The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (May 30) reminded members of the public, particularly those undertaking outdoor activities, to take heed of necessary measures against heat stroke and sunburn in very hot weather.

     "The public should carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     "Those engaged in strenuous outdoor activities should avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcohol, as they speed up water loss through the urinary system," the spokesman explained.

     "The obese, the sick, including those with heart disease or high blood pressure, the old and the young are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses. They should pay special attention," the spokesman added.

     The public should adopt the following precautions:
 

• Wear loose and light-coloured clothing to reduce heat absorption and facilitate sweat evaporation and heat dissipation;
• Avoid vigorous exercise and prolonged activities like hiking or trekking as heat, sweating and exhaustion place additional demands on the physique;
• Perform outdoor activities in the morning or late afternoon;
• For indoor activities, open all windows, use a fan or use air-conditioning to maintain good ventilation; and
• Reschedule work to cooler times of the day.

     If working in a hot environment is inevitable, introduce shade in the workplace where practicable, and start work slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Get into a cool area for rest at regular intervals to allow the body to recuperate.

     The public should also note the latest and the forecast Ultraviolet (UV) Index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV Index remains high (6 or above):
 

• Minimise direct exposure of the skin and the eyes to sunlight;
• Wear loose long-sleeved clothing made of close-woven fabrics;
• Wear a wide brim hat or use an umbrella;
• Seek a shaded area or put on UV-blocking sunglasses;
• Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or above. Apply liberally and reapply after swimming or sweating; and
• While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent.

     If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

     The public may get more information from the DH's Health Education Hotline (2833 0111), heat stroke page and UV radiation page; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200), latest weather and forecast, UV Index and weather information for hiking and mountaineering; and press releases of the Labour Department on precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force.

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:

     Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force:

     The Labour Department reminds employers that as the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force, they should assess the risk of heat stroke to their employees and adopt effective preventive measures such as providing cool drinking water, setting up temporary sunshade and providing mechanical aids to reduce physical exertion of employees. Employees should drink water regularly and be mindful of their physical condition. If early heat stroke symptoms such as headache and thirst appear, they should inform their supervisors and seek medical help immediately.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

     The Hong Kong Observatory has issued the Very Hot Weather Warning.

     To prevent heat stroke, avoid prolonged activities outdoors.

     If engaged in outdoor work or activities, wear a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured, loose-fitting clothes. Stay in shaded areas as much as possible.

     Drink plenty of water, and avoid beverages containing caffeine or alcohol.

     If you feel sick, consult a doctor right away.

     In response to media enquiries, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government made the following response today (May 29) to the Hong Kong Policy Act Report issued by the US Department of State:

     "Since the return to the Motherland, the HKSAR has been exercising a high degree of autonomy and 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong' in strict accordance with the Basic Law. This demonstrates the full and successful implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle, which has been widely recognised by the international community.

     "Foreign governments should not interfere in any form in the internal affairs of the HKSAR."

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee, at a media session at Central Government Offices, Tamar, after the Fight Crime Committee meeting this afternoon (May 29):

Reporter: Mr Lee, there has been a sharp rise in several drugs seized in the first quarter, especially ecstasy. Is there a particular reason? Secondly, there is also, as you mentioned, a rise in online dating scams. Despite a previous publicity campaign, it still continues to rise. Is it because the previous campaign was not targeted enough? Thank you.

Secretary for Security: In respect of ecstasy, first of all it is not the most popular drug in Hong Kong, so the demand has not gone up. And it is not because of the demand that the seizure has gone up. The seizure actually reflects a few things. First, I think it is the effectiveness of the intelligence system. If you look at the big seizure of ecstasy, the Customs and Excise Department intercepted, in quite a number of cases, ecstasy in large quantity. And the Police also, in their enforcement in the territory, have neutralised several syndicates, in which the amount of seizure was high. For example, in one single case, the number of ecstasy pills that was seized amounted to over 6 000. And the third thing is, there has been very good co-operation with the Mainland and the international law enforcement agencies in the fight against drugs, which reflects in the amount of seizure. Another thing that we can draw from the statistics is some of the ecstasy pills that have come to Hong Kong are not mainly targeted for local consumption. As I explained, the demand has not really gone up. We assess that a lot (of ecstasy) will be taken out of Hong Kong to other markets. But that trend does not seem to be a very steady trend yet. So it may just reflect a periodic modus operandi. But I think what is important in the fight against drugs is an effective intelligence network and a very smooth co-operation system with agencies outside Hong Kong.

Reporter: And also the online romance scam?    

Secretary for Security: The romance scam has gone up two times. That is the statistics. Our experience with deception of this kind is, first of all, it has been high because of the low risk that the culprit has to face. And it almost lacks cost that he has to put into the scam. So, that means whatever we do, there will be culprits because there will not be a lot of risks, and not a lot of costs for them.

      Publicity and propaganda will help. Because as I explained earlier, in connection with the scam involving WhatsApp, after the Police's publicity, the figure has dropped in April by something like almost 80 per cent from the March figure. So publicity works, but publicity does take time. It has to repeat every now and then. That is what the Police will be doing and also something I would request your assistance in making sure that the modus operandi is made as widely known as possible.                      

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