Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (July 2) investigating an outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in a kindergarten in Yuen Long, and again urged the public, schools and institutions to maintain strict hand, personal and environmental hygiene.
 
     The 21 affected children, 11 boys and 10 girls aged 3 to 6, have developed oral ulcers, rash over the hands or feet and fever since June 22. All of them sought medical attention but none required hospitalisation. All patients are in a stable condition.
 
     Officers of the CHP have conducted a site visit to the school and advised the management on necessary infection control and preventive measures. The school has been put under medical surveillance. Investigations are ongoing.
 
     “HFMD is common in children while adult cases may also appear. It is usually caused by enteroviruses (EVs) such as Coxsackie virus and EV71. It is clinically characterised by maculopapular rashes or vesicular lesions occurring on the palms, soles and other parts of the body such as the buttocks and thighs. Vesicular lesions and ulcers may also be found in the oral cavity. Sometimes patients present mainly with painful ulcers at the back of the mouth, namely herpangina, without rash on the hands or feet,” a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     “HFMD occurs throughout the year with the usual peak occurring from May to July. A smaller peak may also occur from October to December. According to the CHP’s latest surveillance data, the local activity of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is currently at high level. As young children are more susceptible, parents should stay alert to their health. Institutional outbreaks may occur where HFMD can easily spread among young children with close contact,” the spokesman added.

     To prevent HFMD, members of the public, and especially the management of institutions, should take heed of the following preventive measures:
 

• Maintain good air circulation;
• Wash hands before meals and after going to the toilet or handling diapers or other stool-soiled materials;
• Keep hands clean and wash hands properly, especially when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions, such as after sneezing;
• Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and dispose of nasal and oral discharges properly;
• Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as furniture, toys and commonly shared items with 1:99 diluted household bleach (mixing one part of bleach containing 5.25 per cent sodium hypochlorite with 99 parts of water), leave for 15 to 30 minutes, and then rinse with water and keep dry. For metallic surfaces, disinfect with 70 per cent alcohol;
• Use absorbent disposable towels to wipe away obvious contaminants such as respiratory secretions, vomitus or excreta, and then disinfect the surface and neighbouring areas with 1:49 diluted household bleach (mixing one part of bleach containing 5.25 per cent sodium hypochlorite with 49 parts of water), leave for 15 to 30 minutes and then rinse with water and keep dry. For metallic surfaces, disinfect with 70 per cent alcohol;
• Children who are ill should be kept out of school until their fever and rash have subsided and all the vesicles have dried and crusted;
• Avoid going to overcrowded places; and
• Parents should maintain close communication with schools to let them know the latest situation of the sick children.

 
     The public may visit the CHP’s page on HFMD and EV71 infection and Public Health Advice for Play Facilities for more information. read more

     A person and a company involved in two cases of illegal waste disposal were convicted and fined a total of $14,000 today (July 2) at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts for contravening the Waste Disposal Ordinance (WDO).

     From December last year to January this year, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) successfully seized offenders, including a driver and a recycling company, based on intelligence gathered through reports from members of the public and surveillance camera systems. The two cases of illegal disposal of commercial and industrial (C&I) waste as well as construction waste occurred in public places on Kwai Hei Street in Kwai Chung, and a private lot adjacent to Wo Yi Hop Village and Shing Mun Road. The waste disposed of was mainly construction waste. The waste deposited not only created obstructions in passages, but also caused environmental hygiene problems in the areas nearby. After gathering evidence, the EPD prosecuted the person and the company involved in accordance with the WDO.

     A spokesman for the EPD reminded all members of the renovation, construction, transportation and recycling sectors, including persons-in-charge of construction and recycling sites, workers and drivers as well as owners of goods vehicles, that they must properly deliver construction waste and C&I waste to government waste management facilities in accordance with the law. It is unlawful to dispose of waste in public places and on the roadside. Those who dispose of construction waste on a private lot also commit an offence unless written permission from the relevant land owner is obtained and a confirmation from the EPD is received. Under the WDO, first-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months’ imprisonment. A maximum fine of $500,000 and six months’ imprisonment may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions.

     The spokesman urged members of the public to make reports to the department if they witness any illegal disposal of waste. They can record videos or take photos and call the EPD hotline at 2838 3111. read more

     An exhibition entitled “The Road to Modernisation – 70 Years of the People’s Republic of China” will open tomorrow (July 3) at the Hong Kong Museum of History. Featuring some 210 invaluable relics, including nine grade-one national treasures, the exhibition will illustrate the modernisation of the People’s Republic of China during the 70 years since its founding.
      
