The Government announced today (July 17) 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 respective District Offices will commence distributing about 250 000 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:
 

• Eastern District – Grand Promenade, Les Saisons, Fullview Garden and Harmony Garden
• Wan Chai District – Serenade, Lai Tak Tsuen, Viking Villas, The Pavilia Hill, Dragon Court, Illumination Terrace, Wun Sha Tower, Fook Hing Court, Concord Villas, Villa d' Arte and Dragon Centre
• Yau Tsim Mong District – Man Cheong Building, Man King Building, Man Yiu Building, Man Yuen Building, Man Ying Building, Man Wah Building, Man Wai Building, Man Fai Building; and residential premises around Sycamore Street, Lai Chi Kok Road and Tong Mi Road (see Annex)
• Kwai Tsing District – Tierra Verde, Villa Esplanada, Mayfair Gardens, Rambler Crest, Tsing Yi Garden, Serene Garden and Ching Chun Court

     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.

     â€‹The Government yesterday (July 16) 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 5pm yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as "persons subject to compulsory testing") within the specified "restricted area" in Wong Tai Sin (i.e. Kai Chun House, Kai Chuen Court, Wong Tai Sin, excluding car park on Basement 1, shops on G/F and non-domestic unit on 1/F) were required to stay in their premises and undergo compulsory testing. Persons subject to compulsory testing were required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the "restricted area" had undergone testing and the test results were mostly ascertained. 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, were not required to undergo testing in this compulsory testing exercise.

     In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday, requiring persons, other than those specified above, who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from July 10 to July 16, 2022, to undergo compulsory testing on or before July 18, 2022, even if they were not present in the "restricted area" at the time when the declaration took effect.

     The Government finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 10.40am today (July 17) and carried out enforcement action in the "restricted area" afterwards to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone compulsory testing in accordance with the requirements of the relevant declaration and compulsory testing notice. The Government announced that the enforcement operation ended at around 1.40pm today.

     The Government provided food packs for persons subject to compulsory testing to facilitate their meal arrangements. Anti-epidemic proprietary Chinese medicines donated by the Central People's Government or procured with the co-ordination of the Central People's Government and rapid antigen test kits were also distributed to persons subject to compulsory testing to help them fight against the virus.

     The Rating and Valuation Department co-ordinated and conducted the operation, and also set up a hotline for people restricted by the declaration to make enquiries and seek assistance.

     The Government thanks persons subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding. With everyone's co-operation and efforts, coupled with the efforts of the testing contractors throughout the night, residents have been informed about their testing results by SMS notification. After finishing the compulsory testing exercise at around 10.40am today, the Government took enforcement action in the "restricted area" immediately to verify that all people in the "restricted area" had undergone testing according to the requirements of the declaration and the compulsory testing notice. Persons who could present an SMS notification containing a negative testing result as proof of having undergone the compulsory testing could leave the "restricted area" through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer. The enforcement operation was completed at around 1.40pm. Test records of 336 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. 32 persons were found not having undergone compulsory testing and compulsory testing orders were issued to them. Taking into account the above situation, the Secretary for Health revoked the "restriction-testing declaration" in accordance with Cap. 599J (see attachment).

     The Government reminds the 154 households who have not answered the door to undergo a nucleic acid test as soon as possible after reading the notices put up by the Government, in the hope of eliminating the possible risk of further spread of the virus in the community.

     The Government thanks all participating government staff and the testing agencies for their hard work. The Government is also grateful to those subject to compulsory testing for their support and understanding, and their full co-operation during this period in undergoing testing and waiting for the results at home.

     The Government will seriously follow up on the compliance situation of the compulsory testing notices and the "restriction-testing declaration" by persons subject to compulsory testing. Any person who fails to comply with the compulsory testing notices commits an offence and may be liable to a fixed penalty of $10,000. The person will 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 order or the "restriction-testing declaration" is an offence and the offender may be liable to a fine at level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months.

     A Government spokesman announced today (July 17) that the supply of fresh food from the Mainland yesterday (July 16) 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 2 500 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 over 812 tonnes. The average wholesale prices of choi sum and pak choi stood at $8.1 and $7.5 per catty respectively yesterday. The supply of eggs to the wholesale market remained steady, with the average daily supply standing at about 3.2 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 43 tonnes. The supply of live pigs was plentiful.    

