The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Mox Bank Limited relating to a fraudulent website, which has been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or One-Time Password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the website concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.

     Organised by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), the "E&M I&T Day 2022" is being held via video conferencing today (July 19) and tomorrow (July 20) to provide a platform for the trades to share experience and have exchanges.
      
     The EMSD also signed memorandums of co-operation with the Hong Kong Baptist University, the Hong Kong Metropolitan University and the Vocational Training Council to establish strategic partnerships at the event today.
      
     The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Eric Pang, welcomed the three institutions to become the EMSD's innovation and technology (I&T) strategic partners to jointly support government departments in applying I&T.
      
     Mr Pang said that the EMSD, in line with the Government policy direction, is committed to developing I&T, such as maintaining the "E&M InnoPortal" for government departments, public organisations and the electrical and mechanical (E&M) trades to set out their I&T needs, and for the I&T sector, including startups and universities, to propose matching solutions.
      
     Representatives of government departments, public organisations, I&T and E&M sectors, and tertiary institutions are invited to share their experience at the "E&M I&T Day 2022" with the themes of "Multi-trade Integrated Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing" and "Smart Engineering Solutions". Staff of the EMSD will also share their winning projects at this year's International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva.
      
     For details of the event, please visit inno.emsd.gov.hk/en/more/highlight/index_id_54.html.

  

     The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, visited the Kwai Tsing Container Terminals (KTCT) this afternoon (July 19) to understand the operation of the terminals and to listen to industry views on promoting the development of the maritime and logistics industry in Hong Kong.
      
     The Hong Kong Container Terminal Operators Association arranged for Mr Lam to meet with representatives of the operators of the KTCT and visit the container yard, an operation centre for remote-control cranes operation and a training centre.
      
     "Hong Kong is one of the busiest container ports in the world and has always been renowned for its efficiency. I am glad to learn that the operators have been actively investing in resources over the years to introduce modern management, advanced computer equipment and information technology systems to enhance productivity as well as improve the working environment and industrial safety," Mr Lam said.
      
     "The Government is committed to consolidating and strengthening Hong Kong's position as an international maritime centre and an important transshipment hub in the Asia-Pacific region through various measures. The Government is actively promoting the development of a smart and green port to enhance the international competitiveness of the port of Hong Kong. In addition, the Government has also implemented a number of measures to promote the development of high value-added maritime services, including introducing tax concessions to attract members of the maritime industry to establish a business presence in Hong Kong and expanding the overseas service network of the Hong Kong Shipping Registry. The Government will continue to work hand in hand with the trade to fully seize the immense opportunities arising from the 14th Five-Year Plan and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development," he added.
      
     He also stressed that the Government fully understands that, under the fifth wave of the epidemic, cross-boundary logistics and the supply chain between Guangdong and Hong Kong had been interrupted, which had affected Hong Kong's cargo transshipment. The Government has been following up closely with the Mainland authorities to promote and implement various measures conducive to safeguarding and optimising the cross-boundary flow of goods, including enhancing the capacity of water transportation service, with a view to minimising the impact of the epidemic on cargo transshipment.
      
     With its geographical advantage and the concerted efforts of the Government and the industry, Hong Kong has been ranked among the top 10 container ports in the world for over 30 years, providing a high frequency of sailings and service coverage. Currently, the port of Hong Kong is served by approximately 270 international container vessel sailings per week, connecting to nearly 600 destinations worldwide. This, coupled with the first-class airport and land boundary crossings and transport facilities, makes the port of Hong Kong a regional hub with an extensive service network.

     The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (July 19) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in Schleswig-Flensburg District in the State of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, 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, no poultry meat or poultry eggs was imported from Germany in the first three months of this year.

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

     The Government today (July 19) exercised the power under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Compulsory Testing for Certain Persons) Regulation (Cap. 599J) to make a "restriction-testing declaration" effective from 5.30pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Wong Tai Sin (i.e. Tan Fung House, Choi Hung Estate, Wong Tai Sin, 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 1pm tomorrow (July 20). 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 has 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 1pm 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 13 to July 19, 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 July 21, 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 Buildings Department has set up a hotline (Tel: 9121 7579) which started operation at 5.30pm today for residents restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance. The Social Welfare Department will also provide assistance to the affected persons.

     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.