The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, today (April 24) visited Sha Tin to meet with members of the Sha Tin District Council (STDC). She also visited Mei Lam Estate and Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) to learn about the environmental hygiene conditions and medical services in the district.

     Accompanied by the District Officer (Sha Tin), Miss Amy Chan, Professor Chan first met with the Chairman of the STDC, Mr Ho Hau-cheung, and other STDC members to listen to their views on various healthcare and environmental hygiene issues.

     Professor Chan then proceeded to Mei Lam Estate to view the implementation of the anti-rodent operation in designated target areas under the Sha Tin District-led Actions Scheme. She said she was pleased to learn that the four anti-rodent operations conducted earlier had achieved positive results. The fifth anti-rodent operation is currently being carried out in Mei Lam Estate and May Shing Court.

     She stressed, "Effective rodent control hinges on sustained co-operation between the community and the Government. Apart from enhancing rodent control work in all districts, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department also carries out public education and publicity in the community to encourage the public to actively participate in preventing rodent infestation by eliminating food sources and hiding places for rodents as well as blocking their dispersal routes so as to eliminate the three survival conditions of rodents, namely food, harbourage and passages."

     Professor Chan then visited PWH to see the progress of its Phase II Redevelopment Project (Stage 1). The redevelopment project, which is under the 10-year Hospital Development Plan launched by the Hospital Authority (HA) in 2016, includes renovating and refurbishing existing buildings as well as constructing a new In-patient Extension Block to cater for the demands of clinical service planning, teaching, research and future development needs.

     She said, "An addition of some 450 beds and 16 operating theatres is expected to be provided upon the completion of the PWH Phase II Redevelopment Project (Stage 1). The HA will commence in a timely manner the preparatory work for the Stage 2 Redevelopment to construct an Ambulatory Care Centre and a Cancer Centre to meet residents' demand for healthcare services."

     Professor Chan also chatted with front-line staff of the hospital to learn about their working conditions. She said, "I understand that front-line staff are facing great pressure resulting from an ageing population, an increasing demand for medical services, and a shortage of manpower. I am very grateful to our colleagues for giving their utmost in looking after those who are suffering from various diseases. The Government is very concerned about the healthcare manpower situation and will continue to work together with the HA, medical organisations and stakeholders to address the issue of healthcare manpower shortage, particularly in the public healthcare system."

      

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements in various districts to facilitate the celebration of Tin Hau Festival.
     
Joss House Bay
————–

     The following parking spaces will be suspended from 9am on April 26 to 5pm the following day:

– The private car parking spaces on Tai Au Mun Road outside Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club; and
– The private car parking spaces, motorcycle parking spaces and coach parking spaces on Tai Au Mun Road near Po Toi O Chuen Road.

Cha Kwo Ling
————
     
     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 9am to 5pm on April 27:

– Eastbound Cha Kwo Ling Road between Wing Fook Street and Yau Tong Road will be closed;
– Westbound Cha Kwo Ling Road between Wing Fook Street and Yau Tong Road will be re-routed eastbound;
– Traffic along westbound Cha Kwo Ling Road heading for Laguna City or Wai Yip Street will be diverted to Yau Tong Road, Lei Yue Mun Road, Wai Fat Road, Cha Kwo Ling Road and Wai Yip Street; and
– Unnamed road next to Tin Hau Temple will be re-routed one-lane two-way traffic.

Sai Kung
——–
     
     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 8am on April 30 to 6pm on May 29:
     
A. Road closure

– Yi Chun Street between the ingress of Yi Chun Street Refuse Collection Point and Man Nin Street.

B. Traffic diversions

– Nin Chun Street between Man Nin Street and Yi Chun Street will be converted from one-way southbound to one-way northbound;
– Man Nin Street between Yi Chun Street and Nin Chun Street will be converted from one-way southbound to two-way traffic; and
– Traffic along Man Nin Street heading for Po Tung Road will be diverted via Nin Chun Street and Man Nin Street.

