Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, attended the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Conference on Inheritance, Innovation and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony via video conferencing today (August 25).
 
     “Chinese medicine (CM) is an integral part of the healthcare system of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government expresses its sincere gratitude to the relevant Mainland ministries and commissions as well as experts for their staunch support and guidance on the development of CM in Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government will further enhance Hong Kong’s role under the blueprint set out in the Construction Plan for the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the GBA (2020-2025), actively co-ordinate among stakeholders of Hong Kong’s CM sector to integrate into the overall development of CM in the nation and the GBA, and support the implementation of various policies and measures to give full play to Hong Kong’s unique advantages,” Professor Lo said.
 
     Professor Lo pointed out in his speech that, under the framework of the construction of CM highlands in the GBA, Hong Kong has been making remarkable achievements in areas such as the training and exchange of talents, CM service development, standard setting and industry development of CM drugs. In the future, the co-operation can be further deepened with a view to giving more impetus to the development of CM in Hong Kong. Hong Kong will also fully utilise its important role as the country’s window to the international markets in promoting inheritance, innovation and co-operation in CM in the GBA, and playing a more important role in promoting the area of internationalisation and standard setting of CM, among others.
 
     Co-organised by the Traditional Chinese Medicine Bureau of Guangdong Province, the Health Bureau of the HKSAR Government, the Health Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and the Zhongshan Municipal People’s Government, the conference this year aimed to promote in-depth integration and development of CM in the GBA, and implement the Outline Development Plan for the GBA as well as the Construction Plan for the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the GBA (2020-2025). The main conference venue was in Zhongshan, with attendance covering officials from the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM), relevant GBA ministries/commissions, academicians, CM masters, CM experts, representatives from enterprises, and more. The participants conducted in-depth exchange, exploration and co-operation on the theme of “Building CM Highlands in GBA through Inheritance and Innovation”.
 
     To enable more stakeholders of Hong Kong’s CM sector to participate in this major event, the Chinese Medicine Unit of the Health Bureau set up a Hong Kong sub-venue at the Central Government Offices with a live-feed connection to the main venue. Due to inclement weather, the Hong Kong sub-venue switched to a hybrid mode of in-person and remote attendance, recording an attendance of nearly 150 CM stakeholders. Representatives from the Health Bureau, the Department of Health and the Hospital Authority also participated.
 
     In the afternoon, Vice Commissioner of the NATCM Professor Huang Luqi convened the Seminar on Promoting the Development of CM Highlands in GBA, which was attended by relevant government officials and representatives of organisations in the GBA to discuss how to further promote exchanges and co-operation in CM, and the use of CM in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, among others.
 
     Professor Lo said, “With the staunch support of the motherland, the HKSAR Government and the CM sector have been working together to take forward a wide range of anti-epidemic work, enabling the in-depth participation of CM in the whole process of epidemic prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, thereby making important contributions to the fight against the epidemic. The HKSAR Government is grateful to the nation for its unwavering support for Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic work, including sending a team of CM experts to Hong Kong to offer guidance and assisting Hong Kong in stabilising the supply of anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines.
 
     “The HKSAR Government will continue to step up its efforts in promoting the development of CM and actively participate in the construction of CM highlands in the GBA, as well as strengthen exchanges and co-operation among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, so as to join hands in driving the construction of CM highlands in the GBA and integration into the national development of the Healthy China Initiative.”

          

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      As at 0.00am today (August 25), a total of 2 234 patients who tested positive for COVID-19 are currently hospitalised for treatment, including 331 new patients. Am… read more

     â€‹Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, at a media session after attending a COVID-19 vaccination event in Kwun Tong this afternoon (August 25):
 
Reporter: The COVID cases may surpass 10 000 very soon. Any plans to let civil servants work from home to prevent further outbreak? And can you comment on the current vaccination rate in Hong Kong, especially among young children?
 
Secretary for the Civil Service: The vaccination rate among civil servants is very high. Apart from those who are medically unfit to get vaccinated, all civil servants have been vaccinated according to the number of doses that they should take. So the possibility of having special working arrangements for civil servants is not high. I don’t think in the near future we will need to implement such arrangements. As for young children, we have lowered the minimum age for receiving vaccination to 6 months old for about three weeks. And now around 9 000 children aged 6 months to 3 years old have got vaccinated. We are promoting this. I was at a maternal and child health centre two days ago, and we will have further promotion efforts to call upon parents of the children to get their children vaccinated and protected. And we have been seeing higher numbers of vaccination in the recent days, and we hope this trend will continue.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.) read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (August 25) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, August 25, the CHP was investigating 8 282 additional locally acquired cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, comprising 2 960 cases that tested positive by nucleic acid tests (1 414 confirmed cases, 1 269 asymptomatic cases and 277 cases with pending status) and 5 322 cases that tested positive by rapid antigen tests (RATs) verified in the past 24 hours.

