The Environment Bureau announced today (March 21) that the Drainage Services Department (DSD) completed the large-scale maintenance works and replacement of electrical and mechanical facilities at the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works (SCISTW) on March 17.

     The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, said that the maintenance works had been a very challenging project. In order to minimise the potential impact of the project on the public, the DSD and the Environmental Protection Department had completed detailed assessment and preparatory work at the outset, and also formulated and implemented contingency plans as well as various mitigation measures with a number of departments.

     The SCISTW has been in continuous operation 24 hours a day since it was put into service in December 2001. Notwithstanding timely maintenance of all facilities carried out by the DSD during the period, some of the major electrical and mechanical facilities were approaching the end of their service lives in 2018. Replacement works had to be carried out with the aim of maintaining the proper functioning of the whole system.

     The DSD originally planned that bypasses of part of the preliminarily treated sewage from the upstream preliminary treatment works into Victoria Harbour would be carried out on up to five occasions, each not exceeding two weeks, within two years (from 2018 to 2020) with a view to facilitating the replacement and maintenance work. The third bypass was completed during the period from March 4 to 17 following the successful completion of the first and second bypasses last year. During every bypass, the DSD implemented a series of mitigation and contingency measures as well as comprehensive water quality monitoring, and uploaded relevant information to the Internet on a regular basis. As demonstrated by the relevant water quality monitoring results, the impact on the water quality of Victoria Harbour was slight and transient. The water quality returned to normal in a few days after cessation of the bypasses. The bypasses did not have significant impact on sensitive waters including beaches, fish culture zones or coral sites near Victoria Harbour.

     The large-scale maintenance works and replacement of electrical and mechanical facilities were successfully completed during the third bypass because the progress of the works was not only satisfactory but beyond expectation. As a result, there was no need to carry out the fourth and fifth bypasses in the fourth quarter this year and the first quarter next year respectively as envisaged in the original plan.

     The DSD will continue to carry out timely maintenance and monitoring of the SCISTW with a view to providing members of the public with top-quality and reliable sewage treatment service and safeguarding the water quality of Victoria Harbour.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (TWGHs) Wong Tai Sin Hospital made the following announcement today (March 21):
 
     Three male patients (aged 54 to 70) in a ward of the Department of Rehabilitation and Extended Care have been confirmed to be carriers of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae without clinical symptoms since March 18. One patient has been discharged, while the remaining two are being treated under isolation and in stable condition.
 
     The Hospital Infection Control Team has followed up with the departments concerned and experts of the Centre for Health Protection. The following enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted in the ward:
 

1. Enhance patient and environmental screening procedures;
2. Apply stringent contact precautions and enhance hand hygiene of staff, patients and visitors; and
3. Enhance cleaning and disinfection of the ward.
    

     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the ward. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Kowloon Hospital (KH) made the following appeal today (March 21) regarding an in-patient who escaped from supervision during temporary leave:
 
     A 57-year-old male in-patient of an adult psychiatric ward was assessed as having stable mental condition and was granted temporary leave from hospital. The patient was escorted by one social worker and one member of supporting staff. They travelled by taxi to the Registration of Persons Office at Cheung Sha Wan to replace the patient's Hong Kong identity card. Upon their arrival at 9.15am, the patient suddenly fled when leaving the taxi. The social worker subsequently lost sight of the patient and reported the incident to the hospital and the Police immediately.
 
     KH is very concerned about the incident and contacted a relative of the patient immediately but in vain. The hospital will fully provide assistance to the Police for the search. The patient was earlier admitted to the psychiatric ward of the hospital. His condition has improved with stable condition during hospitalisation.
 
     The patient is about 1.66 metres tall, 62 kilograms in weight, of medium build and has black short hair. He was last seen wearing the dark green chequered patient uniform and red flip-flops. The hospital appeals to the public to contact the Police or call the hospital at 3129 7111 if they know the whereabouts of the patient.
 
     KH has reported the incident to the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System. The hospital will communicate with the patient's relatives to provide necessary assistance.

     Two new arts projects entitled "Once lost but now found" and "Contagious Reading" will be held at Oi! from tomorrow (March 22). The former exhibition sees artists respond to the environment and the location of the venue, thus creating artworks with the elements of a city by the sea, while the latter project will hold workshops by drawing inspiration from stories about libraries with the aim of sharing insights into the power of reading and art. The opening ceremony of the two projects was held at Oi! today (March 21).
 
     Oi! is a Grade II historic building that was built in 1908 as the clubhouse of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. It is also the only building remaining from the original North Point coastline. The coastal area has witnessed the changes of the times, including the development of Oi! in the community. For the "Once lost but now found" exhibition, artists Leung Chi-wo, Zheng Bo and art group MAP Office (Laurent Gutierrez and Valérie Portefaix) were invited to create three sets of site-specific artworks by responding to the environment. Their artworks are "Scratching On The Surface", "YOU ARE THE 0.01%" and "Ghost Island" respectively.
 
     "Contagious Reading" is part of the international collaborative project "Contagious Cities", developed by the Wellcome Trust, which explores local epidemic preparedness and how it shapes a city's physical, social and cultural landscape. Writer Lawrence Pun writes stories to stimulate imagination about libraries, while artist Pak Sheung-chuen transforms the written concepts into activities and invites the public to participate. The outcome will be displayed through different forms and practices. Visitors may experience how the "reading antibody" can help in the fight against contagious diseases and to spread it through human transmission, as something infectious in itself.
 
     The "Once lost but now found" exhibition will run until July 28, while the "Contagious Reading" project will showcase its outcome in three stages. The first stage of the project will run from tomorrow to April 18, while the second and third stages will run from April 26 to May 23 and from May 31 to June 23 respectively. Both of the projects are organised by Oi!. For details of the projects, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/APO/en_US/web/apo/y_project.html, or call 2512 3000.
 
     Oi! is located at 12 Oil Street, North Point.

        

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 20) conducted an anti-smuggling operation and detected a case of suspected smuggling by speedboat in the waters off Siu Sai Wan. A batch of suspected smuggled electronic goods was seized, including used smartphones and used computer accessories, with an estimated market value of about $5 million.

     Customs officers of the Marine Strike and Search Unit conducted an anti-smuggling operation in the southeast waters of Hong Kong yesterday evening and detected a suspicious speedboat in the waters off Chai Wan. The speedboat did not follow Customs officers' instructions to stop for inspection and speeded up to flee the scene. Subsequently, Customs officers intercepted the speedboat in the waters off Siu Sai Wan and seized the batch of suspected smuggled electronic goods.

     In the operation, Customs officers arrested two men, aged 62 and 43, on board the speedboat. The speedboat was also detained for further investigation.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Hong Kong Customs will continue to take stringent enforcement action to combat sea smuggling activities.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).