The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (August 15) closely monitoring three plague cases in Xilin Gol Meng, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

     According to the Health Commission in Sonid Right Banner, Xilin Gol Meng, a female patient was diagnosed with plague on August 7. Her husband and daughter were also subsequently confirmed to have plague on August 12.

     A spokesman for the CHP said, "Plague is transmitted from an infected animal (mainly rodents) to humans through the bite of its fleas. Plague can also be contracted when cuts or other breaks in the skin come into contact with the body fluids or tissue of infected animals. Consumption of infected animal tissue and inhalation of infected respiratory droplets are also possible modes of transmission."

     The spokesman reminded travellers to avoid visiting plague-endemic areas. They should also heighten vigilance on rodents and prevent flea bites. Insect repellents against mosquitoes may equally prevent flea bites and deter blood-sucking insects. Formulations in lotions or sprays should contain DEET, IR3535 or icaridin (also known as picaridin) as active ingredients. The public should refer to the CHP's tips for using insect repellents.

     "Travellers returning from affected areas with a sudden onset of fever, shaking chills, body pains or chest discomfort should seek medical advice as soon as possible and reveal their travel history for prompt investigation and management. Plague is a statutorily notifiable disease and doctors should report suspected or confirmed cases to the CHP for investigation and control," the spokesman added.

     Travellers should take heed of the health advice below during travel:
 

• Prevent flea bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers, and applying insect repellent/insecticide. DEET-containing insect repellent can be applied to exposed skin and clothing, while insecticide containing permethrin can be applied to clothing, not the skin;
• Avoid going to rural areas, camping or hunting;
• Never eat or touch rodents, dead animals and their tissue or contaminated materials;
• Avoid close contact with patients, especially those with cough or chest infection;
• Avoid going to crowded areas;
• Seek medical care immediately in case of a sudden onset of fever, chills, painful lymph nodes, difficulty in breathing with coughing and/or blood-tainted sputum; and
• Consult a doctor immediately after contact or exposure to pneumonic plague patients or high-risk exposure, such as bites from fleas or direct contact with body fluids or tissue of potentially infected animals, for prompt assessment of the need for preventive medication.

     Travellers may visit the CHP's plague page, Travel Health News and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's advice on rodent control for details.

     The Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management), Mr Chow Yat-ming, will assume the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) to replace Mr Yuen Yuk-kin upon the commencement of his pre-retirement leave. Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Chan Joon-sun, has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police to take up the post of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Management), while Assistant Commissioner of Police (Public Relations), Mr Chan Tung, will be promoted to the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police to take up the post of Director of Operations. These movements will take effect on August 16, 2023.

     Brief biographical notes on Mr Chan Joon-sun are set out below:

     Mr Chan Joon-sun joined the Hong Kong Police Force in 1997. His policing experience covers frontline command, criminal intelligence, professional training and policy formulation.

     Upon promotion to Chief Superintendent in 2016, Mr Chan Joon-sun served as District Commander of Central District and later became Deputy Regional Commander of Hong Kong Island. He was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner in February 2019 and assumed command of the Personnel Wing. In November 2020, he became Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations). In April 2022, he was promoted to the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, taking up the post of Director of Operations.

     Brief biographical notes on Mr Chan Tung are set out below:

     Mr Chan Tung joined the Hong Kong Police Force in 1996 as an Inspector of Police. He has abundant experience in both security and criminal intelligence amassed from extensive episodes of duties in frontline Regions and various Police Headquarter Formations.

     Mr Chan Tung was seconded to the Security Bureau from 2014 to 2016. Upon promotion to Chief Superintendent in 2018, he headed the Narcotics Bureau and later the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau. In 2020, he was further advanced to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and took charge of the Security Wing. In August 2022, he assumed command of the Public Relations Wing.

      

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) issued today (August 15) a tentative issuance schedule for Exchange Fund Bills and Notes (EFBNs) for the coming quarter of October to December 2023. The schedule contains information on the tentative tender dates, issue sizes and issue dates of individual issues, representing rollover of maturing issues and taking into account planned adjustments to the maturity spectrum of the EFBN portfolio.
      
     The quarterly schedule is issued in the second month of each quarter (i.e. February, May, August and November), covering the EFBN tenders in the following quarter.
      
