A girl who went missing in Chai Wan has been located.

     Yu Ka-wai, aged 12, went missing after she left her residence in Chai Wan Estate on November 28 afternoon. School staff made a report to Police on the next day.

     Police located the girl in Tsim Sha Tsui yesterday afternoon (January 14).

     The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, inspected the operation of a COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination Station (MVS) at Maple Street Playground in Sham Shui Po today (January 15) to learn more about the public's views on the MVS. He thanked the medical and administrative support staff for their efforts in providing services to the public. Over 1 000 people received the BioNTech vaccine at this MVS yesterday (January 14).  
      
     "To cater for the public's demand for COVID-19 vaccination and to expedite the pace of vaccination, the Government will continue to increase the number of vaccination venues and the vaccination uptake so as to build a protective barrier in the community." Mr Nip said.
      
     "There are now more channels for COVID-19 vaccination than before. Four additional Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) will be set up at the Education Bureau Kowloon Tong Education Services Centre, Kowloon Bay Sports Centre, Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park Sports Centre and Boundary Street Sports Centre this month. The number of general out-patient clinics of the Hospital Authority will also be increased from two to 25. Other channels include COVID-19 Vaccination Stations in public hospitals, Elderly Health Centres under the Department of Health, over 1 000 private doctors or clinics providing the Sinovac vaccination service and the venues of private healthcare institutions that have enrolled in the BioNTech Vaccination Pilot Scheme."
      
     To guard against the threat posed by the mutant virus strains with high transmissibility to the community, persons who are yet to receive vaccination should get vaccinated as early as possible for self-protection. Eligible persons should also receive a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible to enhance protection and build a protective barrier in the community. Both COVID-19 vaccines available in Hong Kong are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from COVID-19 infection. They can provide protection to those vaccinated to prevent serious complications and even death after infection.
      
     The MVS operating in the form of a container will provide the BioNTech vaccination service at the open area outside Ching Chak House, Ching Ho Estate in Sheung Shui tomorrow (January 16) and on January 17. Another MVS which operates as a vaccination vehicle also provided the BioNTech vaccination service at the open area outside Sui Lung House, Siu Sai Wan Estate today, and will serve the public at the open area outside Lei Muk Shue Community Hall, Lei Muk Shue Estate in Tsuen Wan tomorrow and on January 17.
      
     Members of the public can receive their first, second or third dose of vaccination at the MVSs which operate from 10am to 5pm. The last on-site registration time is 4.30pm.  
      
     They can refer to the designated website for the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme for the service schedule of the MVSs (www.covidvaccine.gov.hk/pdf/List_Mobile_Vaccination_Station_ENG.pdf), which will be updated from time to time.

      

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 110 kilograms of suspected cannabis buds and about 63kg of suspected methamphetamine, with a total estimated market value of about $70 million, at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound and Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) respectively on December 31, 2021, and January 10, 2022. 

     Through risk assessment, Customs officers at the Kwai Chung Customhouse Cargo Examination Compound selected for inspection a seaborne consignment, declared as containing oats, that arrived in Hong Kong from Canada on December 31 last year. The batch of suspected cannabis buds, with an estimated market value of about $22.5 million, was seized inside a batch of oat packaging boxes. After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers on January 13 arrested a 16-year-old man and a 34-year-old man suspected to be connected to the case in Yuen Long and Sheung Shui respectively.

     Also, Customs officers on January 10 inspected an air cargo consignment, declared as carrying solar panels, arriving in Hong Kong from Mexico at HKIA. Upon examination, the batch of suspected methamphetamine, with an estimated market value of about $47 million, was found concealed inside two sets of solar panels. After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 36-year-old woman suspected to be connected to the case in Fanling the next day.

     Investigations of the above-mentioned two cases are ongoing.

     Customs appeals to members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving goods.

     Customs reminds members of the public that cannabis and tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC) are classified as dangerous drugs under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (DDO). Importation of products (including food or drinks) containing cannabis or THC into Hong Kong is prohibited unless the relevant provisions in the DDO are complied with. In order to avoid breaching the law inadvertently, special attention should be paid to the packaging labels of those products.

     Under the DDO, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.

     Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).

    

     Following is the transcript of remarks made by the Secretary for Food and Health, Professor Sophia Chan, after attending a radio programme today (January 15):
 
Reporter: Are you optimistic that the vaccination rate can reach 90 per cent ultimately and can we expect schools reopen after the Chinese New Year holiday?
 
Secretary for Food and Health: First of all, we are glad to see that the vaccination rate has increased in the past two weeks. Everyday there is about 40 000 people having vaccination, be it the first dose, second dose or the third dose. We hope this trend will maintain, will continue, so that the vaccination rate of the overall Hong Kong (population) can be increased, in particular the elderly. We see the elderly population vaccination rate increased as well, but we hope, especially for those over 80 years old – the vaccination rate is only about 25 per cent, will increase. We are confident that the vaccination rate can reach higher. We are doing our best to provide more sites for vaccination and to facilitate people wishing to have their first, second or third dose taken all over Hong Kong. With increased number of vaccination centres, with more healthcare facilities, such as the Hospital Authority, the Department of Health, and also our District Health Centres and District Health Centre Expresses, have participated in offering more vaccination throughout this time. As far as schools are concerned, the decision will be made by the Education Bureau. But I am sure with the success of controlling the epidemic in Hong Kong, hopefully after the Chinese New Year, I am sure many of our activities can be resumed.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     The Government is highly concerned about the latest epidemic situation and strongly appeals to all sectors today (January 15) including foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) to fight the virus together. The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) conducts joint operations with several government departments this weekend again at popular places in different districts where FDHs commonly gathered, and appeals to them to raise awareness of epidemic prevention, keep the environment clean and hygienic, and comply with the various anti-epidemic regulations and restrictions, including the requirements on group gatherings and wearing of masks.

     The FEHD, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force, the Labour Department, the Immigration Department and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, conduct joint operations today and tomorrow at various public places in Wan Chai, Central and Western, Mong Kok, Yau Tsim, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Sai Kung, near popular FDH gathering public places during weekends and public holidays. During the operations, apart from arranging cleansing contractors to strengthen street cleaning services at the relevant spots, the FEHD also steps up patrols to combat littering and unlicensed hawking activities. In addition, promotional leaflets in multiple languages are also distributed by the FEHD to appeal to FDHs to maintain environmental hygiene and refrain from conducting unlicensed hawking activities. FDHs are also reminded by other government departments to comply with the regulations on mask-wearing and prohibition of group gatherings in public places.

     A Government spokesman said, "The Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) provides that a person who participates in a prohibited group gathering of more than four persons in public places or fails to wear a mask in accordance with the requirement respectively may be charged a fixed penalty of $5,000."

     To minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the spokesman strongly appeals to all to stay vigilant and comply with the relevant regulations on prevention and control of disease in a concerted and persistent manner. The spokesman also reminds members of the public to exercise self-discipline and co-operate to fight the virus together.