The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority spokesperson today (January 27) announced that one confirmed patient with COVID-19 infection and one preliminarily confirmed patient passed away at public hospitals.
 
     A 67-year-old male COVID-19 confirmed patient (case number: 7123) passed away at United Christian Hospital (UCH) today. The patient, with chronic illness, was admitted to UCH on the night of December 7, 2020, due to fever and upper abdomen pain. He subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. His condition continued to deteriorate and he eventually succumbed at 8.26am today.
 
     In addition, a 56-year-old female patient with chronic illness was sent to the Accident and Emergency Department of Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH) by ambulance yesterday morning (January 26) due to shortness of breath. The patient suffered cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital. Upon cardiopulmonary resuscitation with intubation immediately on arrival at KWH, her heart rate picked up and she was admitted to the isolation ward for treatment. She underwent a COVID-19 test and the preliminary test result was positive yesterday afternoon. The patient's condition continued to deteriorate and she eventually succumbed at 4.22pm. The hospital's infection control team immediately conducted contact tracing. All staff members who had been in contact with the patient were equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment. No staff members were classified as close contacts.
 
     The hospitals are saddened by the passing away of the patients and will offer the necessary assistance to their families.
 
     Including the above patients, 169 confirmed and one preliminarily confirmed COVID-19 patients have passed away in public hospitals so far.
 

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 is 100.6 (down 0.1 against yesterday's index).

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (January 27) announced that confirmation has been received from the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) on the approval of eight applications of non-locally trained doctors for practice with limited registration in public hospitals to help relieve the front-line workload. Among the eight applications, seven are new applications while the other one is for renewal. The eight doctors will be serving in the anaesthesia, cardiothoracic surgery, emergency medicine, neurosurgery, internal medicine and paediatrics departments.
 
     The HA spokesperson said that the recruitment of non-locally trained doctors will continue. Selection interviews by user departments will be arranged for eligible applicants. The HA will submit limited registration applications to the MCHK for the non-locally trained doctors who are considered suitable for appointment according to their intended date of reporting duty.
 
     Currently, there are 31 non-locally trained doctors working in public hospitals under limited registration to relieve the manpower shortage and workload pressure of front-line doctors in the specialties of anaesthesia, cardiothoracic surgery, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, paediatrics, radiology and surgery.
 
     The HA currently recruits non-locally trained doctors as Service Residents in all specialties while the recruitment criteria of non-locally trained doctors in emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine and paediatrics has been extended to include eligible applicants with pre-intermediate qualifications recognised by the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. The HA will also recruit non-locally trained specialists at the rank of Associate Consultant in specialties that face significant shortage of specialists (including anaesthesia, anatomical pathology, cardiothoracic surgery, otorhinolaryngology, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, radiology, nuclear medicine, neurosurgery and plastic surgery).

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, at a media session at the Legislative Council Complex today (January 27):
 
     The operation last night was successful. Despite the fact that only one case was established, I think it's very important really to achieve zero cases. This is our objective. We will in future adopt more of this operation style. In other words, surprise, quick and targeted. So I hope the community will understand that we're all doing it in the public interest of Hong Kong, in the interest of everybody. We want Hong Kong to get back to normal, and the answer is very simple. We have to really reduce the cases to a minimum, acceptable to everybody. Public health really comes first. Thank you.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Following is a question by the Hon Shiu Ka-fai and a written reply by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in the Legislative Council today (January 27):
 
Question:
 
     Will the Government inform this Council of the latest implementation situation of, or the final figures on, the following support measures introduced under the Anti-epidemic Fund, including (a) the number of applications received, (b) the number of applications approved, and (c) the number of persons and employees (if any) benefited:
 
(i) the Retail Sector Subsidy Scheme;
(ii) the Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme;
(iii) the provision of subsidies to live marine fish wholesale traders, fishing vessels with Mainland deckhands and wholesale traders operating in the fresh food wholesale markets;
(iv) the Commercial Bathhouses Subsidy Scheme/Further Subsidy to Commercial Bathhouses;
(v) the Fitness Centre Subsidy Scheme;
(vi) the Places of Public Entertainment Licence Holder Subsidy Scheme;
(vii) the Subsidy Scheme for Beauty Parlours, Massage Establishments and Party Rooms;
(viii) the Subsidy Scheme for the Promotion of Contactless Payment in Public Markets; and
(ix) the provision of subsidy to companies in the performing industry which organise pop concerts?

Reply:
 
President,
 
     The relevant information of the measures under the Anti-epidemic Fund mentioned in the question is tabulated at Annex.