In response to media enquiries on the average waiting time announced today (May 11) for general applicants for public housing as at end-March 2018, a spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau issued the following statement:

     As indicated by the Government time and again, since the public rental housing (PRH) supply has been falling short of the demand for PRH over the years, there has been an ongoing upward pressure on the waiting time for PRH.

     In the past few years, we have been making our best efforts in increasing PRH supply. Despite the continued increase in new PRH units, the pace of increase is not fast enough to absorb the cumulative PRH demand over the years, hence prolonging the waiting time of PRH applicants. When those applicants with longer waiting time are eventually allocated with PRH units, their longer waiting time will be reflected in the average waiting time.

      In future, we will continue our efforts in increasing PRH supply. For the next five years (from 2017-18 to 2021-22), it is estimated that about 74 700 new PRH units will be completed, representing a steady increase over the previous four five-year periods.

      We hope that different sectors of the community will support the PRH development projects. We also appeal to the general public for support of the Government's work in identifying land for housing construction.

      Besides new PRH units, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) also relies on recovered flats to meet the demand for PRH.  On average, there is a net recovery of over 7 000 PRH units annually. The HA will endeavour to better utilise PRH resources to ensure allocation of resources to those with more pressing housing needs. To this end, the HA has been reviewing the relevant policies from time to time, such as revising the "Well-off Tenants Policies", and combatting tenancy abuse to safeguard the rational use of PRH resources.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson of Caritas Medical Centre (CMC) made the following announcement today (May 11) on a child inpatient confirmed with tuberculosis:
 
     A 7-year-old girl with symptoms of pneumonia was admitted to the acute ward of Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine on April 30. Due to persistent fever despite antibiotics treatment, the patient was transferred to isolation room on May 9, with specimens for tuberculosis testing arranged on the same day. The diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis was confirmed today (May 11). The patient currently receives treatment under isolation with stable condition.
 
     Upon confirmation of the diagnosis, the hospital has taken investigation and contact tracing according to the prevailing infection control guidelines. A total of 25 female patients (aged 3 months to 13 years) who had close contact with the index patient are required follow-up. Among them, 22 have been discharged while three are still hospitalised. The hospital is liaising with the parents concerned to explain the situation and arrange follow-up assessment for the children. None of them have reported any symptoms of tuberculosis so far.
 
     CMC will continue to closely monitor the health situation of the patients. Enquiry hotline (Tel: 3408 7743) has been established for public enquiry.
 
     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Department of Health.

     With the imminent arrival of the FIFA World Cup, Hong Kong Customs stepped up enforcement to combat counterfeit products and seized about 74 000 suspected counterfeit sportswear with an estimated market value of about $3.8 millions in the past three weeks.

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers inspected seven consignments arriving in Hong Kong at Man Kam To Control Point, Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound, Customs Cargo Examination Compound, River Trade Terminal, Tuen Mun, as well as downtown express centres and destined for countries in Asia, North America and Central America.

     â€‹Upon inspection, Customs officers found about 74 000 counterfeit sportswear in total from the seven consignments.

     Investigations are ongoing.

     Customs will continue to step up enforcement to combat suspected counterfeit products.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who imports or exports any goods to which a forged trade mark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
     â€‹
     Members of the public may report any suspected infringing activities to the Customs 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or dedicated crime-reporting email (crimereport@customs.gov.hk). All information received by Customs will be kept in confidence. 

  

     The Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, who is accompanying the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, on a trip to Sichuan, today (May 11) led a delegation to visit the Sichuan-Hong Kong Rehabilitation Centre (the Centre) and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Sichuan Province.
 
     The construction of the Centre was funded by the Trust Fund in Support of Reconstruction in the Sichuan Earthquake Stricken Areas of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (the Government) with a view to establishing a rehabilitation network, as well as training professionals and developing rehabilitation work in Sichuan.
 
     "The Centre is the flagship project of the Government's post-earthquake medical and health reconstruction work in Sichuan. With the support of the Sichuan Provincial Government and assistance of medical rehabilitation professionals of Hong Kong, the Centre has been developed into the largest rehabilitation hub in the western region. It is also an important platform to support the development of regional hospitals by providing training and guidance to rehabilitation centres in 39 counties which were severely damaged by the massive earthquake," Professor Chan said.
 
     Officially opened in 2013, the Sichuan-Hong Kong Rehabilitation Technology Complex of the Centre provides a wide range of facilities including out-patient clinics, inpatient wards, treatment rooms, a prosthetic and orthotic centre and a recompression treatment centre.
 
     Professor Chan also visited the Teaching Hospital of the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Sichuan Province), including its Preventive Treatment Centre and Electronic Service System, to gain a better understanding of the development of Chinese medicine hospital in the Mainland.
 
     "We are now actively developing the first Chinese medicine hospital in Hong Kong. The valuable experience of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Sichuan Province, for example its scope of service, mode of management, human resource training and scientific research, is of high reference value to us," she added.
 
     Professor Chan also agreed that Sichuan and Hong Kong should further strengthen academic exchanges in Chinese medicine, development of Chinese medicine hospital and clinical experience, and jointly promote further exchanges and co-operation on research in Chinese medicine testing and standards between the two places.
 
     Members of delegation joining Professor Chan's visit included representatives from the Hospital Authority and non-governmental organisations of the medical service sector, as well as a number of academics.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) and its Committees will hold 18 open meetings, one public hearing and two closed meetings during the week from May 14 to 19 in the LegCo Complex.  Details of the meetings are available in the meeting schedule attached.
 
     The information in the meeting schedule is subject to change.  Please refer to the "LegCo Calendar" on the LegCo Website (www.legco.gov.hk) for the latest details of meetings.
 
     Members of the public are welcome to observe open meetings of LegCo and its Committees.  Interested individuals and groups are advised to make advance booking of seats by calling the LegCo Secretariat at 3919 3399 during office hours.  Members of the public can also listen to or watch all open meetings via the "Webcast" system on the LegCo Website.