â€‹The Fire Services Department (FSD) had responded to a total of seven emergency ambulance calls during the mass gathering at the Hong Kong International Airport yesterday (August 13). At the time of the rescue operation, the radical acts of some protesters had seriously affected the department's service delivery.
      
     When dealing with two of the cases, the FSD's ambulance crews were confronted by protesters who refused to make way for them which hindered the service delivery.  Consequently, the crews took a very long time to reach the injured, provide them with ambulance aid and convey them to hospital. In one serious case, it took more than three hours for the crew to take the injured person to the ambulance for conveyance to hospital. An ambulanceman sustained injury after being repeatedly hit by protesters while handling the injured person. It was also noted that some protestors snatched or damaged ambulance tools and equipment, causing serious hindrance to the rescue operations. The FSD strongly condemns and deeply regrets these acts which are not acceptable to the community and have seriously hindered its delivery of emergency ambulance service. 
      
     A spokesman for the FSD said, "We must stress that ambulance personnel have to race against time in the provision of emergency ambulance service. Any delay in the process may cause patients to miss the best timing for treatment and pose serious threats to their lives.
      
     "In the spirit of 'Serving with Courage, Passion and Commitment', the FSD provides emergency ambulance services to all members of the public, irrespective of their identity and background. We call on all people to cooperate with rescue personnel, so that patients can receive prompt and efficient ambulance service."

     The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, began his itinerary in Sichuan today (August 14).

     Upon his arrival in the afternoon, Mr Wong departed for the Hetaoping base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong to learn about the conservation of giant pandas. Reconstructed after the massive Wenchuan earthquake, the Hetaoping base is the first training establishment for reintroducing pandas to nature through systematic transitional wilderness training with a view to letting pandas live in the wild. During the visit, Mr Wong, together with the former Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Hong Kong, Professor Lam Kin-che, and the former Convenor of the Steering Committee’s Marine Biodiversity Working Group, Professor Nora Tam, exchanged views with officers at the base. They discussed the overall planning for reintroducing pandas to the wild and the challenges encountered during the process, and spoke with education ambassadors at the China Giant Panda Garden to learn more about the lives of giant pandas after returning to the wild.

     Professor Lam will host a sharing session on biodiversity and the future of human beings in the evening to exchange views on environmental conservation and related issues.

     Mr Wong will continue his visit tomorrow (August 15), when he will call at Zumushan, the Museum of Nature and Earthquake in Wolong, the Dengsheng conservation station and Wolong Old Street.

     A man and a woman were fined $8,000 and $15,000 respectively at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (August 14) for contravening the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance.
      
     The courts heard that in December last year and February this year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), the Home Affairs Department, inspected two suspected unlicensed guesthouses on Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and Argyle Street in Mong Kok. During the inspections, the OLA officers posed as lodgers and successfully rented rooms in these guesthouses on a daily basis.
      
     According to the OLA's records, these guesthouses did not possess licences under the Ordinance on the days of inspection. The man and woman responsible for managing the premises were charged with contravening section 5(1) of the Ordinance.
      
     A department spokesman stressed that operating or managing an unlicensed guesthouse is a criminal offence and can lead to a criminal record. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and two years' imprisonment.
           
     The spokesman appealed to anyone with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to report it to the OLA through the hotline (tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website (www.hadla.gov.hk), or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses".

     The Home Affairs Department will open 19 temporary night heat shelters tonight (August 14) for people in need of the service.
 
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.
 
     For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2835 1473.
 
     The 19 night heat 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 –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate
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 Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building
39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung –
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O
 
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
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai

     The temporary night heat shelters will resume their functions as either community centres or community halls in the daytime for hire by the local community and cannot continue to be open as heat shelters. People may choose to take refuge from the heat during the daytime in the common areas in any of the 20 designated community centres or community halls. Their opening hours are from 9am to 10pm. For addresses of the community centres or community halls, please browse the following webpage: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 14) investigating a case of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection, and hence reminded the public to maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene against intestinal infections.

     The case involves an 8-year-old girl with good past health, who has presented with diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever since July 23. She was admitted to a private hospital on July 24 and was discharged on July 26. The patient has been in a stable condition all along.

     Her stool specimen grew STEC upon laboratory testing.

     The CHP's initial enquiries revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. Investigations are ongoing.

     "Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a bacterium that is commonly found in the gut of humans and warm-blooded animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless. Some strains, however, such as STEC, can produce powerful toxins and cause severe food-borne disease. The most recognised serogroup of STEC is E. coli O157:H7," a spokesman for the CHP explained.

     Preventive measures for STEC infection are similar to those recommended for other food-borne diseases. The public is advised to observe good personal and food hygiene:
 

• Adopt the 5 Keys to Food Safety in handling food, i.e. Choose (choose safe raw materials), Clean (keep hands and utensils clean), Separate (separate raw and cooked food), Cook (cook thoroughly) and Safe Temperature (keep food at a safe temperature) to prevent food-borne diseases;
• Wash hands properly with liquid soap and water before handling food, after handling raw meat or poultry and before eating, and after going to the toilet or changing diapers;
• Cook food and boil water thoroughly before consumption. When cooking or reheating, the core temperature of the food should reach at least 75 degrees Celsius;
• Avoid consumption of unpasteurised milk or undercooked food; and
• Consult your doctor immediately if you have symptoms of STEC infection, particularly bloody diarrhoea.

     The public may visit the CHP's STEC page for more information.