The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 23) announced that a sample of ham and egg bun was found to contain an excessive amount of Bacillus cereus, a pathogen. The CFS is following up on the case.

     "Subsequent to announcing that a sample of ham and egg bun taken from a convenience store in Sheung Wan was found to contain excessive Bacillus cereus, the CFS detected a similar irregularity in another ham and egg bun sample of the same kind but with a different production date taken from the same convenience store for testing during follow-up investigation. The test result showed that the sample contained Bacillus cereus at a level of 1.1 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," a CFS spokesman said.
      
     "The CFS has informed the vendor concerned of the irregularity. The vendor has already, according to the CFS' instructions, stopped selling the affected kind of food at all branch stores and the food factory concerned has also stopped production of the affected product. The above-mentioned unsatisfactory sample was taken before the sale of the affected product was stopped. The CFS has also inspected the food factory and its hygiene conditions are satisfactory. Health education on food safety and hygiene has been provided for the staff of the vendor and the food factory. Should there be sufficient evidence, prosecution will be instituted," the spokesman said.

     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 continue to follow up on the incident, and take appropriate action to safeguard food safety and public health.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) is today (July 23) investigating a suspected case of poisoning related to the consumption of soup containing Radix Fici Simplicissimae, and appealed to members of the public not to collect, buy or consume medicinal plants of unknown origin.

     The case involves a family of three persons, comprising two women aged 74 and 45 as well as a boy aged 12. They consumed self-prepared soup containing Radix Fici Simplicissimae at home in the evening of July 19 and developed dizziness, nausea and vomiting one to two hours after consumption. The patients attended the Accident and Emergency Department of United Christian Hospital on the same day and were discharged the following day after management.

     Their urine specimens and the soup remnants have been sent for laboratory testing and the results are pending.

     Initial investigations revealed that the Radix Fici Simplicissimae concerned had been purchased at Shop 70-71 in Tak Tin Market, Lam Tin. The DH and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department have conducted a field investigation at the above premises today. The CHP's investigations are ongoing.

     "Radix Fici Simplicissimae is not toxic, but resembles some toxic plants such as Gelsemium elegans and can be mixed up with these substances," a spokesman for the CHP explained.

     "Members of the public should not collect from the wild, buy or consume medicinal plants of unknown origin. If they have purchased Radix Fici Simplicissimae at the above premises, as a precautionary measure, they should stop consuming it or seek advice from healthcare professionals before consumption. If they feel unwell after consumption, they should seek advice from healthcare professionals immediately," the spokesman advised.

The following is issued on behalf of the Electoral Affairs Commission:
 
     The Electoral Affairs Commission today (July 23) released its provisional recommendations on the boundaries and names of the 452 proposed constituencies for the 2019 District Council (DC) Ordinary Election for public consultation. The public consultation period will last for 30 days until August 21.
 
     "The 2019 DC Ordinary Election will be held at the end of next year. In making provisional recommendations on boundaries and names of the constituencies for public consultation, the Commission has, in accordance with the law, followed the statutory criteria and its established working principles on the basis of the projected population of Hong Kong in mid-2019," the Commission Chairman, Mr Justice Barnabas Fung Wah, said.
 
     The population quota for the 2019 DC Ordinary Election is 16 599 people per constituency. This is calculated by dividing the total projected population of Hong Kong in mid-2019, which is 7 502 600, by the 452 elected seats in the election.
 
     "According to the law, the population in a constituency should not exceed or fall below the population quota by more than 25 per cent, i.e. the statutory permissible range. As such, the population in a constituency will exceed the permissible range if it falls outside the range between 12 449 and 20 749 people.
 
     "The Commission proposes appropriate adjustment to the boundaries of those constituencies with projected population exceeding the permissible range with a view to ensuring that their projected population will fall within the statutory permissible range. The boundaries of the adjacent constituencies, even though the projected population falls within the permissible range, would also be adjusted unavoidably.
 
     "According to the law, apart from taking into account the projected population, the Commission must also have regard to the other statutory factors, including community identities, preservation of local ties and physical features of the areas concerned," Mr Justice Fung said.
 
     In addition, the Commission has proposed the delineation of 21 new constituencies in accordance with the subsidiary legislation passed by the Legislative Council this year in respect of the number of elected seats for the next term of the DCs.
 
     "As in the past, in order to minimise any possible inconvenience to electors due to the boundary adjustments, the Commission has adopted the principle of affecting the least number of existing constituencies or the least number of people in drawing up the delineation proposals," Mr Justice Fung said.
 
     In summary, the Commission has delineated a total of 21 new constituencies and proposed to adjust the boundaries of 128 existing constituencies, which are more than the 109 constituencies whose boundaries were adjusted in 2015. The reasons are mainly because there are more new constituencies, and there are more constituencies with projected population exceeding the permissible range substantially, making it necessary to adjust the boundaries of more adjacent constituencies correspondingly. Furthermore, 12 constituencies are proposed to be allowed to depart from the permissible range, which are fewer than the 24 constituencies in 2015.
      
     "There are various options in delineating DC boundaries and there is no sole or absolute way to do so. The Commission must take all the factors into account – mainly the population figures while having regard to the other statutory factors. These factors certainly do not include political ones or any factor not relevant to the statutory requirements," Mr Justice Fung emphasised.
 
     Proposed names for the constituencies were formed by reference to the major features, roads or residential settlements in the constituencies concerned, as well as views of the relevant District Officers.
 
     The Commission will submit its final recommendations to the Chief Executive after taking into account representations received during the consultation period.
 
     Written representations on the proposed boundaries and names may be submitted by post to the Commission's Secretariat (10/F, Harbour Centre, 25 Harbour Road, Wan Chai), by fax (2511 1682) or by email (eacenq@reo.gov.hk) by August 21. Late submissions will not be considered.
 
     Two public forums to listen to the views on any constituency will be held by the Commission from 7pm to 9.30pm on August 1 and August 3 respectively at Lai Chi Kok Community Hall, 863 Lai Chi Kok Road, Sham Shui Po, and Lung Hang Estate Community Centre, Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin. Members of the public are welcome to express their views at any one of the forums.
 
     Members of the public can visit the Commission's website (www.eac.gov.hk), Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of all district offices, the Registration and Electoral Office, post offices, management offices of public housing estates, and major and district public libraries to study the maps and descriptions of the proposed boundaries of individual constituencies. For enquiries, please call 2827 1269.

     Police today (July 23) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Wong Tai Sin.

     Wong Pui-keung, aged 38, went missing after he left his residence in Choi Wan Estate in 2014. His family made a report to Police on October 26, 2016.

     He is about 1.55 metres tall, 60 kilograms in weight and of medium build. He has a long face with yellow complexion and short brown hair. He was last seen wearing glasses and with tattoos on his arms.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Person Unit of Kowloon East on 3661 0316 or email to rmpu-ke-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 17 800 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $48,000 and a duty potential of about $34,000 at Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on July 21.

     Customs officers intercepted an incoming male passenger at Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point on July 21. Upon Customs clearance, Customs officers seized the batch of illicit cigarettes from a suitcase and a rucksack carried by him.

     The arrested man, aged 33, was charged with possession of dutiable goods and was sentenced to four months' imprisonment at Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (July 23).

     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

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