Tag Archives: China

     The Development Bureau today (December 29) held with the Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province (DHURD) a conference for the architectural and engineering sectors to introduce the new measures under the Interim Guidelines for the Management of Hong Kong Engineering Construction Consultant Enterprises and Professionals Starting Business and Practising in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cities, which assist enterprises and professionals in starting businesses and practising in the nine cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
 
     The video conference, co-hosted by the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works), Mr Lam Sai-hung, and the Deputy Director-General of the DHURD, Mr Cai Ying, was held simultaneously at both places. The Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Professor Jiang Jianxiang, and representatives from construction-related professional institutions and associations as well as professional registration boards also participated in the conference.
 
     “The new measures were endorsed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in July this year. With the concerted efforts of related parties, the measures were finalised and promulgated on the website of the DUHRD at the end of November and will take effect on January 1 next year. The launch of the new measures at this moment offers uplifting news for the Hong Kong industry and reaffirms the achievement of the long-term collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong,” Mr Lam said at the conference.
 
     He expressed the hope that with the implementation of the new measures, professionals and enterprises in Hong Kong could grasp the opportunities in the GBA and serve as important momentum to assist in developing the GBA into a world-class bay area.
 
     The Interim Guidelines allow consultant firms on the two government lists, i.e. the Architectural and Associated Consultants Selection Board and the Engineering and Associated Consultants Selection Board, as well as professionals registered with relevant registration boards in Hong Kong, to be able to directly provide services in the GBA by obtaining equivalent qualifications in the Mainland through a registration system.

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The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The spokesperson for United Christian Hospital (UCH) today (December 29) announced that a 71-year-old female COVID-19 confirmed patient (case No. 8377) passed away toda… read more

     The Home Affairs Department (HAD) today (December 29) said that they will open 18 temporary cold shelters for people in need of the service after the issue of cold weather warning by the Hong Kong Observatory in accordance with the established mechanism.
           
     The temporary cold shelters will normally provide mattresses and blankets/quilts, food and hot water to shelter users. Room heating will be available to maintain a warm room temperature. The temporary cold shelters will remain open during the whole period when the cold weather warning is still in force.

     In view of the latest developments of the COVID-19 epidemic, the HAD will adopt infection control measures as advised by the Centre for Health Protection in temporary cold shelters. Infection control measures include checking of body temperature for persons who wish to seek refuge in the temporary cold shelter, provide alcohol-based handrub, request attendees to wear surgical mask inside the temporary cold shelter, provide disposable bedsheets upon request, and space out mattresses by at least 1.5 metres apart, etc.

     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:

Hong Kong Districts
——————–
Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex, 2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay

Southern:
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau 

Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai

Kowloon Districts
——————–
Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices, 42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom

Kwun Tong:
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin 

Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po

Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan 

Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei

New Territories
—————-
Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building,
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung

Kwai Tsing:
Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
15 Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung

North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling 

Sai Kung:
King Lam Neighbourhood Community Centre
King Lam Estate, Tseung Kwan O
(Note: Replacing the Hang Hau Community Hall which has been used as a Community Testing Centre for the time being.) 

Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin 

Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po 

Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan 

Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun 

Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long

    Under the cold weather, people in need could stay in the temporary cold shelters to take rest. For details of the temporary cold shelters, please visit the HAD’s website: www.had.gov.hk/en/public_services/emergency_services/emergency.htm read more

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 publ… read more

     With the prolonged local COVID-19 epidemic situation, the confirmed cases are distributed all over the territory. Some of the confirmed cases are asymptomatic and this indicates the existence of many silent transmission chains in the community. The Government had earlier sponsored a multi-disciplinary team of the University of Hong Kong to conduct a preliminary study on the monitoring of the COVID-19 virus level in sewage. The study revealed that the sewage samples in Fung Chak House of Choi Wan (II) Estate constantly tested positive, which implied that persons infected with COVID-19 might be present at the relevant place. The Government is very concerned about the situation, and has arranged for a testing agency to set up a mobile specimen collection station at the following location and dates. The new station would, together with the mobile specimen collection station at the basketball court next to Ming Lai House of Choi Wan (II) Estate which commenced operation on December 27, provide free testing service for residents and workers of Choi Wan (II) Estate. 
 

New mobile specimen collection station	Operating hours
Open area outside Fung Chak House of Choi Wan (II) Estate, Wong Tai Sin (only for residents and workers of Choi Wan (II) Estate) (Hong Kong Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Centre Limited)	3pm to 8 pm (December 28) 10am to 8pm (from December 29 onwards)

     The above-mentioned mobile specimen collection station will tentatively operate until December 31 (Thursday). The Government has also decided to extend the service period of the mobile specimen collection station at the basketball court next to Ming Lai House of Choi Wan (II) Estate to December 31 (Thursday). The Government will decide whether it is necessary to further extend the operation period of the stations after reviewing their usage and public’s demand for the testing service. The opening dates and operating hours of the mobile specimen collection stations in various districts providing free COVID-19 nucleic acid testing services for the general public are at Annex.

     A Government spokesman said, “The testing agencies will provide specimen collection services by combined nasal and throat swabs at the mobile specimen collection stations for testing free of charge. Persons who are subject to compulsory testing and undergo testing at the mobile specimen collection stations will be deemed to have undergone a test at a Community Testing Centre. The mobile specimen collection stations will accord priority to provide testing service for local residents and workers who are subject to compulsory testing.”

     People whose test results are negative will be informed by SMS through their mobile phones. If any specimen tested shows a preliminarily positive result, the specimen will be referred to the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health (DH) for a confirmatory test. Confirmed cases will be followed up and announced by the Centre for Health Protection of the DH.

     The spokesman urged all individuals who are in doubt about their own health condition, or individuals with exposure to infection risk (such as individuals who visited places with epidemic outbreaks or contacted confirmed cases) to undergo testing promptly for early identification of infected persons.  read more