The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 9) announced the results of a recently completed targeted food surveillance project on Salmonella in ready-to-eat food, which showed that all samples passed the test.
 
     A spokesman for the CFS said, "A total of 300 ready-to-eat food samples were collected from different retailers, including online retailers and food factories, for testing of Salmonella this year. The samples included dishes containing eggs, poultry and their products."
 
     Salmonella can be found in eggs and food of animal origin. There is a risk of contracting salmonellosis if a person consumes undercooked food of animal origin, eggs or egg products, or food cross-contaminated with Salmonella.
 
     Salmonella infection may cause fever and gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. The effects on infants, young children, the elderly and patients with a weak immune system can be more severe and sometimes may even lead to death.
 
     Despite the fact that the test results of the samples were all satisfactory, the spokesman reminded the trade and the public not to take the risk lightly. They should maintain good personal and food hygiene to safeguard food safety. For example, they should cook meat, poultry and eggs thoroughly to ensure the juices of the meat are not red, blood is not visible when cooked meat is cut and the egg yolk and white are firm. Food manufacturers should take adequate measures to eliminate Salmonella in food during the food production process, and prevent re-contamination of food such as cross-contamination by raw ingredients with Salmonella. Moreover, they may consider choosing pasteurised egg products or dried egg powder to prepare dishes not requiring heat treatment, in particular ready-to-eat desserts.

     A man who went missing has been located.

     Zhou Shao-quan, aged 30, went missing after he entered Hong Kong through Shenzhen Bay Control Point on June 17 afternoon. His family made a report to Police on June 29.

     The man was located at Kwai Chung Hospital this morning. (July 9)
     
 

     The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (July 9) announced that the department tested 82 water samples collected from cooling towers in 76 buildings in its routine inspections in June this year. Two samples were detected to have a total legionella count at or above the upper threshold, which is 1 000 colony-forming units per millilitre. The latest statistics are set out in Annex 1.

     The cooling towers in which the two samples were collected in June are located at Shing Chuen Industrial Building, 25-27 Shing Wan Road, Sha Tin, and Hilton Plaza, 3-9 Sha Tin Centre Street, Sha Tin. The EMSD has issued nuisance notices under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance to the owners of the cooling towers requiring appropriate disinfection work to be done. Disinfection of the cooling towers in these two cases has already been completed by the owners. Details of these two cases can be found in Annex 2. The EMSD publishes the latest statistics of the above information on a half-monthly basis on its website
(www.emsd.gov.hk/en/other_regulatory_services/cooling_towers/water_sampling/index.html#ct-stat).

     The EMSD reminds the owners of fresh water cooling towers that they have the responsibility to design, operate and maintain cooling towers properly. They should arrange regular inspections, timely maintenance and periodic testing of the water quality in their cooling towers in accordance with the Code of Practice for Fresh Water Cooling Towers issued by the department to prevent the proliferation of legionella.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at a media session after attending the listing ceremony of Xiaomi Corporation at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited this morning (July 9):

Reporter: Do you think the lukewarm performance of Xiaomi will affect the pricing and valuation of other upcoming IPOs (initial public offerings)?

Financial Secretary: There are quite a number of other companies in the pipeline seeking to be listed on the Stock Exchange. As you know recently the stock market has been affected by the sentiments arising from the trade conflict between China and United States. This is still developing. It is hard to estimate at this stage the impact on the stock market. We will continue to monitor this process. In the meantime, I don't think we need to be over worried.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at a media session after attending the listing ceremony of Xiaomi Corporation at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited this morning (July 9):

Reporter: Do you think the lukewarm performance of Xiaomi will affect the pricing and valuation of other upcoming IPOs (initial public offerings)?

Financial Secretary: There are quite a number of other companies in the pipeline seeking to be listed on the Stock Exchange. As you know recently the stock market has been affected by the sentiments arising from the trade conflict between China and United States. This is still developing. It is hard to estimate at this stage the impact on the stock market. We will continue to monitor this process. In the meantime, I don't think we need to be over worried.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)