Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (March 11) that due to a suspected red tide sighting, the red flag has been hoisted at Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach until further notice.

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, March 11, 2019 is 103.5 (same as last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, March 9, 2019 is 103.5 (down 0.1 against last Friday's index).

     The Education Bureau (EDB) issued circular memoranda today (March 11) to all public sector primary and secondary schools to announce the enhancement arrangements and application details for the Understanding Adolescent Project (UAP) for primary schools and the Enhanced Smart Teen Project (ESTP) for secondary schools.
 
     An EDB spokesman said, "The EDB has been actively organising diversified programmes for students' personal growth and encouraging schools to enhance students' resilience through adventure-based, team-building and problem-solving training as well as parent-child activities. This is to nurture their positive values and enhance teacher-student and parent-child relationships so as to promote a healthy life for whole-person development of students. To further cultivate students' sense of dignity, self-discipline, responsibility and courage to make changes and take on challenges, the EDB will provide more resources to enhance the two student projects on personal growth. The annual additional expenditure amounts to about $26 million."
 
     The UAP for primary schools is a comprehensive support programme for personal growth, which includes the Universal Programme (UP) and the Intensive Programme (IP), aiming at helping students acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes for facing adversities. The UP is a guidance curriculum on resilience for all Primary Four to Six students. The IP is a series of small group, adventure-based and parent-child activities, targeting Primary Four students identified to have greater need for guidance. Since its launch in the 2004/05 school year, over 95 per cent of the eligible public sector primary schools have been implementing the project. Students who joined the project were found to have generally made progress in emotion management, problem-solving skills, goal setting and building relationships with others. Starting from the 2019/20 school year, the EDB will enhance the arrangement for the IP with additional student group activities and training for parents so as to enhance the support to both the students and their parents. Furthermore, the group size of the IP will also be lowered to provide more appropriate services for students in need. 

     For secondary schools, since the 2006/07 school year, the EDB has collaborated with various disciplinary forces, including the Hong Kong Police Force, the Fire Services Department, the Correctional Services Department, the Customs and Excise Department, the Immigration Department, the Civil Aid Service and the Hong Kong Adventure Corps, to implement the ESTP. Training on discipline and team building has been provided for secondary students to enhance their self-discipline, self-confidence, team spirit, resilience and relationship with teachers. As the project has yielded remarkable outcomes and has been well received by schools, the EDB has regularised the project and started to increase the training quota in phases from the 2018/19 school year so that more students will benefit. In addition, the EDB will continue to provide a series of professional training for teachers responsible for the project. 

     The spokesman said, "The EDB encourages public sector primary and secondary schools to actively participate in these two projects on personal growth, and appeals to schools to optimise the use of resources to enhance students' resilience in collaboration with us, with a view to helping students face the challenges in different developmental stages with an optimistic and positive attitude so as to facilitate their whole-person development."
 
     Details of the projects can be browsed on the EDB website (www.edb.gov.hk).

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (March 11) reported the latest number of cases of Legionnaires' disease (LD), and stressed the importance of using and maintaining properly designed man-made water systems, and that susceptible groups should strictly observe relevant precautions.
 
     From March 3 to 9, two community-acquired LD cases were reported. They are:
 

1. A male patient, aged 60 with underlying illnesses, who lives in Tung Hing House, Lei Tung Estate, 5 Lei Tung Estate Road, Southern District; and
2. A male patient, aged 65 with underlying illnesses, who lives in Kwai Sun House, Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, 120 Ngau Tau Kok Road, Kwun Tong.

     "Epidemiological investigations are ongoing to identify potential sources of infection, high-risk exposure and clusters, if any," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     As of March 9, nine LD cases had been reported in 2019. In 2018 and 2017, there were 105 and 72 cases respectively.
 
     "Men, people aged over 50, smokers, alcoholics and persons with weakened immunity are more susceptible to LD. Some situations may also increase the risk of infection, including poor maintenance of water systems leading to stagnant water; living in areas with old water systems, cooling towers or fountains; using electric water heaters, whirlpools and spas or hot water spring spas; and recent stays in hotels or vessels," the spokesman said.

     Legionellae are found in various environmental settings and grow well in warm water (20 to 45 degrees Celsius). They can be found in aqueous environments such as water tanks, hot and cold water systems, cooling towers, whirlpools and spas, water fountains and home apparatus which support breathing. People may get infected when they breathe in contaminated droplets (aerosols) and mist generated by artificial water systems, or when handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes.

     Immunocompromised persons should:
 

• Use sterile or boiled water for drinking, tooth brushing and mouth rinsing;
• Avoid using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices. A shower may also generate small aerosols; and
• If using humidifiers, or other mist- or aerosol-generating devices, fill the water tank with only sterile or cooled freshly boiled water, and not water directly from the tap. Also, clean and maintain humidifiers/devices regularly according to manufacturers' instructions. Never leave stagnant water in a humidifier/device. Empty the water tank, wipe all surfaces dry, and change the water daily.

    
     The public should observe the health advice below:
 

• Observe personal hygiene;
• Do not smoke and avoid alcohol consumption;
• Strainers in water taps and shower heads should be inspected, cleaned, descaled and disinfected regularly or at a frequency recommended by the manufacturer;
• If a fresh water plumbing system is properly maintained, it is not necessary to install domestic water filters. Use of water filters is not encouraged as clogging occurs easily, which can promote growth of micro-organisms. In case water filters are used, the pore size should be 0.2 micrometres (µm) and the filter needs to be changed periodically according to the manufacturer's recommendations;
• Drain and clean water tanks of buildings at least quarterly;
• Drain or purge for at least one minute the infrequently used water outlets (e.g. water taps, shower heads and hot water outlets) and stagnant points of the pipework weekly or before use;
• Seek and follow doctors' professional advice regarding the use and maintenance of home respiratory devices and use only sterile water (not distilled or tap water) to clean and fill the reservoir. Clean and maintain the device regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions. After cleaning/disinfection, rinse the device with sterile water, cooled freshly boiled water or water filtered with 0.2 µm filters. Never leave stagnant water in the device. Empty the water tank, keep all surfaces dry, and change the water daily; and
• When handling garden soil, compost and potting mixes:

     1. Wear gloves and a face mask;
     2. Water gardens and compost gently using low pressure;
     3. Open composted potting mixes slowly and make sure the opening is directed away from the face;
     4. Wet the soil to reduce dust when potting plants; and
     5. Avoid working in poorly ventilated places such as enclosed greenhouses.

     The public may visit the CHP's LD page, the Code of Practice for Prevention of LD and the Housekeeping Guidelines for Cold and Hot Water Systems for Building Management of the Prevention of LD Committee, and the CHP's risk-based strategy for prevention and control of LD.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited on phishing emails, which has been reported to the HKMA. Hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website for ease of reference by members of the public.

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the emails concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the emails should contact the bank concerned using the contact information provided in the press release, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.