Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 3) released the latest grading of water quality of 38 gazetted beaches that are open for swimming and one non-gazetted beach (i.e. Discovery Bay*).   
   
     Eighteen beaches were rated as good (grade 1) and 21 as fair (grade 2).
 
Grade 1 beaches are:  
     

Chung Hom Kok Beach	Pui O Beach
Deep Water Bay Beach	Repulse Bay Beach
Discovery Bay	Shek O Beach
Hap Mun Bay Beach	South Bay Beach
Hung Shing Yeh Beach	St Stephen’s Beach
Kiu Tsui Beach	Stanley Main Beach
Kwun Yam Beach	Tong Fuk Beach
Lo So Shing Beach	Trio Beach
Lower Cheung Sha Beach	Upper Cheung Sha Beach

 
Grade 2 beaches are:
 

Anglers’ Beach	Golden Beach
Approach Beach	Hoi Mei Wan Beach
Big Wave Bay Beach	Kadoorie Beach
Butterfly Beach	Lido Beach
Cafeteria New Beach	Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach
Cafeteria Old Beach	Middle Bay Beach
Casam Beach	Silver Mine Bay Beach
Castle Peak Beach	Silverstrand Beach
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach	Ting Kau Beach
Clear Water Bay First Beach	Turtle Cove Beach
Clear Water Bay Second Beach

 
* Discovery Bay is a non-gazetted beach without lifeguard service.
 
     Compared with the grading released last week, Shek O Beach has been upgraded from grade 2 to grade 1; Castle Peak Beach from grade 3 to grade 2. Cafeteria New Beach, Clear Water Bay Second Beach, Lido Beach, Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach, Middle Bay Beach and Turtle Cove Beach have been changed from grade 1 to grade 2.  
      
     “The changes are generally within the normal range of fluctuation of the bacteriological water quality of the beaches,” an EPD spokesman said.
      
     Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
      
     While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, the EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a storm or heavy rainfall.
      
     A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. Latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the department’s website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. read more

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (May 2) seized about 48 000 suspected illicit heat-not-burn (HNB) products and about 250 suspected illicit HNB capsules with an estimated market value of about $140,000 and a duty potential of about $90,000 at Hong Kong International Airport.

     Two male passengers arrived in Hong Kong from Osaka, Japan yesterday evening. During Customs clearance, the batch of suspected illicit HNB products were found inside the luggage carried by them. The two 50-year-old men were then arrested.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Customs reminds members of the public that under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), tobacco is dutiable goods to which DCO applies. Any HNB products containing tobacco in content is also dutiable goods subject to the control of DCO. Any person who possesses, sells or buys dutiable commodities without a valid license commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

     Members of the public may call the Customs’ hotline 2815 7711 regarding whether specific tobacco or smoking product is under the regulation of DCO. They may also report any suspected violation of the DCO to the Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

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     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (May 3) 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 10-year-old boy with good past health, who has presented with fever, vomiting and headache since April 28. He was taken to the Accident and Emergency Department of Kwong Wah Hospital on April 29 and was admitted for management. The patient has been in a stable condition.

     His cerebrospinal fluid specimen tested positive for EV upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis were meningitis.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had travelled to Jiangmen during incubation period. Other 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. read more

     Some 500 participants including building professionals, members of the building management sector, government officials and academics attended the Building Safety Symposium 2019 held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre today (May 3) to exchange views on building safety issues.

     Addressing the symposium’s opening ceremony, the Under Secretary for Development, Mr Liu Chun-san, said that the Government attaches great importance to the problem of ageing buildings. However, it is difficult to thoroughly improve the repair and maintenance of private buildings if one relies solely on enforcement work. Hence, the Government has introduced a number of policy initiatives over the past years to raise the awareness of property owners about building repair and maintenance. Together with co-operation from the industry, recent years have seen rising public awareness of building safety.

     Mr Liu noted that the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme and the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme, which were implemented in 2012, tackle problems on building safety and maintenance at root by upholding the concept of “prevention is better than cure”. Operation Building Bright 2.0 (OBB 2.0), which was jointly launched in mid-2018 by the Buildings Department and the Urban Renewal Authority, offers technical and financial assistance to owners of old buildings in need, and assists them in co-ordinating necessary building inspection and repair works. Moreover, the Buildings Department conducts risk assessment on buildings whose owners are unable to comply with mandatory building inspection notices by themselves, and arranges for government contractors to carry out inspection and repair works on selected target buildings. Mr Liu said he hoped that with OBB 2.0, some 2,500 old buildings will have repair works underway by 2023.

     The Director of Buildings, Mr Cheung Tin-cheung, in his welcoming speech, said that the symposium, as the closing event of Building Safety Week 2019, provided a good opportunity for the industry to add value and exchange ideas. He said he hoped that the experience shared by the speakers would lead to further reflection and discussion of building safety issues among participants.

     Mr Cheung said that under the theme of this year’s symposium, “Holistic approach on building safety”, various speakers had shared their views and experience on innovative technologies applicable to the construction industry. As science and technology are ever-changing, he called on the construction sector to make use of better technologies and search for more effective, quality-assured construction methods, and to continuously update their knowledge to cope with the impact and challenges brought by new technologies.

     A number of local and overseas experts from Singapore and Italy were invited to give speeches and share their experience on the following topics:
 

• A New Era in Construction Industry with A.I.R. (Artificial Intelligence & Robotics);
• Application of Unmanned Aircraft System for Building Inspection and Construction Industry;
• Advanced Diagnosis of Building Defects Using Various Technologies;
• Modular Integrated Construction/Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction in Nanyang Technological University;
• Legislation for Fire Safety Improvement Works to Existing Buildings in Hong Kong; and
• Cyclone-resistant Facade Systems: Design, Post-Event Inspection and Repair.

     In addition to the speeches mentioned above, the symposium also featured two panel discussion sessions.

     The Building Safety Symposium 2019 was the finale of the six-day Building Safety Week 2019. Over the past few days, the Buildings Department staged a series of activities to help members of the public better understand building safety messages and foster a buildings care culture. Programme highlights included the opening ceremony at Tai Kwun, public talks, Building Information Centre Open Day, and the Registered Inspectors Briefing Session. read more

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest figures on retail sales today (May 3).      The value of total retail sales in March 2019, provisionally estimated at $39.7 billion, edged down by… read more