â€‹The Government today (August 3) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" (declaration) effective from 5pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Kwai Chung (i.e. Ting Fung House, Ning Fung Court, Kwai Chung, see Annex) are required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. The Government aims at finishing this exercise at around noon tomorrow (August 4). The operation may be extended depending on test results.
 
     A Government spokesman said, "Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a 'restriction-testing declaration'. Having reviewed a basket of factors, including the viral load in sewage, the information of relevant positive cases, and other circumstantial factors, and conducted a risk assessment, the Government decided to make a 'restriction-testing declaration' for the relevant area."
 
     The Government will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the "restricted area" and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 11pm today. Arrangements will be made for persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. Persons subject to compulsory testing must stay at their place of residence until all test results are ascertained to avoid cross-infection risk. The Government will make arrangement to facilitate specimen collection for people with impaired mobility. All persons in the "restricted area" who have tested positive in the past 14 days, including positive cases identified either by nucleic acid tests recorded by the Department of Health (DH) or by rapid antigen tests that have been self-declared to the DH, are not required to undergo testing in this compulsory testing exercise.
 
     The Government spokesman said, "We understand that this exercise will cause inconvenience to the public. The Government has made arrangements to carry out testing for all persons present in the 'restricted area' as soon as possible. The aim is to strive to complete testing of all identified persons subject to compulsory testing and confirm the results, and finish the exercise at around noon tomorrow. The Government will make a public announcement when the declaration expires officially. In the cases in which employees are unable to go to work because of the declaration, the Government hopes their employers can exercise discretion and not deduct the salaries or benefits of the employees."
 
     If staying in the "restricted area" will cause unreasonable hardship to individuals who are not residents in the area when the declaration takes effect, government officers may exercise discretion and allow that person to leave the area after considering the individual circumstances. That person must have followed the instructions to undergo testing and leave his/her personal information for contact purposes.
 
     According to the compulsory testing notice to be issued today, any persons other than those specified above who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from July 28 to August 3, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect, must undergo compulsory testing on or before August 5, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence's sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.
    
     The Government appeals to persons subject to compulsory testing for their full co-operation by registering and undergoing testing, and waiting for the results patiently at home. The Government will strictly follow up on whether the persons concerned have complied with the compulsory testing notices and "restriction-testing declaration". Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be fined a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person would also be issued with a compulsory testing order requiring him or her to undergo testing within a specified time frame. Failure to comply with the compulsory testing order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender would be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore (Singapore ETO) hosted a business seminar-cum-luncheon in Singapore today (August 3) to update the business community on the advantages of using Hong Kong as a bridgehead to grow their businesses and expand markets.

     Entitled "Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), Greater Bay Area (GBA) and Hong Kong: What it means for Singapore Businesses", the seminar was co-organised with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK), and supported by the Singapore Business Federation, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. The event was well received by the business community, attracting 110 guests from a wide spectrum of industries.

     In his opening address, the Director of the Singapore ETO, Mr Wong Chun To, highlighted Hong Kong’s boundless opportunities under the synergistic effect of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA, the RCEP, as well as the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). Joining online from Hong Kong, the Director of Research of the HKTDC, Ms Irina Fan; Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion (Business Development) of InvestHK Dr Jimmy Chiang; and Principal Trade Officer of the Trade and Industry Department Ms Rita Man, elaborated on the vast market potential of the GBA, business opportunities for Singapore’s small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as how to leverage the RCEP and CEPA to tap the GBA market and beyond, using Hong Kong as a conduit.

     A panellist session followed in which industry players shared their success stories of using Hong Kong as a platform to grow their markets. Featured speakers were the Head of Wholesale Banking of UOB Hong Kong, Mr Ricky Ng; the President of the Hong Kong-Malaysia Business Association, Mr Dixon Chew; and the Chief Executive Officer of Endowus, Mr Gregory Van. Participants were briefed on the opportunities and challenges brought by increasing trade activities in the Asian region, and how Singapore businesses could tap the opportunities.

     After the business seminar, participants joined a networking luncheon to further establish ties and exchange views with the speakers as well as other business executives.

     The event is part of the Singapore ETO's celebratory events for the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the theme of "A New Era – Stability • Prosperity • Opportunity". The Singapore ETO will continue to host different events to invite the community to celebrate this momentous occasion.

        

     A Government spokesman announced today (August 3) that the supply of fresh food from the Mainland yesterday (August 2) was sufficient and stable.

     According to the latest information, the quantity of vegetables supplied from the Mainland to Hong Kong yesterday (as of midnight) by land and water transportation was over 2 700 tonnes, comparable to the average daily supply from the Mainland on a normal day. The volume of vegetables sold through the wholesale markets of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Vegetable Marketing Organization was about 847 tonnes. The average wholesale prices of choi sum and pak choi stood at $6.80 and $6.60 per catty respectively yesterday. The supply of eggs to the wholesale market remained steady, with the average daily supply standing at about 3.3 million for the past week, comparable to the average daily supply on a normal day last year.

     The total supply of chilled meat from the Mainland yesterday was over 44 tonnes. The supply of live pigs was plentiful.

     The supply of chilled poultry from the Mainland was over 150 000 head yesterday, and over 10 000 live chickens were slaughtered locally. The supply was abundant.

     Regarding the rice supply, in compliance with the requirement by the Government, stockholders of rice have to maintain the reserve stock of rice at a level sufficient for consumption by the local population for 15 days. The trade generally stocks double the required amount, which is sufficient for one month's consumption by Hong Kong citizens. In recent years, the import and consumption of rice in Hong Kong has stood at a steady level of around 320 000 to 330 000 tonnes per year. The import quantity (including reserve stock) as of end-June 2022 was 30 400 tonnes. Suppliers also maintain a reserve for food that can be stored, such as frozen meat, for around three months' stock generally.

