The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of patients infected with Influenza A (H1) in a female forensic psychiatric ward, the spokesperson for Castle Peak Hospital made the following update today (January 15):

     One more patient (age 49) in the ward has presented with respiratory symptoms. Appropriate viral test were arranged for the patient and the test result was positive to Influenza A (H1). The patient concerned is being treated under isolation and is in a stable condition.

     Admission to the ward has been suspended and restricted visiting has been imposed. Infection control measures have already been stepped up according to established guidelines. All other patients in the ward are under close surveillance.

     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

    The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health today (January 15) reported that the suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) pending results yesterday (January 14), upon preliminary testing, tested negative for MERS Coronavirus.

     â€‹A butcher's chain stall operated by Hundred Year Food Limited at Mau Tan Street in Yuen Long caused noise nuisance to nearby residents by persistently playing promotional recordings. Its staff members also obstructed public officers in the execution of duty. The shop and two of its staff members were convicted and fined a total of $10,500 at Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (January 15) and on October 23 and December 4 last year for contravening the Noise Control Ordinance (NCO). One of its staff members was also held criminally liable for obstructing a public officer. He was fined $4,000.
      
     An Environmental Protection Department (EPD) spokesman said that repeated complaints were received from members of the public last year about the noise nuisance caused by the aforementioned butcher's shop by using loudspeakers to play promotional recordings. EPD enforcement officers conducted on-site investigation in March last year and found that a staff member of the shop used a handheld loudspeaker to peddle goods, and it was confirmed that the noise generated caused annoyance after assessment. A staff member of the butcher's shop concerned also refused to provide an identity document to an enforcement officer and delayed a public officer from undertaking law enforcement duties. After that, the shop continued to generate noise nuisance when peddling goods and enforcement action was taken again by EPD officers in April last year. After evidence gathering, the EPD initiated prosecutions against the butcher's shop with repeated contraventions and the staff members concerned under the NCO.
      
     After a series of enforcement actions, the situation of the aforementioned shop improved. The EPD is highly concerned about the noise nuisance caused by chain stalls in various districts. The EPD will continue to closely monitor and conduct stringent enforcement actions to combat illegal behaviours by stalls.
      
     The spokesman reminded persons responsible for retail shops and market stalls that when they play promotional recordings to sell goods, they should contain the noise level within their shop area and should not cause annoyance to other people outside their shops or nearby residents. Otherwise, it constitutes an offence, and offenders are liable to a maximum fine of $10,000. The spokesman also reminded members of the trade that it is an offence to resist, delay or obstruct a public officer from undertaking law enforcement duties under the NCO, offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000.

     The Secretary for Innovation and Technology, Mr Nicholas W Yang, paid a visit to elderly persons receiving community care services, met with District Council members and chatted with start-ups at a co-working space, Smart-Space 8, during his visit to Tsuen Wan District today (January 15).
 
     Mr Yang started his visit at Yan Chai Hospital Chan Feng Men Ling Integrated Community Development Centre. Joining him were the Vice Chairman of the Tsuen Wan District Council (TWDC), Mr Wong Wai-kit, and the District Officer (Tsuen Wan), Miss Jenny Yip. The centre offers various day care services and training for the elderly. In addition to watching elderly persons receiving rehabilitation treatment like hand-eye co-ordination training drills, Mr Yang also participated in an agility training activity.
 
     As the Chinese New Year is around the corner, Mr Yang extended his regards to the elderly and wished them good health and happiness in the year ahead. Mr Yang also expressed his festive-season care by offering them scarves and beanies made with an innovative spinning technique developed by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel. Blended with yak yarn, the knitwear has a soft hand feel and better air permeability and heat retention.
 
     The Yan Chai Hospital Social Services Department received funding from the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer under the ICT Outreach Programme for the Elderly to provide reminiscence therapy with the aid of virtual reality games and cognitive training for the elderly. Mr Yang encouraged organisations to utilise government digital inclusion initiatives to enhance the quality of life for the elderly and promote healthy ageing.
 
     Mr Yang then met with members of the TWDC to exchange views on innovation and technology matters and district affairs.
 
     The last stop of the district visit was Smart-Space 8, operated by Cyberport under the Space Sharing Scheme for Youth. It is also Cyberport's first off-site co-working space outside its Pok Fu Lam campus. Occupying an area of about 20 000 square feet, Smart-Space 8 is leased to young start-ups in digital technology at concessionary rent. In addition, Cyberport provides them with various training and support services in entrepreneurship. Mr Yang took the chance to meet and exchange views with these start-up teams in various fields including artificial intelligence, financial technology, e-sports, e-commerce and education technology.
 
     Mr Yang said that with concerted efforts, Hong Kong's start-up ecosystem has been gaining momentum over the past few years. The number of start-ups reached 2 625 in 2018, up 18 per cent year on year. He added that he is glad that Cyberport has strengthened its public mission programmes with the additional resources from the Government to provide more comprehensive support for start-ups. This includes raising the funding support under the Cyberport Incubation Programme from $330,000 to $500,000 and launching the Overseas/Mainland Market Development Support Scheme to offer a financial subsidy of $200,000 to start-ups for conducting market research and promotion, participating in trade fairs outside Hong Kong and expanding into overseas markets.

              

     The Lands Department (LandsD) announced today (January 15) that it registered 14 lease modifications and five land exchanges in the Land Registry during the quarter ending December 2018, of which six were modifications of a technical nature involving nil premium.

     Among these 19 land transactions, seven are located on Hong Kong Island, five are in Kowloon and seven are in the New Territories. The transactions exclude Small House cases.

     There were no private treaty grants registered during the quarter.

     The above land transactions realised a total land premium of about $16,800.74 million.

     Transaction records of the lease modifications, land exchanges and private treaty grants, including those registered recently, are uploaded to the LandsD website (www.landsd.gov.hk) on a monthly basis. Details of the transactions may be obtained by searching the registered documents in the Land Registry.