C. Suspension of parking spaces

     The following parking spaces will be suspended between 8am on April 30 and 6pm on May 29:

– Metered parking spaces No. 28081 to 28086, 28088 and 28089 at Man Nin Street;
– Motorcycle parking spaces outside No. 24-32 of Man Nin Street;
– Metered parking spaces No. 28091, 28093 to 28096 at Yi Chun Street; and
– Metered parking spaces No. 28025 and 28027 at Po Tung Road.

     All parking spaces in Po Tung Road Car Park will be suspended between 8am and 5pm on May 19.

Tuen Mun
——–
     
     The following traffic arrangements will be implemented on April 27:

A. Road closure
     
     The following roads will be intermittently closed:

From 8am to 6pm

– Tin Hau Road between Pui To Road and Yip Wong Road;
– Hung Cheung Road between Tin Hau Road and San On Street;
– Southbound Hung Cheung Road from its northern junction to its southern junction with San Ping Circuit;
– San Hop Lane; and
– Hing Wong Street from its junction with Hung Cheung Road to a point about 30 metres north of the same junction.

From 8am to 2pm

– Northbound San Wo Lane;　
– Southbound San Wo Lane between San Tak Street and the cul-de-sac near Church of Christ in China Tam Lee Lai Fun Memorial Secondary School;
– Westbound Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road between San Hui Path and San Wo Lane; and
– Northbound Castle Peak Road – San Hui between San Sau Street and Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road.

From 9am to 3pm

– Southbound Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road between San Wo Lane and Pui To Road;
– Northbound Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road between Ho Pong Street and Tsing Yin Street;
– Tsing Yin Street;
– San Tsing Street;
– Ho Pong Street between San Tsing Street and Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road;
– Luk Yuen Street;
– Yan Ching Street between Kai Man Path and Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road; and
– Westbound Pui To Road between Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road and Tin Hau Road.

From 3pm to 6pm

– Eastbound Pui To Road between Tin Hau Road and Castle Peak Road – San Hui;
– Ho Pong Street between Pui To Road and San Tsing Street;
– Tsing Yin Street between Ho Pong Street and San Tsing Street;
– San Tsing Street;
– Northbound Castle Peak Road – San Hui between Pui To Road and San Sau Street; and
– Northbound Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road between Tsing Yin Street and Castle Peak Road – San Hui.

B. Traffic diversions

     Hung Cheung Road between its eastern junction with San On Street and its northern junction with San Ping Circuit will be re-routed to one-way westbound from 8am to 6pm.

C. Closure of cycle track

     Cycle track along the western riverside of Tuen Mun River Channel between Pui To Road and Yau Oi Bridge will be closed from 8am to 6pm.

D. Suspension of parking spaces
     
     The following parking spaces will be suspended from 8am to 2pm:

– All parking spaces on San Tsing Street, San Wo Lane and inside San Wo Lane Car Park; and
– Four metered parking spaces (no. 22703A, 22703B, 22704A and 22704B) on Tuen Mun Heung Sze Wui Road near Yuk Hong Street.
     
     All parking spaces on Tsing Yin Street and Ho Pong Street will be suspended from 8am to 6pm.

Yuen Long
———

A. Road closure
     
     The following roads will be closed on April 27 until completion of the parade (actual implementation time may be advanced if necessary):

From 8am onwards

– Fung Cheung Road between Kin Lok Street and Fung Kam Street;
– Yau San Street between Kin Lok Street and Hop Yick Road;
– Westbound Kin Lok Street;
– Kin Yip Street;
– Hop Yick Road; and
– Kin Tak Street.

