The Department of Health (DH) today (May 10) presented commendations to over 70 community members and 80 participating organisations at the "I'm So Smart" Community Health Promotion Programme Recognition Ceremony for their participation in promoting an active lifestyle with regular physical activity and less sedentary behaviour, and a healthy diet with adequate intake of fruits and vegetables.

     Addressing the recognition ceremony, the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the DH, Dr Wong Ka-hing, said that Hong Kong faces an increasing threat from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). An unhealthy diet and insufficient physical activity are among the behavioural risk factors responsible for NCDs. In 2019/20, the Programme will continue to promote reducing sedentary behaviour, and will encourage members of the public to walk more to increase their physical activity levels and to integrate physical activity into daily life. In addition, the programme will emphasise a low-salt healthy diet, raising the public's awareness about salt consumption and enhancing their knowledge about the hidden salt in food.
 
     Dr Wong pointed out that consuming too much salt is detrimental to health, which may raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that healthy adults should consume below 5 grams of salt per day, and that children should consume less salt than adults.
 
     However, according to the findings of the DH's Population Health Survey 2014/15, over 85 per cent of the respondents had a salt intake above the WHO's recommended daily limit. The DH has been carrying out various measures to encourage the public to reduce salt intake, such as implementing the Salt Reduction Scheme for School Lunches in the 2017/18 school year to build a favourable school environment for promoting a healthy diet, and to cultivate good eating habits for children.
 
     Dr Wong added that globally about one in four adults are not physically active enough, while an alarming four in five of the world's adolescent population are not sufficiently physically active. The DH launched the "Healthy Hong Kong 2025 | Move for Health" Campaign last year to encourage the public to "move for health" and increase their physical activity to build an active lifestyle.

 â€‹     Dr Wong said, "To address the threat of NCDs, last year the Government launched 'Towards 2025: Strategy and Action Plan to Prevent and Control Non-communicable Diseases in Hong Kong' (SAP), with a focus on four NCDs, namely cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, and four shared behavioural risk factors, namely an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.

​     "The SAP sets out a series of actions to prevent and control NCDs and address the burden of NCDs. Nevertheless, the participation and co-operation of the community is of paramount importance in achieving the goal of reducing the burden of NCDs. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all participating organisations and members of the community for their support and involvement, and hope that we shall continue to work in close partnership to establish healthy lifestyles and a healthy culture and make Hong Kong a healthier city.”

     The "I'm So Smart" Community Health Promotion Programme was launched in 2012 and aims at enhancing community collaboration to promote healthy lifestyles with healthy eating and regular physical activity. Over 80 groups participated in the Programme last year, including the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA), Estate Management Advisory Committees of housing estates under the HKHA, Healthy Cities Projects and 50 non-governmental organisations. Related activities by participating organisations attracted a total attendance of more than 65 300 last year.
 
     Other officiating guests at today's ceremony included the Chief Manager/Management of the Housing Department, Mrs Harriet Lau; the Vice President of the Physical Fitness Association of Hong Kong, China, Mr Roy Ngai; and the Chairman of the Hong Kong Dietitians Association, Ms Sylvia Lam.

    

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (May 10) investigating a case of severe paediatric enterovirus (EV) infection, and again urged the public and institutions to maintain strict hand, personal and environmental hygiene.

     The case involves a 2-month-old baby girl with good past health, who has presented with cough, runny nose and vomiting since April 28 and fever since May 8. She was taken to the Accident and Emergency Department of North District Hospital for medical attention on April 30 and was admitted to Alice Ho Miu Ling Nethersole Hospital on the same day for management. The patient has all along been in a stable condition.

     Her cerebrospinal fluid specimen tested positive for EV upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was meningitis.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had recently travelled to Qingyuan, Guangdong. Her home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far. Investigations are ongoing.

     A spokesman for the CHP said that as EV infection is transmitted by direct contact with nose and throat discharges, the public should be vigilant and observe the following preventive measures:
 

• Wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet and changing diapers;
• Cover the mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing;
• Maintain good ventilation; and
• Thoroughly clean toys or appliances which are contaminated by nasal or oral secretions.

     Children suffering from EV infection should stay at home and avoid contact with other children until they have recovered.

     The public may visit the CHP's page on hand, foot and mouth disease and EV71 infection for more information.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (May 10) investigating two cases of measles infection.

     As at 4pm today, two cases were recorded. The first case involves a 47-year-old man with good past health who developed cough since May 6 and fever and rash since May 8. He consulted private doctors on May 6 and 8, attended the Accident and Emergency Department at Prince of Wales Hospital on May 8 and was admitted for treatment on the following day. A laboratory test of his respiratory specimen was positive for the measles virus. He has been in a stable condition. The patient's measles vaccination history is unknown. He had no travel history during the incubation period and communicable period.

​     The second case involves a 27-year-old woman with good past health who developed fever on May 4 and rash since May 8. She consulted a private doctor and attended the Accident and Emergency Department at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital on May 8 and was admitted for treatment on the same day. A laboratory test of her respiratory specimen was positive for the measles virus. She has been in a stable condition. The patient's measles vaccination history is unknown. She travelled to the Philippines during the incubation period but had no travel history during the communicable period.

