Police today (December 22) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tsing Yi.   

     Wong Po-wah, aged 55, went missing after he was last seen on Wing Kin Road on November 11. His family made a report to Police yesterday (December 21).

     He is about 1.8 metres tall, 80 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a round face with yellow complexion and is bald.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1174 or 5423 3472or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     A spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (December 22) that samples from a pet dog sent to the AFCD have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

     The case involves a Pomeranian that lived in Sham Tseng. When the owner was found to be a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 case, the dog was sent to the AFCD for quarantine on December 15. Samples collected from the dog by the department tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. However, the dog has not shown any symptoms. The AFCD will continue to closely monitor the dog and conduct repeat testing.

     The spokesman reminded pet owners to adopt good hygiene practices (including hand washing before and after being around or handling animals, their food or supplies, as well as avoiding kissing them) and to maintain a clean and hygienic household environment. People who have taken ill should restrict contact with animals. If any changes in the health condition of pets are spotted, advice from a veterinarian should be sought as soon as possible.

     The spokesman emphasised that currently there is no evidence to show that pets are playing a role in the spread of infection with the COVID-19 virus among humans. Pet owners should always maintain good hygiene practices and under no circumstances should they abandon their pets.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority.

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases in Kowloon West Cluster, the spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital made the following update today (December 22):
 
     Having conducted contact tracing, one more 75-year-old male patient in the surgical ward of the hospital was confirmed as a Candida auris carrier while not having signs of infection. The patient is now being treated under isolation and in stable condition.
 
     The hospital will continue the contact tracing of close contacts of the patient in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spreading of Candida auris:
 
1.  Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the wards concerned;
2.  Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures;
3.  Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients;
4.  Introduction of PCR rapid test for early identification of carrier; and
5.  Application of designated equipment for patient use to avoid cross infection.
 
     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patient. The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

     Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Ms Teresa Cheng, SC, at the Virtual Signing Ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China for the Technical and Administrative Arrangements relating to the Secondment of Legal Professionals today (December 22):

Dr Bernasconi (Secretary General of the Hague Conference on Private International Law, Dr Christophe Bernasconi), ladies and gentlemen,

     It is my great pleasure today to participate in the virtual signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) and the Department of Justice (DoJ) of the Government of the HKSAR.

     Over the years, the HCCH and the DoJ have been collaborating closely on various projects and events. We are very delighted that the HCCH's Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in the HKSAR has recently moved into the former French Mission Building, which forms an important part of the Hong Kong Legal Hub. This historical building is where I am standing right now. The signing of this Memorandum marks yet another milestone for the long-standing partnership between the HCCH and the DoJ.

     As I have mentioned on various occasions, it is DoJ's policy initiative to nurture Hong Kong's legal talent through continuous provision of training opportunities including secondment arrangements with international organisations. Through participating in the work of such organisations, our legal talent will expand their knowledge of the operation of international organisations, broaden their horizons through learning from international law experts, and inject a Hong Kong perspective in shaping the development of international law.

     I am very pleased to announce that under the secondment arrangement with the HCCH, lawyers in both public and private sectors will have opportunities to gain experience at the HCCH. The HCCH is a highly respected inter-governmental organisation that develops multilateral instruments in response to global needs in the area of private international law. I am deeply grateful for the HCCH's kind support to this secondment scheme and the invaluable opportunities that it will offer to our legal talent. I have no doubt that the strong bonding between the HCCH and the DoJ will continue to create synergies for both parties, and importantly, for the furtherance and development of the private international law.

     The COVID-19 pandemic explains why the ceremony today is held virtually. Thanks to technological advancement, the dedicated support of eBRAM and the commitments of both the HCCH and DoJ, we are able to make use of lawtech to tackle the social-distancing limitations posed by the pandemic. In particular, our technical partner, eBRAM, provides us with the technical support in hosting this signing ceremony by leveraging its online platform, which turns digital signing of the Memorandum into a practical reality. This showcases one of the many facets of Hong Kong's strengths in the areas of innovation, information and communication technology as an innovation hub.

     Indeed, the benefits brought about by lawtech are palpable and remarkable during times of the pandemic. As part of the Government's anti-epidemic initiatives, a COVID-19 ODR Scheme has been established and the eBRAM Centre has been commissioned to provide online ODR and deal-making platforms. The Scheme provides parties with an option to resolve global and local COVID-19 related disputes in a speedy and cost-effective manner. The video conferencing technology of eBRAM specifically developed for ODR enables parties to sign an "electronic ODR agreement" and conduct negotiation and mediation meetings as well as arbitration hearings online in a secure and effective environment.

     Whilst COVID-19 may be here to linger, it will be important that the research, study and discussion on private international law continue as we adapt to the new normal. The HCCH, as the leading body in this area, has a pivotal role to play and with its regional office here in Hong Kong, we look forward to collaborate in this particular area.

     The DoJ will invite applications for this secondment scheme in the first quarter of 2021 and hope that both government lawyers and the legal profession in the private sector will benefit from this unique opportunity.

     Finally, let me wish you all a very merry and also quiet Christmas, and a very happy and healthy 2021. And Christophe, may I say I hope to see you in person real soon. Thank you very much.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for United Christian Hospital (UCH) made the following announcement regarding an inpatient who tested positive for COVID-19 today (December 22):
 
     An 89-year-old female patient was admitted to the UCH Accident and Emergency Department (AED) on December 20 due to a fall. She was transferred to the Medical and Geriatric Ward for further treatment. Medical staff arranged a COVID-19 deep throat saliva test for her according to established admission screening procedures, and the test result was positive. She was then transferred to the isolation ward for treatment and is currently in stable condition.
 
     The hospital's infection control team conducted contact tracing and found that the index patient did not consistently wear a surgical mask properly. Six other patients who had stayed in the same cubicle of the ward with the confirmed patient are classified as close contacts and will be quarantined for 14 days. All of them tested negative for COVID-19. Patient admission and discharge of the concerned ward had been suspended pending the testing for the other 40 patients in the same ward, including two patients who had been transferred to Haven of Hope Hospital. As all the results were negative for COVID-19, the ward concerned has already been reopened.
 
     All staff members working in the AED and the ward concerned were equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment in accordance with infection control guidelines. No aerosol generating procedures were performed during that period. Therefore, none of the staff members are being classified as close contacts so far, while contact tracing is still underway.
 
     UCH will continue to closely monitor the health of its staff and patients and will communicate with the Centre for Health Protection about the latest situation. The hospital appeals to all patients to strictly follow the instructions of medical staff and wear surgical masks properly within the hospital compound to avoid increasing the risk of infection of medical staff and other patients, and affecting hospital operations.