bread, canned food, cup noodles, cakes, corn kernels and soy milk, so as to facilitate the dinner arrangements of some persons subject to compulsory testing. One box of masks, bleach, detergent and hand sanitizer were also provided to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.
 
     The HAD also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.
 
     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the tireless efforts of the testing contractors, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 7am today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result or wore a wristband as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 9.30am. Five persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing, a fixed penalty of $5,000 or a compulsory testing order was issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Food and Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).
 
     For the 15 households who have not answered the door, after initial investigation, it is believed that seven of them may include households with confirmed cases or undergoing quarantine, residents who had undergone testing by other means, as well as vacant units. The Government hopes that the eight households who have not answered the door will contact the Government for arrangement of testing as soon as possible after they read the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.
 
     The Government understands that residents in the district are worried and anxious because of the increase in confirmed cases in recent days. The Government hopes this temporary inconvenience will completely cut the local transmission chains in the district and ease residents' worries and fear, so that they will regain confidence in resuming social and business activities in the area, and return to a normal life.
 
     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.
 
     The Government as a whole is united in fighting against the virus despite all the difficulties, and provided testing for all the residents in the district within a short period of time in the hope of achieving zero cases in the district.
 
     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine of level 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.

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.

     A woman who went missing in Sau Mau Ping has been located.

     Ng Yuk-ping, aged 52, went missing after she was last seen in her residence in Sau Mau Ping Estate on February 7. Her family made a report to Police on the same day.

     The woman turned up at Sau Mau Ping Police Station to cancel the missing person report yesterday night (February 8).