Police will implement special traffic arrangements to facilitate a public procession to be held on Hong Kong Island on May 21 (Monday).

Road closure
————

     The following roads will be intermittently closed from noon until the crowd is dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

– Northbound Ventris Road;
– Blue Pool Road;
– Southbound Wong Nai Chung Road;
– Sing Woo Road;
– Shan Kwong Road;
– Westbound Village Road;
– Yuk Sau Street;
– Tsap Tseung Street;
– King Kwong Street;
– Yik Yam Street;
– Tsoi Tak Street;
– Mui Hing Street;
– Chun Shing Street; and
– Kwai Fong Street.

     Vehicles may not be permitted to leave car parks along the procession route during the road closure period.

     Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

     The Legislative Council (LegCo) and its Committees will hold 19 open meetings, two public hearings and two closed meetings during the week from May 21 to 26 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.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) this afternoon (May 18) issued the following statement regarding the approval of funding allocation for five public hospital development projects by the Finance Committee of Legislative Council:
 
     The HA Chief Executive, Dr Leung Pak-yin, welcomes and appreciates the funding support of the Finance Committee of Legislative Council for the five public hospital development projects, which are essential to further enhance and augment public hospital services as well as facilities to benefit the people of Hong Kong. Dr Leung said that the HA will closely monitor and supervise the progress of related capital works so as to complete the projects on schedule.
 
     Dr Leung also expresses gratitude to the Government for the continuous support and ever-increasing resource allocation to public healthcare services. With the Government's commitment, the HA is able to plan and implement further expansion and redevelopment projects in public hospitals to meet the challenges of an aging population in Hong Kong and the increasing demand on public hospital services. 

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (May 18) reported a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places of visit. The case is detailed below: 
 

 
     "Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)," a spokesman for the CHP said.    

     Locally, the CHP's surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed fever or lower respiratory symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-CoV.

     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization's latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS.

     The Home Affairs Department will open 15 temporary night heat shelters tonight (May 18) for people in need of the service.
      
     The shelters will be open from 10.30pm until 8am tomorrow.
      
     For further information, please call the department's enquiry hotline before midnight on 2835 1473.
      
     The 15 temporary night heat shelters are located at:
      
Hong Kong Districts:
———————
 
Central and Western –
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern/Wan Chai –
Causeway Bay Community Centre
7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Kowloon Districts:
——————
 
Kowloon City –
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices,
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong –
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin –
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong –
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories Districts:
————————–
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North –
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sha Tin –
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po –
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan –
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun –
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long –
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai