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 (February 8) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.
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 (February 8) 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 Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (February 8) urged schools, parents and students to continue to heighten vigilance and to adopt strict personal and environmental hygiene to prevent the spread of seasonal influenza in schools as social contacts among students in schools will increase when school soon resumes after the Lunar New Year holiday.
A spokesman for the CHP said, "As schools are collective assembly places, infectious diseases including influenza could be easily spread among people through their daily contacts. In view of this, we will issue letters to schools, kindergartens and child care centres again today to remind them on continued vigilance and reinforcement of preventive measures when school resumes to mitigate the impact of influenza."
To prevent outbreaks of influenza and other respiratory infections, it is of prime importance that children with fever, regardless of the presence of respiratory symptoms, should not be allowed to attend school. They should seek medical advice and avoid school till 48 hours after the fever has subsided. During the influenza season, schools should actively check the body temperature of all students every day when they arrive at school so as to identify students with fever. Schools should also follow the Guidelines on Prevention of Communicable Diseases on preventive and control measures as well as management of outbreaks. If an outbreak is suspected, schools should immediately report it to the CHP for prompt follow-up.
The spokesman said, "According to the latest surveillance data of the CHP, the local influenza activity has continued to decrease from the peak level recorded during January 13 to 26. This winter influenza season in Hong Kong is expected to last for some time."
The percentage that tested positive for seasonal influenza viruses among the respiratory specimens received by the CHP's Public Health Laboratory Services Branch has further decreased from 25.89 per cent in the week ending January 26 to 20.06 per cent in that ending February 2.
The CHP has also recorded a significant drop in institutional influenza-like illness outbreaks, from the peak of 211 cases (affecting 1,010 persons) in the week ending January 26 to 31 cases (affecting 127 persons) in that ending February 2.
Meanwhile, the overall admission rate with principal diagnosis of influenza in public hospitals further decreased from 1.33 to 0.77 cases per 10,000 of the population from the week ending January 26 to that ending February 2. Among children aged below 6, the rate went down from 8.10 to 4.36 cases per 10,000 of the population in the corresponding period.
As for children (aged under 18), 21 severe cases (including one death) were reported this year as of February 7. Among the cases, 16 (about 76 per cent) did not receive seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) for the current season.
The CHP once again appealed to parents who have not yet arranged SIV for their children in this season to do so as early as possible to strengthen their personal protection.
The public should also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene for protection against influenza and other respiratory illnesses:
For the latest information on influenza activity, please visit the CHP's influenza page and weekly Flu Express.
​The Government today (February 8) announced the appointments of Miss Sandy Wong Hang-yee and Dr Mark Li Kin-yin as the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the Human Organ Transplant Board respectively.
At the same time, four serving panel members of the Board have been appointed as substantive members, and seven new panel members have been appointed.
All appointments will take effect from February 15, 2019, for a term of three years. Details are as follows:
Appointments of serving panel members as substantive members
————————————————————————-
Dr Chan Ka-lai
Ms Samantha Ko Kit-mui
Dr Raymond Lo See-kit
Ms Priscilla Wong Wai-yee
Appointments of new panel members
—————————————–
Dr Chan Kwok-ki
Miss Louisa Chu Wai-san
Dr Joan Fok Pui-chu
Mr Jason Joseph Lee Kwong-yee
Mr Lee Wing-fung
Dr Grace Lui Chung-yan
Dr Joyce Tang Shao-fen
The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, welcomed the new members. She also expressed gratitude to the outgoing Chairman, Miss Ophelia Chan Chiu-ling; three other substantive members, Mr Hui Ching-on, Dr Kwok Tin-fook and Dr Poon Tak-lun; as well as three panel members, Mr William Chan Wing-lim, Dr Chow Sin-ming and Dr Karen Shum Hau-yan, for their invaluable contributions to and unfailing support for the Board in the past.
Established under section 3 of the Human Organ Transplant Ordinance, the Board is tasked to consider applications made for the Board's prior written approval to carry out restricted organ removal and/or restricted organ transplant, to receive prescribed information about transplant operations and certificates accompanying imported organs and to perform any other functions that the Board is required or permitted to perform under the Ordinance.
Under section 3A of the Ordinance, the Board consists of nine substantive members and 14 panel members from the medical, social work, legal and non-medical sectors.
The membership of the Board with effect from February 15, 2019, is as follows:
Substantive members:
————————-
Miss Sandy Wong Hang-yee (Chairman)
Dr Mark Li Kin-yin (Vice-Chairman)
Mr Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung
Dr Chan Ka-lai
Ms Samantha Ko Kit-mui
Dr Raymond Lo See-kit
Dr Gene Tsoi Wai-wang
Ms Priscilla Wong Wai-yee
Dr Josephine Grace Wong Wing-san
Panel members:
——————
Dr Chan Kwok-ki
Mr Vincent Chin
Miss Louisa Chu Wai-san
Dr Joan Fok Pui-chu
Mr Jason Joseph Lee Kwong-yee
Mr Lee Wing-fung
Dr Li Chak-ho
Dr Emmy Li Yuen-mei
Dr Grace Lui Chung-yan
Mr Mui Wai-keung
Dr Stanley Tam Kui-fu
Dr Joyce Tang Shao-fen
Mr Wong Tim-wai
Dr Thomas Yau Chung-cheung
The Trade Marks (Amendment) Bill 2019 was gazetted today (February 8).
The Bill seeks to amend the Trade Marks Ordinance (Cap 559) to implement the international registration system under the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Protocol) upon its application to Hong Kong.
The Madrid Protocol provides for a mechanism for seeking registration of a trade mark in the register of the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization and for seeking extension of protection of such a trade mark in multiple jurisdictions through such registration by a one-stop application process in lieu of individual filings in each of the jurisdictions concerned, thus greatly simplifying the registration process for trade mark owners. The Madrid Protocol has 103 contracting parties at present, including China and many other major trading partners of Hong Kong, but it has yet to be applied to Hong Kong.
"The Bill provides a basis in the domestic law for the application of the Madrid Protocol to Hong Kong in due course. The implementation of the Madrid Protocol and the mechanism provided thereunder will not only enable businesses to save time and cost in obtaining and managing international trade mark registrations, it is also in line with the Government's commitment to enhance Hong Kong's intellectual property regime," a government spokesman said.
Moreover, the Bill seeks to confer powers on the Customs and Excise Department to enforce the criminal provisions related to trade mark registration under the Trade Marks Ordinance. The Bill also seeks to make miscellaneous technical amendments to enhance Hong Kong's trade mark application and registration system.
The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development will introduce the Bill into the Legislative Council for first and second readings on February 20.