The Department of Health (DH) today (August 7) announced that samples of suspected counterfeit human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines seized last month were found to have failed the sterility test.

     The DH and Hong Kong Customs conducted joint operations at two medical centres on July 10 and July 12 respectively during which suspected counterfeit HPV vaccines were seized in both premises. Interim analytical results were announced on July 24 indicating that no hazardous impurities were detected in the samples. However, report of the sterility test issued by an accredited laboratory this afternoon indicated that the samples have failed the relevant tests, revealing the doubtful quality of the products.

     "Failure of sterility test means that the samples may be contaminated with micro-organisms which may pose risk to those who have been administered with the products," a DH spokesman said.

     According to the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), any person who supplies a drug which is not of the nature or quality demanded by the purchaser shall be guilty of an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $10,000 and an imprisonment for three months.

     The DH and Customs will proceed with prosecution matters in accordance with the advice from the Department of Justice.

     "So far, the DH has not received any report on adverse reactions related to the HPV vaccines supplied by the two medical centres. People who have received HPV vaccines from the two medical centres are urged to seek advice from healthcare professionals if they are in doubt or feeling unwell. In addition, registered healthcare professionals are urged to only procure registered pharmaceutical products from licensed wholesale dealers," the spokesman said.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (August 7) inspected the site for the new public market at Tin Shui Wai and reviewed the progress of the improvement works of Tai Wai Market. She also took the opportunity to go to the Tin Shui Wai Police Station to learn more about the damage to its facilities and visit the police officers of the district.
 
     Accompanied by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, Mrs Lam went to a section of Tin Fuk Road outside the Tin Shui Wai MTR Station, which is the chosen site for the new Tin Shui Wai Market. The site, close to the MTR station and a public transport interchange, is convenient for local residents to buy fresh food. According to the preliminary planning, which has taken into account suggestions made by the Yuen Long District Council, at least 120 stalls including cooked food stalls will be available in the new market. The Food and Health Bureau, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the Architectural Services Department have been working closely with other relevant departments to take the project forward and will continue to consult local residents.
 
     Mrs Lam and Professor Chan also took the opportunity to visit police officers at Tin Shui Wai Police Station. She noted that part of the police station was damaged while besieged by violent protestors recently. The damage included windows on a number of floors. The Chief Executive thanked colleagues of the force for striving to enforce law and order under extremely difficult conditions.
 
     They then went to Tai Wai Market to inspect the progress of works to install an air-conditioning system at the market. Tai Wai Market was commissioned in 1985 and the installation of the air-conditioning system has long been an improvement measure anticipated by stall operators in the market and residents. Funding was approved by the Legislative Council last year, with works commencing in early May this year. It is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2020. The Chief Executive chatted with the stall operators and thanked them for their help in enabling good works progress.
 
     Proposed in the Chief Executive's maiden Policy Address in 2017, Tin Shui Wai Market is one of the markets to be built based on a new thinking on governance to offer wider choices of fresh provisions for residents. The 2018 Policy Address also announced that studies on site selection had been completed. In addition, it was proposed that the current-term Government would conduct a comprehensive review of the operation of existing public markets and formulate specific improvement measures for both the facilities and their management, including rolling out the Market Modernisation Programme as soon as possible to improve the environment of public markets.
 
      "I will put forward more measures to improve people's livelihoods in the upcoming 2019 Policy Address. Public consultation on the Policy Address is underway and members of the public are welcome to give their views," Mrs Lam said.
 
     During the visit, Mrs Lam chatted with a number of residents who expressed to her their diverse views on various social issues.

        

     A woman who went missing in Sham Shui Po has been located.

     Hui Yuet-ming, aged 44, went missing after she left her residence on Boundary Street on July 23 morning. Her family made a report to Police on July 29.

     The woman was located on Boundary Street yesterday (August 6) afternoon. She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, met the media after attending the ninth meeting of the Financial Leaders Forum this afternoon (August 7). Joining him were the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr James Lau; the Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Mr Arthur Yuen; and the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Securities and Futures Commission, Ms Julia Leung. Following is the transcript of remarks at the media session:
 
Reporter: You said the latest economic data shows that the Hong Kong economy is under pressure, so do you see partly because of the, well uh, the economy's and how likely you see a greater chance that we are heading into a recession in the second half of the year?
 
Financial Secretary: Thank you for the question. Our second quarter economic data indicates that, on a quarter-to-quarter basis, the GDP has decelerated in the second quarter, and in fact has come down to negative 0.3 per cent. The economic situation, both externally and domestically was challenging in July. Domestically we are still struggling with our own social issues and externally there are increasing external uncertainties caused by escalating US-China trade conflict as well as other geo-political situations.
 
For the third quarter of this year, if we were to have a negative growth again, then we would be technically in recession. This situation is causing some concern, and we'd like to highlight this risk to our people so that we will all stay vigilant and pay more attention to our economic and livelihood issues. Thank you.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) made the following announcement today (August 7):
 
     A 3-month-old baby girl of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit was confirmed to be infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on 3 August. She is in serious condition, under close medical surveillance and proper isolation and treatment. Furthermore, during a monthly routine screening, three baby girls (aged 16 days to 3 months) who have been staying in the same unit were confirmed to be carriers of MRSA, but without clinical symptoms. The three babies are still being hospitalised under medical surveillance and are in isolation due to their underlying disease. They are in stable condition.
 
     Infection control measures of the ward have already been stepped up and contact tracing would be conducted according to prevailing guidelines. All other infants in the ward are under close medical surveillance.
 
     The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.