     Separately, 297 additional imported cases were reported, including 258 cases that tested positive by nucleic acid tests (four confirmed cases, 165 asymptomatic cases and 89 cases with pending status) and 39 cases that tested positive by RATs.

     Hong Kong has recorded a total of 871 104 and 616 868 cases that have tested positive by nucleic acid tests and RATs respectively for the SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The CHP is continuing with epidemiological investigations of the cases. Please refer to the “COVID-19 Thematic Website” (www.coronavirus.gov.hk) for more information.

     Among the specimens received by the DH’s Public Health Laboratory Services Branch during August 16 to 22 for verification testing of local cases, about 8.5 per cent and 35.9 per cent of them (seven-day moving average) are related to the sub-lineages BA.2.12.1 and BA.4/BA.5 (including suspected cases) of the Omicron mutant strain respectively.

     In addition, as of 0.00am, August 25, a total of 9 430 death cases that had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus during the fifth wave (since December 31, 2021) were recorded, with 9 349 and 78 deaths reported from the Hospital Authority and public mortuaries respectively as well as three deaths reported from the Chinese University of Hong Kong Medical Centre. Hong Kong has so far recorded a total of 9 643 death cases that tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

     Furthermore, among the earlier cases by nucleic acid tests reported, there were cases (including pending cases) changed to confirmed, asymptomatic or re-positive cases. As at yesterday (August 24), the total number of confirmed cases was 376 721, while the figures for asymptomatic cases, re-positive cases and pending/unknown cases recorded since January 1 were 253 363, 31 and 237 771 respectively.

     The spokesman for the CHP stressed that the local situation of COVID-19 infection is severe with the number of cases tested positive growing at an increased pace. The CHP strongly appeals to the community to strictly comply with social distancing measures and refrain from participating in unnecessary or crowded activities or mass gatherings. This would lower the risk of infection and prevent the virus from spreading in the community.

     â€‹The spokesman reminded the public that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They can provide effective protection to those vaccinated in preventing serious complications and even death after infection. People who have yet to receive vaccination, especially senior citizens, chronic patients, children, and other immunocompromised persons who face a higher chance of death after COVID-19 infection, should get vaccinated as early as possible for self-protection and to reduce the risk of falling seriously ill and death should they get infected. read more

     The Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Professor Sun Dong, and Member of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Mr Zeng Pai, co-chaired the ninth meeting of the Joint Task Force on the Development of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop via video conferencing today (August 25).
      
     Both sides received a briefing on the work progress of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park Limited, the supporting infrastructure in the Lok Ma Chau Loop and the promotion of innovation and technology (I&T) co-operation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Representatives from the Shenzhen Municipal Government also introduced the latest developments of the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone and exchanged views on the future development of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Co-operation Zone.
      ã€€
     Professor Sun said at the meeting that President Xi Jinping’s inspection of the Hong Kong Science Park earlier demonstrated the importance attached to and acknowledgement placed on Hong Kong’s I&T development by the country as well as the expectation of Hong Kong contributing to the country’s development in science and technology. The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park (the Park) is a highlight of infrastructure for Hong Kong’s future I&T development. The current-term Government will put the Park into operation as soon as possible with unprecedented “Hong Kong speed”, and actively promote the development of the San Tin Technopole in the Northern Metropolis. The San Tin Technopole will collaborate with the Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Zone to develop the Shenzhen-Hong Kong I&T Co-operation Zone with a view to establishing “one zone, two parks” at “one river, two banks” under the auspices of “one country, two systems”. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong I&T Co-operation Zone will combine the strengths of both Hong Kong and Shenzhen to pool local and non-local talent, and contribute to the development of an international I&T hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
      
     Other officials of the Hong Kong side attending the meeting today included the Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Mr Eddie Mak; the Under Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, Ms Lillian Cheong; and representatives from the Development Bureau; the Security Bureau; the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau; the Education Bureau; the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau; the Innovation and Technology Commission and the Civil Engineering and Development Department. Officials of Shenzhen Municipality included representatives of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office; the Development and Reform Commission; the Education Bureau; the Science, Technology and Innovation Commission; the Justice Bureau; the Commerce Bureau; the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau; the Office of Port of Entry and Exit; and the People’s Government of Futian District, as well as the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone Development Co Ltd.