The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (May 26) provided an update on its investigation into the suspected food poisoning cases involving sandwiches announced on May 21, 22 and 25, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent food-borne diseases.
 
     The CHP has identified 26 more clusters of suspected food poisoning relating to sandwiches. The newly reported clusters involved 24 males and 37 females aged 2 to 61. They developed gastroenteritis symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and fever about three to 86 hours after consuming sandwiches. Fifty-two of them sought medical consultation and 17 required hospitalisation.

     As of 4pm today, the CHP has identified a total of 63 clusters of suspected food poisonings, affecting 154 persons. Among them, stool specimens of three affected persons tested positive for Group D Salmonella.

     All affected persons are now in stable condition. Investigations are proceeding.

     "Prolonged storage of food at room temperature may allow pathogens to grow and produce toxins. Members of the public should avoid consuming cooked or ready-to-eat food that has been kept at room temperature for several hours," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     To prevent food-borne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:

• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
• Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hot pot or barbecue meal;
• Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
• Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine and wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
• Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.
 

     The Government received over 14 000 applications under the Subsidy Scheme for Beauty Parlours, Massage Establishments and Party Rooms launched under the second round of the Anti-epidemic Fund of the Government. The vetting of applications is under way. Disbursement of subsidies to approved applicants through bank transfer began today (May 26) and is expected to be completed within June.

     The application period for the Scheme ended on May 17. Applicants can check the status of the processing of their application by providing their application number and business registration number at enquiry.bmpsubsidy.gov.hk. For other enquiries, applicants may call the telephone hotline (1836 188) during office hours (Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm, except public holidays) or send an email to enquiry@bmpsubsidy.hk.

     A 42-year-old man was fined $10,000 by the Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (May 26) for violating the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation (Cap. 599C) (the Regulation).
 
     The man was earlier issued a compulsory quarantine order stating that he must conduct quarantine at home for 14 days. Before the expiry of the quarantine order, he left the place of quarantine without reasonable excuse nor permission given by an authorised officer and was stopped by staff of the Immigration Department at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao-Bridge Control Point on March 24. He was charged with contravening sections 8(1) and 8(5) of the Regulation and was fined $10,000 by the Shatin Magistrates' Courts.
 
     A spokesman for the Department of Health (DH) said the sentence sends a clear message to the community that breaching quarantine orders is a criminal offence and that the Government will not tolerate such actions. The spokesman reiterated that compliance with quarantine orders is of paramount importance in Hong Kong's fight against COVID-19.
 
     Pursuant to the Regulation, save for exempted persons, all persons who have stayed in the Mainland, Macao or Taiwan in the 14 days preceding arrival at 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 March 19, all persons arriving from countries or territories outside China would also be subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Breaching quarantine orders is a criminal offence and offenders are subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 and imprisonment for six months. The DH solemnly reminds persons under quarantine to comply with the statutory requirements and conduct quarantine for 14 days.

     Tai Wo Recycle Resources (HK) Limited in North District and CP Leader Environmental Technology Limited as well as Eastone Investment Limited in Yuen Long did not comply with the relevant requirement of air pollution abatement notices to reduce odour emissions from the production of plastic pellets by a deadline. The three companies were convicted and fined a total of $22,000 at Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (May 26) and on May 19 and 5 respectively for contravening the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (APCO).

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has been greatly concerned about the pollution caused by open-air waste plastic recycling yards in the New Territories recently. The department has conducted targeted operations and stepped up law enforcement actions to combat non-compliance. During a series of operations carried out by enforcement officers of the EPD from the latter half of last year until now, air pollution abatement notices have been issued to 18 recycling yards, requesting them to reduce odour emissions from the production of plastic pellets by a deadline. After the expiry of the deadline, enforcement officers of the EPD discovered that eight of the recycling yards, including the three companies mentioned above, did not improve on their non-compliant situations and continued to cause odour nuisance, which allegedly contravened the APCO. The EPD then took follow-up action against the recycling yards. In addition to the three convicted companies, the remaining five cases are either under investigation by the EPD or being scheduled for hearings in the courts.

     A spokesman for the EPD reminded operators of waste plastic recycling yards that they must properly service and maintain their waste plastic management facilities with a view to ensuring their effective operation. They should equip their recycling yards with suitable and effective air pollution control equipment, for instance adopting fully enclosed production lines and installing effective ventilation as well as air purifying systems for their production lines to reduce air pollutant emission. In addition, operators of waste plastic recycling yards should arrange for experienced technicians to carry out regular inspections and maintenance so as to avoid causing air pollution nuisance to residents nearby. The EPD will continue to closely monitor the performance of waste plastic recycling yards in terms of environmental protection and strictly combat illegal activities.

     According to the APCO, anyone failing to comply with any requirement of an air pollution abatement notice commits an offence. Offenders may be liable to a maximum fine of $100,000 on a first conviction. A maximum fine of $200,000 and six months' imprisonment may be imposed on a subsequent conviction.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Livi VB Limited on fraudulent websites, which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the websites concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the websites should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.