     The Government will continue to maintain close liaison with the Mainland authorities and major food suppliers to ensure a stable food supply.

     The AFCD updates and publishes the fresh food supply information daily. Members of the public may visit the AFCD website for updates on daily supplies and wholesale prices of fresh food (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/agriculture/agr_fresh/agr_fresh.html).

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases today (August 3).

     The value of total receipts of the restaurants sector in the second quarter of 2022, provisionally estimated at $22.0 billion, decreased by 5.5% over a year earlier. Over the same period, the provisional estimate of the value of total purchases by restaurants decreased by 2.3% to $7.4 billion.

     After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total restaurant receipts decreased by 8.6% in the second quarter of 2022 compared with a year earlier.

     Analysed by type of restaurant and comparing the second quarter of 2022 with the second quarter of 2021, total receipts of Chinese restaurants decreased by 7.4% in value and 10.5% in volume. Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants decreased by 5.8% in value and 9.1% in volume. Total receipts of fast food shops decreased by 2.4% in value and 5.4% in volume. Total receipts of bars decreased by 14.9% in value and 17.0% in volume. As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts decreased by 2.8% in value and 6.0% in volume.

     Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of total restaurant receipts increased by 51.0% in value and 52.5% in volume in the second quarter of 2022 compared with the preceding quarter.

     Comparing the first half of 2022 with the same period in 2021, total restaurant receipts decreased by 13.6% in value and 16.4% in volume.

     To facilitate further understanding of the short-term business performance of the restaurants sector, statistics in respect of the restaurant receipts and purchases in individual months of the reference quarter are also compiled.

     Analysed by month, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total receipts of the restaurants sector decreased by 15.2%, 1.3% and 0.7% respectively in April, May and June 2022, compared with the corresponding months in 2021.

     After discounting the effect of price changes, it was provisionally estimated that the volume of total restaurant receipts decreased by 17.9%, 4.6% and 4.0% respectively in April, May and June 2022, compared with the corresponding months in 2021.

Commentary

     A Government spokesman said that business of restaurants improved visibly in the second quarter of 2022, on the back of the generally moderated local epidemic situation, the gradual relaxation of social distancing measures in tandem and the boosting effect of the Consumption Voucher Scheme. The value of total restaurant receipts staged a strong rebound of 51.0% from the trough in the preceding quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis, and recorded a much narrower year-on-year decline of 5.5%.

     Looking ahead, the spokesman pointed out that the upcoming disbursement of the second batch of consumption vouchers will help support consumption demand. Yet, business of restaurants going forward will also be dependent on how the local epidemic evolves and how the tighter financial conditions affect consumer's spending power and sentiment. It remains vital for the community to work in unison with the Government to keep the local epidemic under control.

Further information

     Table 1 presents the revised figures of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant and total purchases by the restaurants sector for the first quarter of 2022 as well as the provisional figures for the second quarter of 2022.

     Table 2 and Table 3 present the revised value and volume indices respectively of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant for the first quarter of 2022 and the provisional indices for the second quarter of 2022.

     Table 4 presents the year-on-year rate of change in total restaurant receipts in value and volume terms based on the original quarterly series, as well as the quarter-to-quarter rate of change based on the seasonally adjusted series.

     The revised figures on restaurant receipts and purchases for the second quarter of 2022 (with breakdown by month) will be released through the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/scode540.html) and relevant publications of the Department from September 20, 2022.

     The classification of restaurants follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.

     More detailed statistics are given in the "Report on Quarterly Survey of Restaurant Receipts and Purchases". Users can download this publication at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080002&scode=540).

     Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of C&SD (Tel: 3903 7401; email: qsr@censtatd.gov.hk).

     The Government announced today (August 3) that in order to fight the coronavirus epidemic, the Environmental Protection Department and the Drainage Services Department have been collecting sewage samples for virus testing in all districts, and had detected positive results in some areas, indicating that there may be hidden cases in the premises within these areas.

Rapid test

     As regards positive sewage testing results with relatively high viral loads in the following areas, the Housing Department and the respective District Offices will commence distributing about 260 000 sets of the COVID-19 rapid antigen test (RAT) kits to residents, cleaning workers and property management staff working in the following areas for them to take the test on their own, in order to help identify infected persons:
 

• Islands District – Yu Tai Court, Yat Tung (I) Estate and Yat Tung (II) Estate
• Sham Shui Po District – Hoi Lok Court, Aqua Marine, One West Kowloon, Hoi Ying Estate and Hoi Lai Estate
• Tsuen Wan District – Park Island

     Members of the public may refer to (www.coronavirus.gov.hk/rat/eng/rat.html) for enquiries relating to the use of the RAT kits.

     When using an RAT kit, please pay attention to and follow the instructions from the manufacturer to perform the test and read the result properly. It is advisable to record the displayed result by taking a photo immediately after reading. Users should wash their hands before and after performing the tests, and avoid placing non-essential items within the specimen collection area. After completing the test, wrap and seal all components of the test kit carefully and dispose of them properly. If the household environment is contaminated during the specimen collecting process, disinfection should be conducted with 1 in 49 diluted bleach solution or 70 per cent alcohol.

     People who obtained a positive result through an RAT for the first time can report via the online platform "Declaration System for individuals tested positive for COVID-19 using Rapid Antigen Test" (www.chp.gov.hk/ratp). If individuals encounter difficulties using the online platform, they can call the automated system at 183 6119 to register their identification document and telephone number. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will contact the relevant person later to finish the report procedure.