Regarding media enquiries today (September 4) on the ticketing sales of the "My Love Andy Lau World Tour‧Hong Kong 2018" concert through the URBTIX website, a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) gave the following response:
 
     The URBTIX system has operated normally throughout the day. Since a large number of customers were attempting to log in to the URBTIX system before the ticket sales started, the web traffic has been very busy since 8am so that some users may not be able to log in instantly and need to retry patiently.
 
     In fact, the URBTIX system has been operating normally and selling tickets for the Andy Lau concert continuously since the ticket sales started. Around 60 000 tickets went on sale today and they were almost sold out by 3pm. Nearly 60 per cent of the tickets were sold in the first hour (10am to 11am) and over 90 per cent were sold before noon. Online sale of tickets has been smooth in general throughout the day.
 
    The LCSD has implemented a series of measures to ensure that tickets can be sold through formal channels in an orderly and fair manner. URBTIX has also been enhancing the system functions to prevent browsing and ticket purchasing activities by automated computer programmes. In addition to the system's auto-retry access every three seconds for customers, the ticket sales updates are provided from time to time for better transparency.
 
     When handling ticketing arrangements for very popular events, URBTIX proactively discusses with event organisers to set a maximum number of tickets that each patron can purchase per transaction and impose a limit on the number of tickets that can be purchased with the same credit card on the first day of public sale so that more people can have a chance to purchase tickets. For the Andy Lau concert, a maximum of four tickets can be purchased per transaction and the maximum number of tickets that can be bought with the same credit card on the first day of public sale is four. The LCSD has also been reviewing the ticket sale situation from time to time and investigating with the current system contractor of URBTIX for the enhancement and upgrade of the system functions including increase of web servers and bandwidth to strengthen the handling capacity and throughput of the system, as well as exploring any possible solutions to enhance the system capacity to cope with the immense demand during the first day of public sale for very popular events.
 
     The LCSD will continue to review the ticketing arrangements through URBTIX and make reference to the experiences of markets inside and outside Hong Kong, as well as discuss with event organisers on the suitable ticketing arrangements for different programmes.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (September 4) announced that a packed milk drink sample was found to contain an excessive amount of Bacillus cereus, a pathogen. The CFS is following up on the case.

     Details of the product are as follows:

Product name: Kowloon Dairy Hi-Calcium Skimmed milk drink
Manufacturer: The Kowloon Dairy Ltd
Volume: 236 millilitres per pack
Use-by date: August 23, 2018

     A CFS spokesman said, "Following up on a food complaint, the CFS collected the above sample from a supermarket in Sha Tin for testing. The test result showed that the sample contained Bacillus cereus at a level of 3.8 million per gram. Under the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, if ready-to-eat food contains Bacillus cereus at a level of more than 100 000 per gram, it is considered unsatisfactory."

     The spokesman said that the CFS had informed the manufacturer and the vendor concerned of the test result. Investigation was conducted at the production plant and the supermarket concerned and follow-up samples were collected for further testing. Investigation is ongoing. The CFS has also provided health education on food safety and hygiene for the staff of the production plant and the supermarket and requested them to carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection.

     According to Section 54 of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), all food available for sale in Hong Kong, locally produced or imported, should be fit for human consumption. An offender is subject to a maximum fine of $50,000 and imprisonment for six months upon conviction.

     Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the environment. Unhygienic conditions in food processing and storage may give rise to its growth. Consuming food contaminated with excessive Bacillus cereus may cause gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting and diarrhoea.

     The CFS will alert the trade, continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action in order to safeguard public health and food safety.

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, visited Tsuen Wan District today (September 4) to visit a co-working space and the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre, and met with Tsuen Wan District Council (TWDC) members.
           
     Accompanied by the Chairman of TWDC, Mr Chung Wai-ping; the Vice Chairman of TWDC, Mr Wong Wai-kit; and the District Officer (Tsuen Wan), Miss Jenny Yip, Mr Lau first met with TWDC members to exchange views on district issues.
           
     Mr Lau then visited Smart-Space 8, a co-working space, and met with young entrepreneurs. Smart-Space 8 is a co-working space under the Space Sharing Scheme for Youth with 60 flexi-spaces, 48 workstations and 34 office rooms. It allows young entrepreneurs of about 140 startup companies to rent working spaces at a discounted price.  
           
     Mr Lau round off the visit by touring the facilities in the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre including the main arena, the public indoor play room for children and the outdoor climbing wall. The sports centre occupies about 12 000 square metres of floor area featuring a main arena with a seating capacity of about 1 900 persons, and is equipped with ancillary facilities, such as a doping control room, for hosting major local, regional and international sports events.

      

     The Inland Revenue Department today (September 4) reminded members of the public to stay vigilant regarding bogus voice message phone calls purporting to be made by the department. The scammers use pre-recorded voice messages and require the call recipient to provide personal particulars. The department affirmed that it would not make pre-recorded voice calls to the public, nor require call recipients to provide personal data by following instructions.  

     The department has reported the case to the Police for investigation. If members of the public have any doubt about the identity of a caller who claims to be an officer of the department, they may contact the department (Tel: 187 8088; email: taxinfo@ird.gov.hk) for verification.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 4) reported an update on its investigations announced yesterday into a suspected outbreak of food poisoning related to a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui.

     Three additional clusters were identified. Details are as follows:

     The first cluster involved two men, aged 40 and 50, who developed abdominal pain, diarrhoea and vomiting about 13 to 17 hours after having dinner at the restaurant on August 31.

     The second cluster involved two men, aged 25 and 31, who developed abdominal pain and diarrhoea about seven to 25 hours after having dinner at the restaurant on the same day.

     The third cluster involved four males and three females, aged 12 to 67, who developed abdominal pain and diarrhoea about eight to 26 hours after having dinner at the restaurant on the same day.
   
     Three of the affected persons have sought medical attention but none required hospitalisation. All patients are in stable condition.

     "To date, four recent clusters affecting 21 persons dining in the same restaurant have been recorded. Epidemiological investigations show that the people in the three additional clusters had meals at the restaurant concerned before investigation and control measures instituted by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD). We have alerted the FEHD to the additional clusters and investigations are ongoing," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     To prevent food-borne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:
 

• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
• Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hot pot or barbecue meal;
• Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
• Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine and wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
• Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.