     It should be noted that the tender dates, issue sizes and issue dates projected in the advance issuance schedule are tentative. The details of new issues of Exchange Fund Bills are to be confirmed and announced at least four business days prior to the respective tender dates. The details of new issues of Exchange Fund Notes are to be confirmed and announced seven business days prior to their respective tender dates. The HKMA may make changes in the light of prevailing market conditions.
 
 

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (August 15) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Highland of Scotland in the United Kingdom (UK), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 400 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 180 000 poultry eggs from the UK in the first six months of this year.

     â€‹"The CFS has contacted the British authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     This press release is issued jointly by the Insurance Authority (IA) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) today (August 15):
      
     The IA has taken disciplinary action against Chan Ka-hey, a former technical representative (agent) of an authorized institution, by prohibiting him from applying to be licensed for six months, on the grounds of him not being fit and proper. The disciplinary action is decided based on all relevant information, including the information gathered by the HKMA in its investigation under the Banking Ordinance (Cap. 155) into Chan's conduct (Notes 1 and 2).
      
     The HKMA's investigation found that in June 2018, Chan had received a signed direct debit authorization (DDA) form from a client based overseas requiring a direct debit to be set up to settle premium payments under an insurance policy. Chan found that client signature on one of the signature pages of the DDA form was missing. Chan therefore fabricated a new DDA form by cutting out the client's signature from the signed DDA form and pasting the client's signature onto the two signature pages of a blank DDA form. He then photocopied the newly created signature pages and incorporated them as part of a new DDA form which he completed himself. Chan proceeded to submit the fabricated DDA form to the insurer for processing in July 2018 in an attempt to deceive the insurer and his then employing bank that the fabricated DDA form was signed by the client. All of this was done without the client's knowledge or consent.

     The IA has taken into account the HKMA's investigation findings and noted Chan's explanation that he failed to set up the direct debit within the one-month validity period of the DDA form signed by the client, after which the form was invalid. The IA is of the opinion that Chan's conduct was clearly unethical, demonstrated a serious lack of integrity and rendered him not fit and proper to be a technical representative (agent) during the period in which he was serving in that capacity. Disciplinary action was therefore merited and necessary. In deciding the disciplinary sanction to be imposed under section 81 of the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41), the IA weighed all relevant circumstances in balance, including that:
 

1. Chan committed only a single act of copying, pasting and photocopying the client's signature;
2. Chan did not obtain any pecuniary advantage;
3. Chan admitted to his misconduct;
4. Chan's otherwise clean disciplinary record; and
5. the need to send a message to deter similar conduct.

 
     The Head of Market Conduct of the IA, Mr Peter Gregoire, said, "The correct, honest and ethical course of action would have been for Chan, on discovering his original mistake, to have asked the client to re-sign and complete the form again. Whilst this may have involved some embarrassment in admitting an error, this would have been the right thing to do. Integrity involves doing the right thing, despite the fact that this may be difficult. The IA stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the HKMA on the need to ensure robust ethical standards are followed across the financial services industry and looks forward to continuing close co-operation on enforcement cases going forward."
      
     The Executive Director (Enforcement and AML) of the HKMA, Ms Carmen Chu, said, "This action is the result of effective enforcement collaboration between the HKMA and the IA to deter improper behaviour and to send a coherent message to the financial services industry. Regulated persons should observe a high standard of integrity and professionalism in carrying out their duties, which is vital to maintaining client confidence. The HKMA will continue to work closely with the IA on enforcement cases to uphold proper standards of conduct."
      
     For further information on the IA's enforcement work, please see the "Enforcement News" section of the IA's website. Public disciplinary actions against licensed insurance intermediaries may also be searched on the "Register of Licensed Insurance Intermediaries" on the IA's website. For further information on the HKMA's enforcement work, please see the "Enforcement Actions" section on the HKMA's website.
      
Note 1: At the material time, Chan was also a relevant individual (ReI) engaged by the authorized institution to conduct regulated activities under the Securities and Futures Ordinance. Chan is currently not registered with the HKMA or licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC).

Note 2: Following the HKMA's investigation, the HKMA found that Chan was not fit and proper to be a ReI and issued a notice to Chan in April 2021 on the HKMA's decision to suspend his ReI status. Before the HKMA's disciplinary decision could take effect, Chan ceased to be registered as a ReI. The HKMA thus referred the case to the SFC for consideration of appropriate disciplinary action as the statutory power to discipline a former ReI rests with the SFC. The SFC subsequently banned Chan from re-entering the industry for six months on July 28, 2022.