The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 30) that in view of notifications from the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) about outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in City of Abbotsford in the Province of British Columbia in Canada, and Dakota County of the State of Minnesota in the United States (US), the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the above-mentioned areas with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 4 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Canada, and about 3 640 tonnes of chilled and frozen poultry meat and about 135.82 million poultry eggs from the US in the first three months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Canadian and American authorities over the issues 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 effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Monday, May 30, 2022 is 98.6 (down 0.6 against last Saturday's index).

     The effective exchange rate index for the Hong Kong dollar on Saturday, May 28, 2022 was 99.2 (down 0.2 against last Friday's index).

     Mobile Libraries 2, 7 and 9 will suspend services during designated periods in June and July for routine maintenance, a spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (May 30).
 
     Mobile Library 2 will suspend services from June 6 to 18. The affected service points are Tsui Ping Estate in Kwun Tong; Fortune Estate and Maple Street in Sham Shui Po; Sheung Tak Estate, Hau Tak Estate and Po Lam Estate in Tseung Kwan O; and Chevalier Garden, Pok Hong Estate, Lee On Estate, Sui Wo Court, Yiu On Estate, Mei Lam Estate and Saddle Ridge Garden in Sha Tin. For enquiries about Mobile Library 2 services, please call 2605 1071.
 
     Mobile Library 7 will suspend services from June 17 to 23. The affected service points are Hoi Fu Court in Mong Kok West, Sceneway Garden in Lam Tin, Chuk Yuen (South) Estate and Fung Tak Estate in Wong Tai Sin and Kai Yip Estate in Kowloon Bay. For enquiries about Mobile Library 7 services, please call 2926 3056.
 
     Mobile Library 9 will suspend services from June 27 to July 9. The affected service points are South Horizons in Ap Lei Chau, Sheung Wan Cultural Square, Tin Wan Estate in Aberdeen, Oi Tung Estate in Aldrich Bay, Tai Hong Street in Lei King Wan and Heng Fa Chuen in Chai Wan. For enquiries about Mobile Library 9 services, please call 2505 4690.
 
     Readers are welcome to use other public libraries during the service suspension periods. They may also renew library materials by telephoning 2698 0002 or 2827 2833, or via www.hkpl.gov.hk.

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, met with the Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security of Singapore, Mr Teo Chee Hean, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, at Government House today (May 30). Also present was the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau.
      
     Welcoming their visit to Hong Kong, Mrs Lam said that Singapore was the destination of her first official trip overseas after taking office in 2017, which signifies the strong relationship between Hong Kong and Singapore. She was pleased to receive the two ministers as her five-year term as the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is coming to an end.
      
     "Hong Kong and Singapore have long enjoyed strong bilateral ties, which have been further strengthened through the Free Trade Agreement and the Investment Agreement between Hong Kong and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that came into full effect in early 2021. I am grateful to the Singapore Government for its support for the conclusion of these important agreements. With Hong Kong aspiring to join and contribute to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, I look forward to Singapore's continued support," said Mrs Lam.
      
     She added that Hong Kong's participation will help further consolidate the regional supply chain through the provision of more access and choices of high-quality services to enterprises, thereby stimulating economic activities in the region.   
      
     "In my several political positions over the past 15 years, I have made numerous visits to Singapore to attend conferences and meet with senior officials. Apart from enhancing mutual exchanges and experience sharing, I very much treasure the friendship nurtured and hope to visit Singapore again in the not too distant future," said Mrs Lam.

    

     The Government announced today (May 30) that it has concluded discussions with the Government of Vanuatu to accept vaccination records issued by Vanuatu as recognised vaccination records for persons arriving at Hong Kong who have stayed in overseas places. The relevant arrangements will take effect at 0.00am on June 1 (Wednesday).

     From 0.00am on June 1, persons who hold a vaccination record issued by Vanuatu's relevant authorities in the prescribed format can board a flight for Hong Kong from overseas places. The vaccines administered for the relevant travellers have to be vaccines listed on the Government's List of COVID-19 Vaccines Recognised for Specified Purposes.

     The Government has implemented stringent inbound prevention and control measures for persons arriving at Hong Kong from overseas places. Persons who have stayed in any overseas place can only board a flight for Hong Kong if they are fully vaccinated and hold recognised vaccination records. Recognised vaccination records include (a) vaccination records issued by Hong Kong, (b) vaccination records or certifications issued by Mainland or Macao authorities or an institution recognised by Mainland or Macao authorities, (c) vaccination records or certifications issued by an authority or recognised institution of a country where its national regulatory authority is designated by the World Health Organization as a stringent regulatory authority, (d) vaccination records or certifications issued by a relevant authority or recognised institution of a country with which Hong Kong has reached a recognition agreement arrangement with its government, or (e) vaccination records issued by an organisation with which Hong Kong has reached a recognition agreement arrangement.

     The list of places or organisations that are accepted for issuing recognised vaccination records is set out in the Annex, and will be uploaded to the Government's COVID-19 thematic website.

     The Government will continue to discuss with other places on the arrangements for the recognition of vaccination records, and will update the list as recognition arrangements are agreed with these places.