The following is issued on behalf of the Community Care Fund Secretariat:
 
     The Community Care Fund (CCF) will hold four public consultation sessions between February and April to gauge public views on the formulation of assistance programmes. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
      
     Those who would like to attend the consultation sessions may call the CCF Secretariat at 2835 2279 during office hours (from 8.45am to 1pm and from 2pm to 6pm, Mondays to Fridays) or complete the online registration form at the CCF's website (www.communitycarefund.hk/en/form.asp) for seat reservation. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
      
     Details of the four public consultation sessions are as follows:
 
Date: February 21 (Thursday)
Time: 7pm to 8.30pm
Venue: Mei Foo Community Hall,
           1/F, Mei Foo Government Complex,
           33 Mei Lai Road,
           Sham Shui Po, Kowloon
           (MTR Mei Foo Station, Exit B)
 
Date: March 23 (Saturday)
Time: 5pm to 6.30pm
Venue: Aldrich Bay Community Hall,
           G/F, Oi Po House, Oi Tung Estate,
           Shau Kei Wan, Hong Kong
           (MTR Sai Wan Ho Station, Exit A)
 
Date: March 29 (Friday)
Time: 7pm to 8.30pm
Venue: Hall, 1/F, Tai Po Community Centre,
           2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po,
           New Territories
           (MTR Tai Po Market Station, Exit A2)

Date: April 6 (Saturday)
Time: 5pm to 6.30pm
Venue: Hall, G/F, Tin Yiu Community Centre,
           Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai,
           New Territories
           (MTR Tin Shui Wai Station, Exit C)
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rate in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (February 7) reported a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit. The case is detailed below:
 

 
     "Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS-CoV," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     Locally, the CHP's surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed fever or lower respiratory symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization's latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS.

Attention TV/radio announcers:
 
     Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:
      
     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (February 7) that the counter booking, internet booking and self-service kiosks of the Leisure Link computerised booking system have all resumed normal. The booking services were suspended earlier on due to system maintenance and data centre electrical repair works.

     Nominations for the by-election for the Tai Nan Constituency of the Yau Tsim Mong District Council will open tomorrow (February 8).
 
     "The nomination period will end on February 21. A nominee must be a registered geographical constituency elector aged 21 or above who has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for the three years immediately preceding his or her nomination. Details on the eligibility to be nominated as a candidate, disqualification for being nominated as a candidate and from being elected as an elected member, and the requirements to be complied with by persons nominated as candidates are set out in sections 20, 21 and 34 respectively of the District Councils Ordinance (Cap. 547)," a spokesman for the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) said today (February 7).
 
     "A nomination form must be subscribed by 10 registered electors of the Tai Nan Constituency. Each elector is allowed to subscribe only one nomination," he added.
 
     The nominee must personally hand in the completed nomination form and an election deposit of $3,000 to the Returning Officer for the by-election within the nomination period. Nominations are accepted from 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays, and from 9am to noon on Saturdays.
 
     The District Officer (Yau Tsim Mong) has been appointed as the Returning Officer, whose office is located at 4/F and 6/F, Mong Kok Government Offices, 30 Luen Wan Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon.
 
     Nomination forms are available at the office of the Returning Officer or can be downloaded from the REO website (www.reo.gov.hk). They can also be obtained at the REO at 10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong. The office will extend its service hours to include Saturday mornings from 9am to noon until the end of the nomination period.
 
     "Nominees are advised to submit their nominations as early as possible to allow time to correct mistakes, if any, in the nomination forms before the deadline," the spokesman said.
 
     If the number of validly nominated candidates is more than one at the by-election, a poll will be held on March 24, 2019 (Sunday).
 
     Enquiries can be made to the election hotline on 2891 1001.