     According to both patients, they did not have contact with measles patients during the incubation period. Their home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far and have been put under medical surveillance.

      Upon notification of the cases, the CHP immediately commenced epidemiological investigations and conducted relevant contact tracing. Investigations are ongoing. The public places the patients visited during the communicable period are listed in the appendix.

     "The incubation period (the period from infection to appearance of illness) of measles ranges from seven days to 21 days. Symptoms of measles include fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes. If symptoms arise, members of the public should wear surgical masks, stop going to work or school and avoid going to crowded places. They should also avoid contact with non-immune persons, especially persons with weakened immunity, pregnant women and children aged below 1. Those suspected to have been infected are advised to seek medical attention as early as possible and reveal relevant contact history of measles to healthcare professionals," a spokesman for the DH advised.

     Regarding measles control measures implemented at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), a total of four persons had received measles vaccination at the airport vaccination station as at 6pm today, bringing the cumulative number of vaccinations given to 8 393.

     From tomorrow (May 11) to May 17 (excluding Sundays and public holidays), measles vaccination will be provided to airport staff who:

(1) Were born in or after 1967, and have not received two doses of measles vaccination, and have not been infected with measles before; or
(2) Have laboratory evidence of testing not positive against measles antibody (IgG).

     The vaccination quota for the measles vaccination station at the airport remains at 600 doses daily. The venue and operation hours of the airport vaccination station are as follows:
 

     Hongkong Post announced today (May 10) that as from June 1, as requested by the Government of the United States (US), all mail items except small and large letters to be sent to US must have electronic customs information submitted in English at the time of posting. Mail items which do not have electronic customs information submitted cannot be sent to the US.
      
     Customers need to provide the English electronic customs data through Hongkong Post's online platform/mobile app Easy PreCustoms (easy-precustoms.hongkongpost.hk/epc/?), or other online platforms EC-Ship, My Speedpost, or relevant facilities in post offices. Senders of items without electronic customs information will be requested to supplement the required information or the items will be returned to them. Mail senders need to write return address on the mail items. If there is no return address or the sender cannot be contacted, the item will be destroyed. Postage will not be refunded where return or disposal is caused by these circumstances.  
      
     The mails items for which electronic customs data are required cover all mail items except small and large letters, i.e. all Speedpost, air and surface parcels, registered and ordinary packets, e-Express and iMail items. The required customs information includes the sender's information, addressee's information and particulars of contents, which are the same as currently provided in the paper declaration forms.
      
     Hongkong Post encourages the public to use Hongkong Post's Easy PreCustoms online platform as a one-stop service to input data and print out the posting form bearing a barcode, so as to avoid the need to obtain barcode labels from post offices before posting.   

     For registered and ordinary packets, if the public has not used Easy PreCustoms to provide data and a print posting form bearing a barcode, senders still need to fill in printed customs declaration form and affix a mail barcode label (available in any post office) onto the mail item and then enter the customs information together with the barcode number via the online platforms before posting.

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements on Hong Kong Island this Sunday (May 12) to facilitate members of the public to celebrate the Tam Kung Festival.

Shau Kei Wan
————
     
     The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented from 6.30am to 6.30pm:

A. Road closure

– Shau Kei Wan Main Street East between Factory Street and Tung Hei Road, except for trams;
– Tam Kung Temple Road;
– A Kung Ngam Village Road between Tung Hei Road and A Kung Ngam Road;
– Westbound Tung Hei Road between its eastern junction with A Kung Ngam Village Road and Mong Lung Street;
– Eastbound Tung Hei Road between its eastern junction with A Kung Ngam Village Road and Oi Lai Street;
– Eastbound Oi Lai Street between Oi Yin Street and Tung Hei Road;
– Wang Wa Street;
– Factory Street between Shau Kei Wan Main Street East and Wang Wa Street;
– Eastbound Factory Street between Mong Lung Street and Shau Kei Wan Main Street East; and
– Kam Wa Street between Mong Lung Street and Wang Wa Street.

B. Traffic diversions

– Traffic along eastbound Tung Hei Road heading for A Kung Ngam or Chai Wan will be diverted via Mong Lung Street, Factory Street, Aldrich Street and Chai Wan Road; and
– Traffic along westbound Island Eastern Corridor heading for A Kung Ngam will be diverted via Nam On Lane, Shau Kei Wan Road, Chai Wan Road and A Kung Ngam Road.

C. Suspension of parking spaces

     The following parking spaces will be suspended from 10pm on May 11 to 6.30pm the following day:

– Metered parking spaces on Wang Wa Street;
– Metered parking spaces on Kam Wa Street between Mong Lung Street and Wang Wa Street; and
– Motorcycle parking spaces and disabled parking spaces on Kam Wa Street.

Tai Hang
——–
     
     The following roads will be intermittently closed from 8.30am until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Wun Sha Street;
– School Street;
– Lai Yin Street;
– Second Lane;
– Warren Street;
– Sun Chun Street; and
– Ormsby Street.

     Vehicles may not be permitted to leave car parks along the closed roads during the road closure period.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.