Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Government yesterday (July 13) 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 Kwun Tong (i.e. Tin Kam House, Shun Tin Estate, Kwun Tong, excluding LG2/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 7 to July 13, 2022, to undergo compulsory testing on or before July 15, 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 8.30am today (July 14) 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 11am 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 Labour 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 8.30am 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 and wore a wristband 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 11am. Test records of 826 persons subject to compulsory testing were checked. Nobody was found to have not undergone compulsory testing. 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 69 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 of level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more

     â€‹A Government spokesman announced today (July 14) that the supply of fresh food from the Mainland yesterday (July 13) 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 776 tonnes. The average wholesale prices of choi sum and pak choi stood at $8.10 and $7.80 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 about 40 tonnes. The supply of live pigs was plentiful.

     The supply of chilled poultry from the Mainland was about 140 000 head yesterday, and over 11 000 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-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). read more

     The Transport Department (TD) announced today (July 14) that the new taxi fares for urban, New Territories (NT) and Lantau taxis will take effect from July 17 (Sunday).
 
     The new fares are as follows:
 

Fare ($)	Urban taxi (Red)	NT taxi (Green)	Lantau taxi (Blue)
Flagfall charge For the first two kilometres or any part thereof	$27	$23.5	$22
Incremental charge For every subsequent 200 metres or any part thereof, or for every waiting period of one minute or any part thereof	(Below $93.5) $1.9 per jump	(Below $74.5) $1.7 per jump	(Below $175) $1.7 per jump
	($93.5 or above) $1.3 per jump	($74.5 or above) $1.3 per jump	($175 or above) $1.5 per jump

         
     For additional charges of three types of taxis, the fares for every piece of baggage carried (except light personal hand baggage carried inside the passenger compartment) will remain at $6; and the fares for every animal or bird carried and every hiring arranged through telephone booking will remain at $5.
 
     Taxi drivers have to charge according to taximeters. From July 17, taxi drivers have to display the fare conversion tables issued by the TD (see Annex) in the vehicle if the taximeters are yet to be adjusted to display the new fares. Taxi passengers have to pay the new fares according to the conversion tables. When taxi drivers charge new fares according to the conversion tables, the fare amount based on the new fares has to be written down on fare receipts issued to passengers.
 
     Details on the new taxi fares are available on the TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk). read more

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will hold “Water Fight Day．Tin Yip Road Park” in Tin Shui Wai on July 17 (Sunday) as an event of its Happy@Parks campaign, offering a variety of fun water activities free of charge. This event is under the exclusive sponsorship of the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC), and is one of the many initiatives supported by the HKJC’s approved donation of $630 million to the Government of the HKSAR to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, demonstrating that the HKJC is resolute in pursuing its purpose of acting continuously for the betterment of society, all in support of creating a stronger community together.
 
     The event will be held at the artificial turf pitch of Tin Yip Road Park from 9.30am to 12.30pm on that day. Participants can play on a giant inflatable water slide, a fun water maze, shaking boats and bouncy water castles at the park on the summer day. Pre-registered participants can attend the event in accordance with their enrolled sessions on the event day by presenting their tickets. A small portion of tickets will be reserved for walk-in participants on the event day on a first-come, first-served basis. For enquiries, please contact the Yuen Long District Leisure Services Office at 2478 4342 or Tin Yip Road Park at 2682 3197 during office hours.
 
     In addition, a range of fun game booths will be set up at the artificial sand court adjacent to the artificial turf pitch that Sunday morning, offering a variety of games and activities such as a ring toss, hand-painting, a giant bubble maker, ice craft and pipeline games. Members of the public are welcome to join on the spot.
 
     In order to comply with the requirements stipulated in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) and relevant requirements of administrative instructions, participants are required to scan the “LeaveHomeSafe” QR code and produce their vaccination records for the person-in-charge to carry out a visual inspection before being allowed to enter. Participants must wear masks at all times during the event in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I).
 
     To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, the LCSD is organising a series of Happy@Parks activities with various themes from June to December this year in six LCSD parks, allowing users to experience a joyful atmosphere with their family on holiday through a variety of activities and games. Other Happy@Parks activities include “Pet Carnival‧Victoria Park” to be held on October 30, “Family Camp Out Night‧Tai Po Waterfront Park” on November 12 and 13,  “Frisbee‧Kai Tak Station Square” on December 4, and “Flower Viewing and Sketching‧Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Garden” on December 18. In addition to the Happy@Parks series, the LCSD will also host a wealth of cultural, arts and recreational and sports programmes. For details, please visit the thematic website of the LCSD at www.25A-LCSDevents.gov.hk. read more

     The Government yesterday (July 13) 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 … read more