A Government spokesman today (July 21) reminded those members of the public receiving both the first and second instalment vouchers through Octopus that if they were not able to receive the second instalment voucher of $2,000 (Note) because their cumulative "eligible spending" is below the required $3,000 target, they have to meet the relevant target on or before July 31 in order to collect the second instalment voucher on August 16. Octopus Cards Limited will start to send SMS reminders today to those registrants who have not yet met the cumulative spending requirement. The SMS will be sent through the telephone number 9665 7134. 

     For those who have no remaining balance in their Octopus card but their cumulative "eligible spending" has still not reached the required target, they should first top up their Octopus card and make up the "eligible spending" with a view to meeting the relevant cumulative target.

     People can enquire as to their cumulative "eligible spending" amount through the following channels:

• Octopus hotline: 2969 5588
• Octopus website (voucher.octopus.com.hk/en/form/enquiry)
• Octopus mobile app
• Octopus Service Points at MTR stations

     For people who only meet the cumulative "eligible spending" target after July 31, the date for them to receive the second instalment voucher value will be postponed to the 16th of the following month after the target has been reached. For example, if the cumulative target is only met within August, they will only receive their second instalment voucher value on September 16. The cumulative spending requirement has to be met on or before October 31 this year at the latest.

Note: The cumulative "eligible spending" requirement for persons who receive vouchers in half value (i.e. eligible persons who come to live in Hong Kong through different admission schemes and to study in Hong Kong) is $1,500, and their second instalment voucher value is $1,000.

     Eighty-two convictions were recorded in June 2023 for breaches of legislation enforced by the Environmental Protection Department.

     Twenty-one of the convictions were under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, three were under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, 20 were under the Noise Control Ordinance, seven were under the Public Cleansing and Prevention of Nuisances Regulation, 26 were under the Waste Disposal Ordinance and five were under the Water Pollution Control Ordinance.

     A company was fined $39,875, which was the heaviest fine in June, for failing to make a billing account application in accordance with the Waste Disposal (Charges for Disposal of Construction Waste) Regulation.

     â€‹The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present a screening programme, The Kid is Extraordinary – Remembering Bruce Lee, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his passing. Four selected films starring Lee in his childhood and teens will be screened from August to November at the HKFA Cinema to revisit the extraordinary journey of this martial arts superstar.
 
     Before leaving for the United States (US) at the age of 18, Lee had already appeared in over 20 films. Born in an actor's family, Lee earned critical acclaim as a "genius child actor" by making different characters come alive, from orphan to street kid to rebellious teenager. In "A Son is Born" (1953), Lee put away his vivacious character and gave a mesmerising performance in portraying an unfortunate yet resilient child. "In the Face of Demolition" (1953) depicts the livelihood of the grassroots, and Lee in his young age performed confidently and stood out from fellow veteran actors such as Cheung Ying and Ng Cho-fan. The movie has now become a local classic. In "Thunderstorm" (1957), which was adapted from a play of the same title by Cao Yu, the 16-year-old Lee wears a Zhongshan suit in a film for the first time. His spot-on portrayal of a young master who falls in love with a maid emanates the innocence and passion of the character. In his last film before heading to the US, "The Orphan" (1960), Lee gave a nimble and wide-ranging performance in playing Sam, a frivolous and morally ambiguous thief.
 
     All screenings will be accompanied by post-screening talks hosted by actor Stephen Au, film researchers Shu Kei, Sam Ho, Janice Chow and film critic Matthew Cheng.
 
     All films are in Cantonese. "The Orphan" is with Chinese and English subtitles, while other films have no subtitles.
 
     Tickets priced at $45 will be available from tomorrow (July 22) at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please visit the website of HKFA (www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/pe-event-2023-bl.html) or call 2739 2139.
 
     In addition, the HKFA will join hands with the Hong Kong Heritage Museum and present a free screening of "The Kid" (1950), in which Lee took his first leading role, at 2pm tomorrow at the 1/F Theatre of the museum, followed by a post-screening talk to be hosted by actress Alice Fung and film researcher Ho. For programme details, please visit (hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/eventsactivities/programmes/brucelee50th.html). Audience members will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis into the theatre 15 minutes before the screening commences. Audiences are also welcome to visit the museum's pop-up display "Bruce Lee: a Timeless Classic" and thematic exhibition "A Man Beyond the Ordinary: Bruce Lee", as well as a series of exhibitions about Hong Kong's pop culture, including "Miss You Much Leslie" and "Out of Thin Air: Hong Kong Film Arts and Costumes" thematic exhibitions and "Hong Kong Pop 60+" exhibition. For details of the exhibitions, please visit hk.heritage.museum/en/web/hm/highlights.html.
 
