To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening up of the country, the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, will lead a Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) delegation to visit Shenzhen and Beijing from tomorrow (November 10) to November 12.

     The delegation comprises over 160 members from various sectors of the community who have made significant contributions to the country's reform and opening up and to Hong Kong. The HKSAR delegation list is at Annex.

     On arrival at Shenzhen tomorrow, the delegation will visit the Shenzhen Reform and Opening-up Exhibition Hall and meet with officials of the Shenzhen Municipal Government. In the afternoon, the delegation will head for Qianhai to visit the Qianhai Exhibition Hall and the park of the Qianhai Monument. After that, they will depart for Beijing.

     On November 11, the delegation will attend a seminar in Beijing co-organised by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council on the participation of Hong Kong and Macao in the reform and opening up of the country in the past 40 years, as well as visiting the Palace Museum.     

     On November 12, the delegation will be received by the state leaders. It will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon.

     Hong Kong Customs today (November 9) seized a batch of suspected smuggled goods including batteries, hats and playing cards from a container at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound with an estimated market value of about $3 million.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a container from the Mainland of China to the Philippines via Hong Kong. Upon inspection, Customs officers found the batch of suspected smuggled goods in the container.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 267 kilograms of Juicy Wrap containing suspected tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC) with an estimated market value of about $1.5 million at a container yard in Yuen Long on November 5.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected a transshipment seaborne consignment from the Philippines to Canada via Hong Kong on November 5 and found the batch of Juicy Wrap containing suspected THC in 153 carton boxes.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     THC is a dangerous drug controlled under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance. Under the ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

  

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (November 9) reported the latest number of cases of dengue fever (DF), and again urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.

     From November 2 to 8, the CHP recorded six imported DF cases. The patients had been to Bangladesh (two epidemiologically linked cases), Indonesia (one case), Guangdong in Mainland China (two cases) and Malaysia (one case) during the incubation period.

     As of yesterday (November 8), 141 cases had been confirmed this year, of which 29 were local cases and 112 were imported cases. The imported cases were mainly from Thailand (32), Mainland China (24) and the Philippines (17). 

     DF remains endemic in some areas of Asia and beyond. The latest figures for 2018 revealed that 71 976 cases had been recorded in Thailand, 2 457 in Singapore (since December 31, 2017) and 157 in Japan. In Taiwan, 174 local cases have been recorded to date in 2018. In the Americas, the latest figures indicated that 215 585 and 58 685 cases have been filed in Brazil and Mexico respectively in 2018.

     The public should take heed of the following advice on mosquito control:
 

• Thoroughly check all gully traps, roof gutters, surface channels and drains to prevent blockage;
• Scrub and clean drains and surface channels with an alkaline detergent compound at least once a week to remove any deposited mosquito eggs;
• Properly dispose of refuse, such as soft drink cans, empty bottles and boxes, in covered litter containers;
• Completely change the water of flowers and plants at least once a week. The use of saucers should be avoided if possible;
• Level irregular ground surfaces before the rainy season;
• Avoid staying in shrubby areas; and
• Take personal protective measures such as wearing light-coloured long-sleeved clothes and trousers and apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing or uncovered areas of the body when doing outdoor activities.
   

     To reduce the risk of infections spread by mosquitoes, apart from general measures, travellers returning from affected areas should apply insect repellent for 14 days (DF) or at least 21 days (Zika Virus Infection) upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to the doctor. DEET-containing insect repellents are effective and the public should take heed of the tips below:
 

• Read the label instructions carefully first;
• Apply right before entering an area with risk of mosquito bites;
• Apply on exposed skin and clothing;
• Use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children*;
• Apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent; and
• Re-apply only when needed and follow the instructions.

 
* For children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a DEET concentration of up to 30 per cent.

     The public may refer to the CHP's tips for using insect repellents for details.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (November 9) drew the public's attention to a rise of hepatitis A cases recorded by the CHP since October this year, and hence reminded members of the public to stay alert and maintain strict personal, food and environmental hygiene.
 
     According to the latest surveillance data, a total of 12 hepatitis A cases were reported to the CHP in October, which was higher than a range of one to five cases recorded per month from January to September this year. As of yesterday (November 8), two cases have been recorded in November.
 
     The 14 cases recorded from October 1 to yesterday affected eight males and six females with ages ranging from 9 to 54, with a median age of 24.5. While four cases were imported from Pakistan, another three cases also affected Pakistanis (one local case and two cases with place of infection undetermined). The remaining seven cases included five local cases, one imported case from Bangladesh and one case with place of infection undetermined. All cases required hospitalisation and were in a stable condition.
 
     Of note, no imported cases from Pakistan or involving Pakistanis were reported from January to September this year. As of yesterday, the CHP has recorded a total of 44 cases of hepatitis A in 2018. From 2013 to 2017, 44, 46, 138, 98 and 117 cases were recorded respectively.
 
     “Our epidemiological investigations so far have not identified a common food or water source among these cases. There was also no epidemiological linkage identified among them. The CHP's investigations are ongoing. We will continue to closely monitor the situation,” a CHP spokesman said.

     “The CHP will update relevant non-governmental organisations of the latest situation of hepatitis A and its preventive measures and seek their support to strengthen health education and promotion among the Pakistani community. The CHP will also arrange broadcasting of related health messages via radio channel to raise their awareness of the risk of contracting hepatitis A.”
 
    The spokesman advised that hepatitis A is endemic in many countries including Pakistan. Hepatitis A vaccine is safe and effective in preventing the infection. The World Health Organization recommends hepatitis A vaccination for high-risk groups, such as travellers to endemic areas, men who have sex with men and chronic liver disease patients.

     "Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It is clinically characterised by fever, malaise, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort and jaundice (yellowing discolouration of the skin and sclera of the eyes, dark urine and pale stool). Adults have signs and symptoms of illness more often than children, and the severity of disease increases in older age groups. Recovery from symptoms following infection may be slow and may take several weeks or months," the spokesman explained.

     HAV is transmitted primarily by the faecal-oral route, that is when an uninfected person contacts or ingests objects, food or water that has been contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. HAV can also be transmitted by eating contaminated food (especially shellfish) without thorough cooking and drinking contaminated drinks.

     The CHP urged members of the public to take heed of the preventive measures below against hepatitis A:
 

• Wash hands properly with liquid soap and water before eating or handling food, and after going to the toilet or changing diapers;
• Purchase fresh food from reliable sources. Do not patronise illegal hawkers.
• Drinking water should be from the mains and preferably boiled.
• Cook food thoroughly before consumption. Avoid raw food or undercooked food.
• Clean and wash food thoroughly. Scrub and rinse shellfish in clean water. Remove the viscera if appropriate. All shellfish should be thoroughly cooked before eating.
• Vegetables and fruits to be eaten raw should be cleaned and washed thoroughly with safe drinking water.
• Keep the premises and kitchen utensils clean; and
• Dispose of rubbish properly.

      
     The public may visit the Hepatitis A page of the CHP and its Viral Hepatitis Preventive Service for more information.