Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Inland Revenue Department today (January 30) learnt that an acting Senior Taxation Officer who works on the 13th floor of Revenue Tower has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19.
 
     The officer felt unwell on January 27 and underwent testing for COVID-19 on the following day.  She has preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday (January 29).  The officer concerned is responsible for internal clerical work without the need to have contacts with the public.  She had worn masks and followed relevant disease prevention measures at work.  She last worked in the office on January 28. There is no service counter for members of the public on the 13th floor.

     The department has completed thorough cleaning and sterilisation on the 13th floor of Revenue Tower in accordance with the Centre for Health Protection’s (CHP) advice, and will arrange for staff of that floor to undergo COVID-19 testing.

     During the situation of COVID-19 infection, the department has been strictly implementing disease prevention measures.  The department will continue to maintain close liaison with the CHP, actively co-operate with the CHP’s quarantine arrangements and remind its staff to pay attention to personal hygiene and stay vigilant. read more

     The Government today (January 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” (declaration) effective from 8pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in To Kwa Wan (i.e. No. 18, 20 Yin On Street and No. 17, 19, Tsun Fat Street, To Kwa Wan, excluding the shops on the G/F. 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 about 7am tomorrow (January 31).
      
     A Government spokesman said, “Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a ‘restriction-testing declaration’. As some cases tested positive who have lived in the abovementioned building were detected recently, and the test results involved mutant strain, the risk of infection in the relevant area is assessed to be likely higher, so the Government decided to make a ‘restriction-testing declaration’ for the relevant area.”
      
     The Government will arrange dedicated staff to collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs at the “restricted area” and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 10.30pm tonight. 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 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 7am 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 person who had been present at the above building for more than two hours from January 23, 2022 to January 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 February 1, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, and having considered relevant infection risks, for prudence’s sake, vaccinated persons and persons who have recently been tested are also required to undergo testing.
      
     In addition, in accordance with the latest arrangement, persons who resided in the same building as the case involving a mutant strain are required to undergo compulsory testing on days 2, 3, 4 and 7 counting from the day subsequent to that when the case last stayed in that building before being admitted to hospital for treatment or leaving Hong Kong.
      
     The Kowloon City District Office has set up a hotline (Tel: 9255 1846) which starts operation at 8pm tonight 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 $5,000. 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 4 ($25,000) and imprisonment for six months.     read more

     The Social Welfare Department (SWD) today (January 30) said that a staff member of the Finance Branch has tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19.      The staff member had no contact with me… read more

     The Government announced today (January 30) that given Xiangzhou District of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province has been removed from the "list of at-risk places temporarily inapplicable under the Return2hk/Come2hk Scheme&q… read more

     In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary shelters today (January 30) for people in need of the service.
  
     The temporary shelters will remain open during the daytime tomorrow (January 31) when the Cold Weather Warning is still in force.
 
     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.
 
     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department’s hotline 2572 8427 for more information.
 
     In light of the implementation of mandatory use of the “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile application when entering government premises, all persons are required to use the app to scan the venue QR code before they are allowed to enter temporary cold shelters, except for exempted persons (including persons who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, persons with disabilities that render use of the app difficult and persons without smartphones). All exempted persons are required to complete a prescribed form to register their personal particulars, contact phone number and the date and time of entry. The staff will verify the information provided.
 
     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:
 
Hong Kong Island:
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Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex, 2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun
 
Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern:
Wah Kwai Community Centre
Wah Kwai Estate, Kellett Bay
 
Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon:
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Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices, 42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong:
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories:
—————-
 
Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall  
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing:
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, Kwai Chung
 
North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung:
Chi Shin Activity Centre
G/F, Tseung Kwan O South Ancillary Facilities Block
5 Chi Shin Street, Tseung Kwan O
 
Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun
 
Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long read more