     The LCSD launched the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival in April 2023 aiming to showcase Hong Kong's unique cultural creativity and vibrancy through exhibitions, film screenings and pop concerts. For more information on other fascinating programmes of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en.

        

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (July 21) investigating a case of invasive meningococcal infection, a communicable disease transmitted by direct contact with droplets from carriers or infected persons.

     The case involves a 67-year-old male with good past health, who presented with fever since July 16 and was found unconscious on July 20. He was sent to the Accident and Emergency Department of North District Hospital on the same day. He was admitted for treatment and his clinical diagnosis was meningococcaemia. The patient is now in critical condition. His cerebrospinal fluid sample tested positive for Neisseria meningitidis upon laboratory testing.

     Initial enquiries revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. The CHP's epidemiological investigations of the case are ongoing, including contact tracing. A household contact of the patient, who has developed symptoms, has been arranged to North District Hospital for management and is currently in stable condition.

     "Meningococcal infection is caused by a bacterium known as meningococcus. It is mainly transmitted by direct contact through respiratory secretions, including droplets from the nose and throat, from infected persons. The incubation period varies from two to 10 days, and is commonly three or four days," a spokesman for the CHP said.

     The clinical picture may vary. Severe illness may result when the bacteria invade the bloodstream (meningococcaemia) or the membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord (meningococcal meningitis).

     Meningococcaemia is characterised by a sudden onset of fever, intense headache, purpura, shock and even death in severe cases. Meningococcal meningitis is characterised by high fever, severe headache and a stiff neck followed by drowsiness, vomiting, fear of bright light, or a rash. It can cause brain damage or even death. The brain damage may lead to intellectual impairment, mental retardation, hearing loss and electrolyte imbalance. Invasive meningococcal infection can be complicated by arthritis, inflammation of the heart muscle, inflammation of the posterior chamber of the eye or chest infection.

     Meningococcal infection is a serious illness. Patients should be treated promptly with antibiotics.

     To prevent meningococcal infection, members of the public are advised to take heed of the following measures:
 

• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly, especially when they are dirtied by respiratory secretions, e.g. after sneezing, and clean hands with alcohol-based handrub when they are not visibly soiled;
• Cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing, hold the spit with a tissue, dispose of nasal and mouth discharge in a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands immediately;
• Avoid crowded places;
• Avoid close contact with patients who have a fever or severe headache;
• Travellers to high-risk areas may consult doctors for meningococcal vaccination; and
• Travellers returning from high-risk areas should seek medical advice if they become ill, and should discuss their recent travel history with their doctor.

     â€‹The public may visit the CHP's website for more information on meningococcal infection.

     A landlord of subdivided units (SDUs) contravened Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (Cap. 7) (the Ordinance) and pleaded guilty today (July 21) at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts for five offences under the Ordinance.  The landlord was fined a total of $3,600. The offences of the landlord include failing to (1) provide the tenant with a rent receipt; and (2) submit Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation (the Commissioner) within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced. This is the fourth SDU landlord convicted of contravening the Ordinance since the Ordinance came into force on January 22, 2022. 

     The Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) received the relevant complaint in mid-September 2022. Upon in-depth investigation and evidence collection, the RVD discovered that the landlord concerned was suspected of contravening two requirements of the Ordinance, and hence prosecuted against the landlord.

     Pursuant to Section 120AAZN of the Ordinance, a landlord of a regulated tenancy must, within seven days after receiving the amount of rent paid by the tenant, provide the tenant with a receipt. The receipt must state the landlord's name and address, the period for which the rent is paid, and the date of payment. A landlord failing to comply with the above requirements commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 1 ($2,000).

     In addition, pursuant to Section 120AAZT of the Ordinance, the landlord of a regulated tenancy must submit a completed Form AR2 to the Commissioner to notify the particulars of the tenancy within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced. A landlord who refuses or neglects to comply with the above requirements without reasonable excuse commits an offence and is liable to a fine at level 3 ($10,000), and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine of $200 for each day during which the offence continues.

     A spokesman for the RVD hopes that this conviction will send a strong message to SDU landlords that they must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, and also remind SDU tenants of their rights under the Ordinance. The RVD stresses that it will handle each suspected offence case under the Ordinance seriously. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multi-pronged and interdepartmental approach to proactively identify and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance.

     The RVD spokesman also appeals to members of the public to come forward and report to the RVD promptly any suspected cases of contravening the relevant requirements. This would help curb illegal acts as soon as possible. Reporting can be made through the telephone hotline (2150 8303), by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2116 4920), by post (15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon), or in person (please call 2150 8303 to make an appointment with the Tenancy Services Section of the RVD before visiting its office at Room 3816-22, 38/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai).

     For enquiries related to a regulated tenancy, please call the above telephone hotline or visit the RVD's webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.html) for the relevant information.