The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (January 4) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza in Spree-Neiße District, State of Brandenburg in Germany; a notification from the General Veterinary Inspectorate of Poland about outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Å�Ä™czyÅ„ski District, Lubelskie Region in Poland; and a notification from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in Gifu Prefecture in Japan, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.
      
     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, in the first nine months of last year, Hong Kong imported about 2 500 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 880 000 poultry eggs from Germany; about 9,900 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 21.32 million poultry eggs from Poland; and about 50 tonnes of chilled poultry meat, about 4 300 tonnes of frozen poultry meat and about 200 million poultry eggs from Japan.
      
     "The CFS has contacted the German, Polish and Japanese authorities over the issues and will closely monitor information issued by the OIE and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreaks. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

     An employer was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay an employee wages and the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer pleaded guilty earlier at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts and was fined a sum of $50,000 today (January 4).  
      
     The employer failed to pay an employee wages totalling $35,000 as required by the EO, and the awarded sum of about $36,000 within 14 days after the date set by the LT.
      
     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay wages to employees within the time limit stipulated in the EO and the awarded sums as ordered by the LT or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the LD said.
      
     "The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

     A 56-year-old male person in custody who was found unconscious in Hei Ling Chau Correctional Institution died in a public hospital today (January 4).

     At 9.16am today, the person in custody suddenly felt physical discomfort inside the dining hall and was immediately sent to the institution hospital for examination. During the course of examination by the institution medical officer, he was found unconscious. First aid treatment was immediately applied and a helicopter was called to send him to a public hospital for further rescue. His condition deteriorated and he was certified dead at 10.43am today.

     The case has been reported to the Police. A death inquest will be held by the Coroner's Court.

     The person in custody, who had a drug abuse history of more than 30 years, was sentenced to imprisonment for the offence of trafficking in a dangerous drug in May 2015.

     A 23-year-old woman was fined $3,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (January 4) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C) (the Regulation).

     The woman was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that she must conduct quarantine at home for 14 days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, she left the place of quarantine and went to the Immigration Department on June 23, 2020, to handle issues relating to her visa without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer. She was charged with contravening sections 8(1) and 8(5) of the Regulation and was fined $3,000 by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts. 
 
     Pursuant to the Regulation, starting from February 8, 2020, save for exempted persons, all persons who have stayed in the Mainland, Macao or Taiwan in the 14 days preceding arrival in Hong Kong, regardless of their nationality or travel documents, will be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Moreover, pursuant to the Compulsory Quarantine of Persons Arriving at Hong Kong from Foreign Places Regulation (Cap. 599E), starting from December 25, 2020, all persons arriving at Hong Kong (either via the airport or land boundary control points) who have stayed in places outside China on the day of arrival at Hong Kong or during the 21 days before that day have to undergo compulsory quarantine for 21 days in designated quarantine hotels. Breaching a quarantine order is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months.
 
     A spokesman for the Department of Health said the sentences send a clear message to the community that breaching a compulsory quarantine order is a criminal offence that the Government will not tolerate, and solemnly reminded the public to comply with the Regulation. As of today, a total of 93 persons have been convicted by the courts for breaching compulsory quarantine orders and have received sentences including immediate imprisonment for up to 14 weeks or a fine of $15,000. The spokesman reiterated that resolute actions will be taken against anyone who has breached the relevant regulations.

     A spokesman for the Housing Department reminded residents of public rental housing (PRH) estates to declare truthfully their income and assets.

     A PRH resident living at Ping Shek Estate declared on a 2020 Income and Asset Declaration Form that he did not have ownership of land and landed property, and that his total household net asset value did not exceed 100 times the prevailing PRH income limit of $3,100,000. A subsequent investigation revealed that the resident owned land at Tai Po and was granted a Building Licence in 2018 and a Certificate of Compliance in 2020 by the Lands Department, and that the value of the land and landed property was $16,000,000. His family was therefore ineligible for living in the PRH unit. He was prosecuted by the Housing Department for neglecting to furnish information specified in the Income and Asset Declaration Form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance.

     The defendant was convicted by the presiding magistrate in Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today and was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment after considering the gravity of the offence.
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     The spokesman said that households living in PRH should accurately complete the income and asset declaration forms, which are used for laying the foundation for the assessment of rent and residents' eligibilities for continuing residence. Before making the declarations, households should read the contents and completion guidelines of the income and asset declaration form carefully and compute their income and assets in accordance with the methods specified. Otherwise, they may be prosecuted for making a false statement knowingly, contrary to Section 26(1)(a) of the Housing Ordinance (if convicted, the maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and imprisonment for six months) or be prosecuted for neglecting to furnish information as specified in a declaration form, contrary to Section 27(a) of the Housing Ordinance (if convicted, the maximum penalty is a $25,000 fine and imprisonment for three months).