The 2022 edition of "Statistical Digest of the Services Sector" is published by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) today (May 31). The publication provides up-to-date annual statistics (for year 2011 and each … read more
​The Government yesterday (May 30) 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 Sham Shui Po (i.e. Un Shing House, Un Chau Estate, excluding kindergarten on the ground floor) were 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.
In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the building for more than two hours from May 24 to May 30, 2022, to undergo compulsory testing on or before June 1, 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 7.30am today (May 31) and is now carrying out enforcement actions in the “restricted area” to verify that all people in the “restricted area” have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
Starting from around 7.30am today, persons in the specified “restricted area” in Sham Shui Po who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results or wear wristbands as proof of having undergone testing may leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer.
The Government set up temporary specimen collection stations in the “restricted area” yesterday and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to collect combined nasal and throat swab samples at the stations to undergo a COVID-19 virus test before 11.30pm yesterday. 1 907 people within the “restricted area” had undergone testing, among which one case tested positive was found. The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will arrange to follow up.
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.
Regarding the case tested positive in the specified “restricted area”, the Government has provided additional food packs, health advice for persons tested positive pending admission to hospitals or isolation facilities, disinfection products and surgical masks to these persons and their household members pending follow-up arrangement.
Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit 789 households, among which 124 households did not answer the door. The Government will take measures to follow up.
The Government reiterates that enforcement actions will be taken seriously. Any person who fails to present an SMS notification with a test result or wear a wristband as proof of having undergone testing breaches the compulsory testing notice and may be liable to a fine of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him/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 may be liable to a fine of level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more
​The Government yesterday (May 30) 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 yesterday, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Tsuen Wan (i.e. Shek Tsui House, Shek Wai Kok Estate, excluding kindergarten and social service unit on G/F) were 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.
In addition, the Government issued a compulsory testing notice yesterday to any person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from May 24 to May 30, 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 June 1, 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 finished the compulsory testing exercise at around 8am today (May 31) and is now carrying out enforcement actions in the “restricted area” to verify that all people in the “restricted area” have undergone compulsory testing. The Government will further announce the revocation time of the declaration.
Starting from around 8am today, persons in the specified “restricted area” in Tsuen Wan who have undergone testing and are able to present SMS notifications with negative test results as proof of having undergone testing may leave the “restricted area” through the designated exit after providing personal information to a prescribed officer.
The Government set up temporary specimen collection stations in the “restricted area” yesterday and requested persons subject to compulsory testing to collect combined nasal and throat swab samples at the stations to undergo a COVID-19 virus test before 11.30pm yesterday. A total of about 1 860 persons had undergone testing. Amongst them, six tested positive cases were found and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health will take follow-up action. Regarding cases tested positive in the specified “restricted area”, the Government will provide health advice for persons tested positive pending admission to hospitals or isolation facilities, disinfection products and surgical masks to these persons and their household members pending follow-up arrangement.
Moreover, the Government also assigned staff to visit about 770 households within the “restricted area”, among which 156 households did not answer the door. The Government will take measures to follow up.
The Government reiterates that enforcement actions will be taken seriously. Any person who fails to present an SMS notification with a test result as proof of having undergone testing breaches the compulsory testing notice and may be liable to a fine of $10,000. The person will also be issued with a compulsory testing order, requiring him/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 may be liable to a fine of level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for six months. read more
Police yesterday (May 30) arrested four men, aged 31 to 58, who were in suspected connection with the murder case happened in Mong Kok on May 27, in which a 46-year-old man died. After inve… read more
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened in a plastic recycling yard in Pat Heung this afternoon (May 30), in which a male worker, while operating a bale breaking machine, was injured by the revolving parts of the machine. The worker was certified dead on the spot. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to the victim’s family.
The LD spokesperson said, “We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued a suspension notice to the proprietor of the workplace to suspend the operation of the bale breaking machine. The proprietor cannot resume the work until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken.”
The spokesman added, “We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take action pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation.”
The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.
In regard to today’s accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers’ unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.
The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees’ compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees’ compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers. read more