From 9am onwards

– Tai Tong Road between Fau Tsoi Street and Ma Tong Road;
– Kau Yuk Road;
– Yuen Long Tai Yuk Road between Ma Tin Road and Castle Peak Road – Yuen Long;
– Ma Tin Road between Yuen Long Tai Yuk Road and Ma Tong Road;
– Fung Nin Road between Fung Lok Lane and Kau Yuk Road;
– Yuen Long On Hing Street;
– On Leung Lane;
– On Hong Road ; and
– On Chun Lane.

From 10am onwards

– Ma Tong Road between Sai Yu Street and Ma Tin Road; and
– Tai Shu Ha Road East between Ma Tong Road and Tai Shu Ha Tin Hau Temple.
     
     The following roads will be intermittently closed on April 27 until completion of the parade (actual implementation time may be advanced if necessary):

From 8am onwards

– Hong Yip Street between Wang Yip Street East and Po Yip Street;
– Southbound Po Yip Street between Hong Yip Street and Yuen Long On Lok Road;
– Yuen Long On Lok Road between Po Yip Street and Wang Chau Road;
– Wang Chau Road;
– Yuen Long On Ning Road between Wang Chau Road and Ma Miu Road;
– Ma Miu Road; and
– Wang Tat Road between Shui Pin Wai Interchange and Ma Miu Road, except for franchised buses.

From 10am onwards

– Fung Chi Road, except for franchised buses; and
– Tsui Sing Road between Tin Fuk Road and Ping Ha Road.

B. Traffic diversions
     
     The following traffic diversions will be implemented (actual implementation time may be advanced if necessary):

– Tai Shu Ha Road East between Ma Tong Road and Tai Shu Ha Tin Hau Temple will be converted from two-way to one-way southbound between 6pm on April 26 and 5pm the following day; and
– Kin Yip Street between the entrance / exit of the car park of Fung Ting Court and its junction with Kin Lok Street will be converted from one-way southbound to one-way northbound from 8am on April 27 until completion of the parade.

C. Closure of cycle track
     
     The cycle tracks at the following locations will be intermittently closed from 7.45am on April 27 until completion of the parade (actual implementation time may be advanced if necessary):

– Wang Tat Road between Chun Hing San Tsuen and Fung Chi Road;
– Fung Chi Road;
– Long Ping Road between Fung Chi Road and Wang Tat Road;
– Long Tin Road between Long Ping Road and Ha Mei San Tsuen Road; and
– Tin Fuk Road between Long Tin Road and Tsui Sing Road.

D. Suspension of parking spaces

     The coach parking spaces inside the car park of Town Park Road North outside Yuen Long Stadium will be suspended from 9am to 7pm on April 26.

     The goods vehicles parking spaces inside the car park of Fung Yau Street North will be suspended from 4pm on April 26 until completion of the parade.

     Parking spaces in the following locations will be suspended from 8am on April 27 until completion of the parade:

– All the parking spaces of the car park of Yuen Long Tai Yuk Road outside Yuen Long Stadium;
– All the parking spaces of the car park of Town Park Road North outside Yuen Long Stadium;
– Ma Tin Road;
– Wang Fat Path;
– Kin Tak Street;
– Yan Lok Square;
– Hung Min Court;
– On Leung Lane;
– On Hong Road; and
– On Chun Lane.

Aberdeen
——–
     
     Part of the traffic lanes of the following roads will be intermittently closed from 8.30am to 3pm on April 27:

– Tang Fung Street;
– Ka Wo Street;
– Hing Wo Street;
– Shek Pai Wan Road;
– Aberdeen Praya Road,
– Aberdeen Main Road;
– Fung Tin Street;
– Nam Ning Street;
– Chengtu Road;
– Old Main Street, Aberdeen;
– Wu Nam Street Bus Terminus;
– Wu Nam Street;
– Tung Sing Road; and
– Sai On Street.

     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.

     Police will implement special traffic arrangements tomorrow (April 25) to facilitate the holding of a ceremony at the Cenotaph of Statue Square in Central.