     An opening ceremony was held today (July 2). Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, said that Hong Kong has played a unique role in the reform and opening up of China, and the future of Hong Kong will continue to be tied to the development of the country. The connection of the Hong Kong Section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link with the Mainland’s network, together with the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, has further fostered Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of China, he said.
      
     Mr Lau added that the exhibition provides a good opportunity for visitors to learn about the achievements of China over the past 70 years. He also expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for its support, and the National Museum of China (NMC) for providing its precious cultural relics on loan to Hong Kong.
      
     Showcasing some 170 exhibits including pictorials, newspapers, medals, certificates, artworks and models from the NMC, and some 40 exhibits from the Hong Kong Museum of History, along with multimedia programmes and videos, the exhibition focuses on the modernising achievements of China in the areas of the economy, education, technology, culture, sports and people’s livelihood.
      
     Highlight exhibits include the first volume of the Citizen Literacy Textbook compiled and printed by the Taiyuan Association for the Elimination of Illiteracy; a uniform worn by members of China’s Arctic Scientific Expedition Team during their expedition to the North Pole; the training diary of astronaut Yang Liwei; a share of the Shanghai Feilo Acoustics Company Limited purchased by Meng Jinmei for RMB50; “Dunhuang Paradise”, a boxwood carving created by master of Chinese arts Gao Gongbo; grade-one national treasure inscriptions on the Monument to the People’s Heroes by Zhou Enlai; and a section of the first China-made seamless steel pipe presented to Mao Zedong by staff of Anshan Iron and Steel Company.
      
     Other officiating guests included the Director of the NMC, Mr Wang Chunfa; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Ms Lu Xinning; the Chairman of the Museum Advisory Committee, Mr Stanley Wong; the Deputy Director of Leisure and Cultural Services (Culture), Ms Elaine Yeung; and the Museum Director of the Hong Kong Museum of History, Ms Belinda Wong.
      
     This exhibition is one of the programmes celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. It will run until August 26 and admission is free. It is jointly presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the NMC.
      
     The Hong Kong Museum of History is located at 100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui. For details of the exhibition, please visit hk.history.museum/en_US/web/mh/exhibition/current.html, or call 2724 9042 for enquiries. read more

     The bean product factory of Sun Fat Heung Food Product Limited located at Pat Heung, Yuen Long discharged untreated industrial wastewater into a river twice at the end of last year. The company was fined a total of $40,000 by the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts today (July 2) for contravening the Water Pollution Control Ordinance (WPCO).
 
     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) received a complaint in October last year that wastewater containing remnants of tofu was being discharged into Kam Tin River, causing environmental pollution. The EPD enforcement officers then conducted an ambush operation in November last year and successfully detected that Sun Fat Heung Food Product Limited’s bean product factory at Pat Heung, Yuen Long, was discharging untreated industrial wastewater into an adjacent river at midnight, seriously polluting nearby waters. Despite the fact that the EPD enforcement officers told the person-in-charge of the factory the department might consider initiating a prosecution for the above offence and warned them not to discharge substandard wastewater, the person-in-charge ignored the warning from the EPD. The factory was again found illegally discharging turbid wastewater by EPD enforcement officers during another ambush operation in early December last year.
 
     After evidence gathering, the EPD initiated prosecutions against Sun Fat Heung Food Product Limited for the aforementioned incidents of discharging wastewater under the WPCO.
 
     A spokesman for the EPD said that any direct discharge of untreated industrial wastewater would pollute nearby waterways and adversely affect public hygiene. The spokesman reminded members of the trade that they must install wastewater treatment facilities that are up to standard and ensure the effective operation of the facilities to treat wastewater with a view to avoiding environmental pollution.
 
     Under the WPCO, anyone who discharges wastewater into Hong Kong waters commits an offence. First-time offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and six months’ imprisonment. A maximum fine of $400,000 and six months’ imprisonment may be imposed on second or subsequent convictions.
 
 

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     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 2) that a sample of loose-packed Shanghai noodles was found to contain a preservative, benzoic acid, at a level exceeding the legal limit. The CFS is following up on the case.
      
     A spokesman for the CFS said, “The CFS collected the above-mentioned sample from a shop in Kwai Chung for testing under its routine Food Surveillance Programme. The test result showed that the sample contained benzoic acid at a level of 1 590 parts per million (ppm), exceeding the legal limit of 1 000 ppm.”
      
     The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity and instructed it to stop sale of the affected product. The CFS is tracing the source of the affected product.
      
     Benzoic acid is a preservative of low toxicity. Based on the level detected in the sample, adverse health effects will not be caused under usual consumption.
      
     The spokesman reminded the food trade that the use of preservatives in food must comply with the Preservatives in Food Regulation (Cap 132BD). Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 and six months’ imprisonment upon conviction.
      
     The CFS will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. Investigation is ongoing. read more