Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 8) reported the latest number of cases of dengue fever (DF), and again urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal protective measures both locally and during travel.
 
     From June 1 to 7, the CHP recorded six confirmed DF cases. The patients had been to Thailand (three cases), Cambodia (one case), the Maldives (one case) and the Philippines (one case) during the incubation period.
 
     As of yesterday (June 7), 29 cases had been confirmed this year, all of which were imported cases. The cases were mainly imported from Thailand (13), the Philippines (seven) and Cambodia (three).
 
     DF remains endemic in some areas in Asia. The latest figures for 2018 reveal that 14 973 cases have been recorded in Thailand, 1 166 in Singapore (since December 31, 2017) and 49 in Japan. In the Americas, the latest figures indicate that 9 632 cases have been filed in Mexico in 2018.
 
     The public should take heed of the following advice on mosquito control:
 

• Thoroughly check all gully traps, roof gutters, surface channels and drains to prevent blockage;
• Scrub and clean drains and surface channels with an alkaline detergent compound at least once a week to remove any deposited mosquito eggs;
• Properly dispose of refuse, such as soft drink cans, empty bottles and boxes, in covered litter containers;
• Completely change the water of flowers and plants at least once a week. The use of saucers should be avoided if possible;
• Level irregular ground surfaces before the rainy season;
• Avoid staying in shrubby areas; and
• Take personal protective measures such as wearing light-coloured long-sleeved clothes and trousers and apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing or uncovered areas of the body when doing outdoor activities.

     To reduce the risk of infections spread by mosquitoes, apart from general measures, travellers returning from affected areas should apply insect repellent for 14 days (DF) or at least 21 days (Zika virus infection) upon arrival in Hong Kong. If feeling unwell, seek medical advice promptly and provide travel details to the doctor. DEET-containing insect repellents are effective and the public should take heed of the tips below:
 

• Read the label instructions carefully first;
• Apply right before entering an area with risk of mosquito bites;
• Apply on exposed skin and clothing;
• Use DEET of up to 30 per cent for pregnant women and up to 10 per cent for children*;
• Apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent; and
• Re-apply only when needed and follow the instructions.
   

* For children who travel to countries or areas where mosquito-borne diseases are endemic or epidemic and where exposure is likely, those aged 2 months or above can use DEET-containing insect repellents with a concentration of DEET of up to 30 per cent.

     The public may refer to the CHP’s tips for using insect repellents for details. read more

     The Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Lau Kong-wah, will depart for Shenzhen on Sunday morning (June 10) to attend the 2018 Shenzhen Hong Kong Macao Youth Entrepreneurship Summit.      Co-organised… read more

          A man who went missing in Hung Hom was located.                  Lo Tin-cheung, aged 40, went missing after he left his … read more

     The Labour Department (LD) today (June 8) reminded employers to make prior work arrangements for staff in times of rainstorms as soon as possible.
 
     “To avoid disputes and confusion, employers should make prior work arrangements for staff and contingency measures in times of rainstorms,” an LD spokesman said.
 
     “In working out and enforcing the arrangements, employers should give prime consideration to employees’ safety both in the workplace and during their journeys to and from work, and adopt a flexible approach. Whenever possible, they should consult their staff.”
 
     The work arrangements should cover the following matters:
 
* Whether employees are required to report for duty when different rainstorm warnings are issued;
* After a rainstorm warning is cancelled, the time for staff who have not reported for duty to resume work and the arrangements;
* How wages and allowances (if any) will be calculated for staff who are required to report for duty and those who are late for work or absent from work during rainstorms; and
* For employees who are required to travel to and from workplaces during rainstorms, whether transport facilities will be provided to them and, if so, the arrangements.
 
     “Employers should make realistic assessments of the requirements for essential staff and require only absolutely essential staff to report for duty in adverse weather conditions. If an Amber, Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is issued during working hours, employees working indoors should remain on duty as usual and stay where they are unless it is dangerous to do so. Supervisors of employees working outdoors in exposed areas should suspend outdoor duties as soon as practicable. They should arrange for their employees to take shelter temporarily and resume duty when weather conditions permit. When the Black Rainstorm Warning is issued, those employees should not resume duty until the warning is lowered and weather conditions permit. If the Black Rainstorm Warning remains in force at the end of working hours, for safety reasons, employers should provide employees with an area in the workplace as temporary shelter for them to stay if they want to.
 
     “If possible, employers should provide transport services for employees who are still required to travel to and from workplaces when the Black Rainstorm Warning is in force, or give them a special travelling allowance as encouragement.
 
     “For staff who have practical difficulties in resuming work promptly upon cancellation of a rainstorm warning, employers should give due consideration to the circumstances of individual employees and handle each case flexibly.
 
     “As rainstorms are natural occurrences that cannot be avoided, employers should not deduct wages of employees who are absent from or late for work because of inclement weather. Neither should employers dismiss an employee summarily based on these grounds,” he said.
 
     The spokesman also reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance and the Minimum Wage Ordinance.
 
     Employers should not deduct the annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days employees are entitled to under the Employment Ordinance so as to compensate for the loss of working hours resulting from employees’ failure to report for duty upon the announcement of a Black Rainstorm Warning. An employer who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with relevant provisions under the Employment Ordinance is liable to prosecution.
 
     Employers should also note that they have an obligation to maintain a safe workplace for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance.
 
     “If employees are required to work in times of rainstorms, employers should ensure that the risks at work are properly controlled and reduced to levels that are as low as reasonably practicable,” the spokesman said.
 
     Under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for deaths or injuries incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residences to workplaces, or from workplaces back to residences after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above or a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning is in force.
 
     To provide practical guidelines and samples of work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees, the LD has issued the booklet “Code of Practice in times of Typhoons and Rainstorms”. The code can be obtained from the branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department’s webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf). read more

     The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) today (June 8) invited tenders for the contract for Cycle Track between Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun – Advance Works.
 
     The works mainly comprise:

* a new cycle track with footpath of about 2.3 kilometres in length from Tsing Tsuen Bridge to Bayview Garden in Tsuen Wan;
* an entry/exit hub (near Tsuen Wan West MTR Station) and two resting stations (near Tsing Tsuen Bridge and Bayview Garden) with supporting facilities including cycle parking spaces, benches and a toilet at the hub;
* modification of an existing footbridge to make way for the new cycle track;
* associated landscaping and ancillary works; and
* implementation of environmental mitigation measures for the works mentioned above.
 
     The works are scheduled to commence in September this year and will take about 24 months to complete.
 
     The CEDD has commissioned Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd to design and supervise the works. Interested contractors may obtain the forms of tender and further particulars from the company on Level 5, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong, or call the company at 2268 3548 during office hours.

     The invitation to tender was gazetted today. The closing time for the tender is noon on July 20.
 
     Details of the tender notice are available at the CEDD’s website
www.cedd.gov.hk/eng/tender/contract/tender/index.html#TW/2017/01). read more