     The following road closure and traffic diversions will be implemented from 6.15am to 6.45am:

Road closure
————

– Westbound Chater Road between Murray Road and Jackson Road;
– Chater Road between Ice House Street and Jackson Road;
– Jackson Road between Chater Road and Connaught Road Central;
– Southbound Ice House Street between Connaught Road Central and Chater Road; and
– Connaught Road Central between Pedder Street and Harcourt Road will be closed for a short period of time at around 6.30am.

Traffic diversions
——————

– Traffic along Lambeth Walk heading for westbound Connaught Road Central will be diverted via southbound Murray Road, eastbound Queensway, southbound Cotton Tree Drive, U-turn outside St. John's Building, northbound Garden Road, westbound Queen's Road Central and northbound Pedder Street;
– Traffic along westbound Harcourt Road heading for eastbound Queensway will be diverted via westbound Connaught Road Central and southbound Murray Road;
– Traffic along eastbound Des Voeux Road Central heading for eastbound Queensway will be diverted via northbound Pedder Street, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road and southbound Cotton Tree Drive;
– Traffic along northbound Ice House Street heading for Queensway will be diverted via westbound Connaught Road Central, U-turn, eastbound Connaught Road Central, eastbound Harcourt Road and southbound Cotton Tree Drive slip road; and
– Traffic along westbound Connaught Road Central between Harcourt Road and Pedder Street will be diverted via southbound Cotton Tree Drive, westbound Queen’s Road Central and northbound Pedder Street for a short period of time at around 6.30am.

Suspension of Lay-by
——————–

     The lay-by on Jackson Road between Chater Road and Connaught Road Central will be suspended between 6am and 8am.

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

     Senior Immigration Assistant Mr Ng Kwok-cheung has been elected Hong Kong's Most Courteous Immigration Control Officer. The prize presentation ceremony was held at Immigration Headquarters today (April 24).
 
     The Director of Immigration, Mr Tsang Kwok-wai, said that the Most Courteous Immigration Control Officers Election has been held annually since 1996 to encourage front-line officers to conduct effective immigration control and provide quality services to the public with devotion and courtesy.
 
     "Officers of the Immigration Department strive to provide safe, efficient and caring immigration services to the travelling public. In 2018, the Immigration Department won numerous awards, including the Best Customer Service of the Year in Corporate Excellence Award issued by the Airport Authority and the best airport immigration service award issued by Skytrax, an international specialist research agent of the air transport industry. It shows that our colleagues' professional services are recognised and appreciated by travellers from all over the world," Mr Tsang said. He also encouraged the front-line officers to continue making concerted efforts to serve the public with professionalism.
 
     The Deputy Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Ms Becky Ip, presented awards and a souvenir to the winner, Mr Ng and appointed him as a Hong Kong Courtesy Ambassador. Mr Tsang thanked the Board for its support in making the Most Courteous Immigration Control Officers Election a success.

  

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 24) investigating a case of severe paediatric influenza B infection.

     The case involves a 13-year-old girl with good past health, who has presented with fever, cough with sputum, poor appetite and malaise since April 21 and confused speech since April 22. She was taken to the Accident and Emergency Department at Prince of Wales Hospital for medical attention on April 22 and was admitted for management on the same day.

     Her nasopharyngeal aspirate tested positive for influenza B virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza B infection complicated with encephalopathy. She is now in a stable condition.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had not received seasonal influenza vaccination for the current season and had no travel history during the incubation period. Her home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far. 

     The CHP's investigations are ongoing.

     "Although the winter influenza season has ended, members of the public aged 6 months or above (except those with known contraindications) who have not yet received seasonal influenza vaccination in the 2018-19 season can still receive it for personal protection against seasonal influenza," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     "Meanwhile, the public should continue to adopt strict personal, hand and environmental hygiene practices against respiratory illnesses and other infectious diseases," the spokesman added.

     The public may visit the CHP's influenza page and weekly Flu Express for more information.