     The supply of chilled poultry from the Mainland was about 140 000 head yesterday, and about 12 000 live chickens were laughtered 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-May 2022 was 27 700 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 then Secretary for Food and Health stipulated in March last year a requirement on air change or air purifiers to be complied with by dine-in catering premises in the directions in relation to catering business under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F). The Working Group established for the smooth implementation of the requirement, together with representatives of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, earlier inspected a Tuen Mun restaurant and a Central bar where clusters of infection cases had previously emerged, so as to acquire an understanding of the improvement measures made in relation to their ventilation systems by the qualified ventilation contractors engaged by the premises operators after the incidents.

     The Chairman of the Working Group, Professor Yuen Pak-leung, said, "The ventilation requirement pursuant to the directions under Cap. 599F has entered another stage at the end of February this year after about a year of implementation, that is, if the registration on the designated website of the FEHD has not been completed on or before February 24 this year registering that the air change per hour of the premises has reached at least six times per hour or information on installation of air purifiers meeting the specified specifications, the relevant catering premises must be closed until the relevant registration has been completed and the FEHD has confirmed that the registration is valid.

     "Over almost a year and a half, the FEHD and the Working Group have, on numerous occasions, given advice and reminders, and provided technical guidance to operators of catering premises. They must ensure that their fresh air related ventilation system and air purifiers must be properly switched on, operated, repaired and maintained on an ongoing basis while the premises are opened for business. Premises operators contravening the directions have to shoulder criminal liability and their premises are also subject to corresponding measures for reducing the risk of transmission, i.e. on the subsequent day of being identified of the irregularities by the enforcement officers, ceasing dine-in operation from 6pm to 4.59am of the subsequent day and restricting the number of persons per table to no more than two, for a period of 14 days. Government departments and the Working Group will continue to keep in view the epidemic development, the requirements specific to indoor ventilation during the epidemic period in various jurisdictions and the advice of the epidemiology experts, with a view to giving consideration and/or putting forward corresponding advice," Professor Yuen added.

     During the inspection, the operators of the premises told the Working Group that apart from the cleaning and disinfection of the premises completed at the early stage, a series of repair works had also been carried out by their ventilation contractors for the ventilation system of the premises to improve the ventilation situation and air balancing, thereby reducing the risk of virus transmission. They will also strictly comply with the social distancing measures as advised by the Working Group, so as to avoid the recurrence of clusters of infection cases. How the air change system operates is complex, involving the fresh air system, the air conditioning system and the exhaust system (see details in the earlier video uploaded onto the FEHD's thematic webpage for reference). The Working Group also took the opportunity during inspection to suggest to the premises operators of the importance of strengthening the fresh air system and the exhaust system in response to the epidemic, and that they do execute the air change measures and must routinely inspect and regular repair and maintainence on an ongoing basis, let alone casually modify the design of the ventilation systems and the conditions of their operating environment. While air change measures cannot fully eliminate the possibilities of virus transmission, good ventilation system is still one of the measures that could contribute towards lowering the risks of virus transmission.

     He continued, "The number of daily new cases in Hong Kong has been rising gradually from the recent level of 3 000. Operators, staff and customers of catering premises must not lower their guards to avoid emergence of large-scale infections happened overseas, which may give rise to pressure on the healthcare system. Operators of catering business premises should seriously check the ventilation systems of their premises, to ensure their effective operation, sufficient fresh air supply and even coverage of all zones of the seating areas. If necessary, catering premises operators should seek assistance from professionals, such as a registered specialist contractor (ventilation works category) (ventilation contractor). It is all the more important for bars to see to crowd management well, not to have performance or dancing activities etc. and for customers to do prior rapid antigen tests and wear their masks after eating and drinking."

     The Working Group reiterates its calls for the catering sector, other sectors and members of the public to continue to comply with the relevant regulations on prevention and control of diseases, including the prevailing requirements on ventilation and air change in the relevant premises and routinely keeping such systems in good operation, in a concerted and persistent manner, so as to strengthen the protection of personal and public health. In addition, as vaccination is a very crucial part of the local anti-epidemic strategy, the Working Group also encourages the public who have not yet received vaccination to get vaccinated as early as possible for better protection of their own health as well as that of the public.

    

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, at a media session after attending a radio programme today (July 17):

Reporter: Ms Choi, can you explain how Hong Kong can strengthen national education given President Xi's remarks? And some people may amount that to brainwashing. Do you actually agree with that?

Secretary for Education: National education is always a very important area that we have to work for. For example, we will update our curriculum, enhance our learning and teaching materials, (provide) more teacher professional training and more activities for our students to have knowledge about our country from different perspectives. I don’t think it is a brainwashing element.

Reporter: Can you explain why there is no such (brainwashing)?

Secretary for Education: They have life-wide learning experiences, first-hand information that they collect. They can have reflections after their learning. I don't think that it is brainwashing.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)