The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 31) closely monitoring eight additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), including two deaths, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) between October 31 and November 30, 2018. The CHP again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit.
 
     According to the WHO, among the seven male patients and one female patient, aged 29 to 75, five had underlying illnesses and two had contact with previously confirmed patients.

     According to the latest information, 2 274 cases have been reported to the WHO (with 806 deaths), including 2 055 in 10 Middle East countries comprising 1 896 in the KSA, 87 in the United Arab Emirates, 28 in Jordan, 19 in Qatar, 11 in Oman, six in Iran, four in Kuwait, two in Lebanon, and one each in Yemen and Bahrain.

     "We will maintain close communication with the WHO and relevant health authorities," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     "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 Coronavirus," the spokesman said.

     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 page of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the WHO'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.

     Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting tomorrow (January 1).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.
     

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

Hong Kong Monetary Authority Exchange Fund Bills Tender Results
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     Hong Kong Monetary Authority tenders to be held in the week beginning January 7, 2019:
 

     Police today (December 31) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Kwai Chung.

     Hung Yau-pui, aged 81, went missing after he left an elderly home on Tai Loong Street on December 29 morning. Staff of the elderly home made a report to Police on the same day.

     He is about 1.65 metres tall, 55 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a long face with yellow complexion and short grey hair. He was last seen wearing a red long-sleeved windbreaker (sleeves in black), dark trousers and blue slippers.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1176, 9689 7445 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (December 31) released the findings of its food safety report for last month. The results of about 16 400 food samples tested were satisfactory except for 16 samples which were announced earlier. The overall satisfactory rate was 99.9 per cent.
    
     A CFS spokesman said about 2 000 food samples were collected for microbiological tests, some 4 800 samples were taken for chemical tests and the remaining 9 600 (including about 9 100 taken from food imported from Japan) were collected to test radiation levels.
    
     The microbiological tests covered pathogens and hygienic indicators, while the chemical tests included pesticides, preservatives, metallic contaminants, colouring matters, veterinary drug residues and others.
 
     The samples comprised about 4 000 samples of vegetables and fruit and their products; 1 200 samples of meat and poultry and their products; 1 900 samples of aquatic and related products; 1 000 samples of milk, milk products and frozen confections; 1 100 samples of cereals, grains and their products; and 7 200 samples of other food commodities (including beverages, bakery products and snacks).
 
     The 16 unsatisfactory samples comprised five crab samples and two vegetable samples detected with excessive cadmium, three vegetable samples detected with pesticide residues exceeding the legal limits, two abalone samples found to contain chloramphenicol, two preserved leaf mustard samples detected with sulphur dioxide exceeding the legal limit, a sample of uncooked dumpling wrapper found to contain sorbic acid and an ox spleen sample found to contain excessive Clostridium perfringens.
 
     The CFS has taken follow-up action on the unsatisfactory samples, including informing the vendors concerned of the test results, instructing them to stop selling the affected food items and tracing the sources of the food items in question.
 
     Since the Pesticide Residues in Food Regulation (Cap 132CM) came into effect on August 1, 2014, as of November 30 this year, the CFS has taken over 162 000 food samples at the import, wholesale and retail levels for testing for pesticide residues. The overall unsatisfactory rate is less than 0.2 per cent.
        
     The spokesman added that excessive pesticide residues in food may arise from the trade not observing Good Agricultural Practice, e.g. using excessive pesticides and/or not allowing sufficient time for pesticides to decompose before harvesting. The maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticide residues in food set in the Regulation are not safety indicators. They are the maximum concentrations of pesticide residues to be permitted in a food commodity under Good Agricultural Practice when applying pesticides. In this connection, consumption of food with pesticide residues higher than the MRLs will not necessarily lead to any adverse health effects.
    
     The spokesman reminded the food trade to ensure that food for sale is fit for human consumption and meets legal requirements. Consumers should patronise reliable shops when buying food and maintain a balanced diet to minimise food risks.