Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:
The fire danger situation today (January 8) is red and fire risk is extreme. The countryside is extremely vulnerable to fire. If you are planning to spend the day in the countryside, please take pre-cooked food for a picnic and take all measures to prevent hill fires. The penalty for lighting fires illegally in the countryside is $25,000 and a year's imprisonment.
The Home Affairs Department (HAD) yesterday (January 7) said that it is verifying whether persons covered by the compulsory testing notices have undergone testing, and is proactively tracing those who may not have done so to follow up on whether the concerned persons have complied with the compulsory testing notices.
The relevant District Offices (DOs) will first check the test records of residents of buildings covered by the compulsory testing notices taken at mobile specimen collection stations. As some of the residents may have taken the tests through other means, the HAD has to verify their testing information. The HAD will work with the Housing Department (HD), the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) or the related owners' corporations (OCs) and property management companies (PMCs) to invite those residents to provide the DOs with information on the tests they have taken. The HAD hereby thanks the staff members of the HD, the HKHS, the OCs and the PMCs for their support and assistance.
As for Ming Lai House and Fung Chak House of Choi Wan (II) Estate, for which the compulsory testing notices expired on December 29, 2020 and December 31, 2020 respectively, government departments will verify relevant records from mobile specimen collection stations and other specimen collection means, tracing those who may not have taken the tests, in order to strictly enforce the testing notices.
Estate offices of the HD will also assist in proactively contacting residents without records of having undergone compulsory testing. According to the HD's records, some of the households may have moved out of the flats or be currently away from Hong Kong, and thus cannot undergo testing. Some residents may not have taken the tests due to special reasons, such as elderly people with poor health condition or mobility difficulties and the disabled. The HAD will follow up on these cases with the Social Welfare Department. After the completion of enforcement action at Ming Yan Lau of Jat Min Chuen in Sha Tin last month, the Sha Tin District Office has already referred a number of cases to the Department of Health for follow up.
Regarding private buildings, as the HAD has no contact information of the residents of those households which have not taken the tests at the mobile specimen collection stations, the department has to proactively approach the residents to invite them to provide information on tests taken through other means. The DOs, with the assistance of the OCs and the PMCs, will issue notices to the residents and post the notices at lobbies to remind the residents to provide information to the DOs. The DOs have also proactively sent staff members to conduct home visits at some buildings, in order to verify if the residents have testing records. The HAD hopes to implement the compulsory testing notices expeditiously by verifying relevant records, and by taking a supportive and advisory approach in the first place.
The HAD appeals to residents who have not undergone testing to take the test as soon as possible and reiterates the serious stance taken by the Government in following through the compulsory testing notices to curb the spread of the virus.
The Government reminds the public to undergo testing as required by the testing notices. Any person who fails to comply with the testing notice commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $5,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him/her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the order is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The spokesman for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made the following announcement today (January 7) regarding a patient care assistant (PCA) who tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19:
A PCA of PMH had the onset of cough, throat discomfort and malaise since January 4. She attended the PMH staff clinic yesterday (January 6) and had a COVID-19 test at the mobile specimen collection station set up in the hospital on the same day. The test result was preliminarily positive. The PCA is currently being treated under an isolation ward in PMH with stable condition.
The PCA concerned works in the out-patient clinic of the Occupational Therapy Department and the Integrated Neurological Rehabilitation Centre. She is mainly responsible for assisting the occupational therapist in providing treatment and sewing of pressure garments. She does not perform any high-risk clinical procedures and is equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment at work.
The hospital's infection control team has conducted contact tracing. Three staff members are classified as close contacts as they had meals together separately with the PCA concerned and are required to quarantine for 14 days.
Thorough cleaning and disinfection of her workplace has been arranged. PMH will continue to communicate with the Centre for Health Protection on the latest situation.
China Harbour Engineering Company Limited and Zhen Hua Engineering Company Limited were fined $55,000 and $40,000 respectively at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (January 7) for violation of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Guarding and Operation of Machinery) Regulations and the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
The case involved a fatal accident that occurred on January 11, 2020, at a fill bank in Tseung Kwan O. While a worker was clearing rock pieces jammed at the conveyor belt of a rock crushing plant in the fill bank, the conveyor belt was suddenly re-started and trapped the worker's body at the in-running nip of the conveyor belt and a rotating roller. He sustained severe injuries and passed away on the same day.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) announced that as of 0.00am, January 7, the CHP was investigating 33 additional confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), taking the number of cases to 9 108 in Hong Kong so far (comprising 9 107 confirmed cases and one probable case).
Among the newly reported cases announced, four had a travel history during the incubation period.
A total of 721 cases have been recorded in the past 14 days (December 24 to January 6), including 663 local cases of which 231 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.
In view of the latest epidemic developments in the Mainland, the previous arrangement to provide specimen collection containers to inbound travellers arriving via land boundary control points who have been to Inner Mongolia in the past 14 days will be cancelled from tomorrow (January 8). These travellers, if they are not exempted persons, are subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days at a designated place (home or other accommodation) upon arrival in Hong Kong. The arrangement of distributing specimen collection containers to inbound travellers who have been to Tianjin, Sichuan Province, Heilongjiang Province, Liaoning Province, Beijing and Hebei Province in the past 14 days arriving via land boundary control points, which has come into effect earlier, remains unchanged.
Regarding the severe epidemic situation, 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.