The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (January 6) expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Mr Fong Yun-wah.

     "Mr Fong was not only a successful businessman, but also an outstanding and patriotic philanthropist. In addition to making remarkable achievements in the business sector, he was also committed to philanthropic causes, participating in innumerable charitable projects in the Mainland and Hong Kong covering such areas as education, medical services, aerospace technology, elderly and child care services, and community infrastructure. Mr Fong dedicated his life to serving others and contributing to the community. His contributions were widely recognised at home and abroad and he commanded the respect of different sectors. He was awarded the Gold Bauhinia Star in 2018.

     "I am saddened by the passing of Mr Fong. On behalf of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family," Mrs Lam said.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     As at 9am today (January 6), five patients who had tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (case numbers: 12484, 12493, 12496, 12502 and 12597) were discharged from hospital in the last 24 hours. So far, a total of 12 235 patients have been discharged.

     A total of 315 patients who had tested positive are currently hospitalised in the North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre, the Hospital Authority (HA) Infectious Disease Centre and the Community Treatment Facility at the AsiaWorld-Expo. Among those patients, one is in serious condition (case number: 12548) while the remainder are in stable condition.

     The HA will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner. 

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 6) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, January 6, the CHP was investigating nine additional confirmed cases and 24 additional asymptomatic cases in the past 24 hours (i.e. there were 33 additional cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus confirmed by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) in those 24 hours). In addition, among the earlier cases reported since January 1, there are 15 asymptomatic cases at time of reporting changed to confirmed cases after hospital admission. This brings a total number of confirmed cases to 12 732 so far and starting from January 1 recorded 100 asymptomatic cases. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 12 832 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.
 
     The newly reported cases consist of 28 imported cases and five cases epidemiologically linked with imported case. Thirty of the cases involved mutant strains while the mutation test results of three cases are pending. The patients comprise 13 males and 20 females, aged 16 to 81. Among the imported cases, one of them arrived in Hong Kong from Group A specified places (high-risk) with enhanced surveillance and 27 from Group A specified places (high-risk). Twelve patients tested positive during the "test-and-hold" arrangement upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre (TSCC) at Hong Kong International Airport and 16 tested positive during quarantine.

     Cases 12805, 12806, 12821, 12822 and 12825 are the five cases epidemiologically linked with imported case. Cases 12805, 12806, 12821 and 12825 are related to an earlier case 12754 (family member of imported case 12676 living together). Case 12805 involves a 43-year-old female patient (a foreign domestic helper). Her employer is a close contact of case 12754. The patient developed symptoms including fever, cough, runny nose and sore throat on January 2. She was sent to hospital on January 4 and tested positive on the same day. Case 12806 involves a 48-year-old female patient, who is a close contact of 12754. She developed headache, cough and sore throat on January 2 and was sent to hospital on January 4. Her test conducted on the same day tested positive. The CHP has announced the case details of the above-mentioned two cases yesterday (January 5) (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202201/05/P2022010500015.htm). Cases 12821 involves a 59-year-old female patient, who is a close contact of case 12754. She is asymptomatic and went to a community testing centre for test in the morning on January 4. She was arranged to undergo quarantine at the Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC) on the same day. Her test result subsequently tested positive. Case 12825 involves a 63-year-old male patient, who is a household contact of a close contact of case 12754. He developed cough on January 4 and was arranged to the PBQC in the small hours on January 5. His specimen collected on the same day tested positive. The remaining case epidemiologically linked with imported case, 12822, is related to Moon Palace and involves a 62-year-old female. She had a meal at Moon Palace from around 12.30pm to 1.45pm on the same day (December 27, 2021) when the earlier cases tested positive visited the restaurant. She developed headache on December 30 and was arranged to conduct quarantine at the PBQC in the small hours on January 4. Her specimen collected on the same day tested positive. The CHP has announced the case details of the above-mentioned three cases yesterday  (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202201/05/P2022010500820.htm).
 
     After comparing the genetic sequencing, it was confirmed by the PHLSB that the genomes of the case 12767 were identical to the genomes of an imported case earlier (case 12676). Case 12767 is thus reclassified from a local case with unknown sources to epidemiologically linked with imported case.
 
     Moreover, earlier investigation of the CHP revealed that nine close contacts of case 12754 boarded the cruise ship "Spectrum of the Seas" on January 2 which embarked on a "cruise-to-nowhere". The CHP has immediately requested the cruise ship to return earlier than scheduled. After the cruise ship arrived and docked yesterday morning, the CHP immediately arranged testing for the passengers and crew on board, totaling 3700 people. Their test results were all negative. Also, the CHP has arranged the nine close contacts and their three household contacts who also boarded the cruise ship to undergo quarantine at a quarantine centre for 21 days, as well as another 18 close contacts of them on the cruise ship to undergo quarantine at a quarantine centre for four days. No one tested positive so far. For prudence's sake, the cruise ship is included in a compulsory testing notice (CTN). Specified persons who had been on board the cruise ship at specified periods need to undergo compulsory testing yesterday and tomorrow.

     A total of 250 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus have been reported in the past 14 days (December 23, 2021, to January 5, 2022). Thirteen of them are epidemiologically linked with imported cases/possibly import-related cases, while the rest are imported cases.
 
     Meanwhile, the whole genome sequencing analysis of cases announced earlier conducted by the PHLSB confirmed that cases 12630 to 12632, 12634 to 12636, 12638 to 12648, 12650 to 12652, 12655, 12674 to 12677 and 12726 all carried the Variant of Concern Omicron. Together with the aforementioned cases, there are so far 140 cases involving Omicron in Hong Kong.

     Also, as the passenger flight (RA409) operated by Nepal Airlines arriving in Hong Kong from Kathmandu, Nepal, on January 4, 2022 and the passenger flight (CX922) operated by Cathay Pacific arriving in Hong Kong from Cebu, the Philippines, on January 4, 2022, each had five passengers who tested positive upon arrival, the DH thus invoked the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H) to prohibit the landing of passenger flights in Hong Kong from Kathmandu operated by Nepal Airlines and from Cebu operated by Cathay Pacific from January 6 to 19, 2022.
 
     According to the testing and quarantine arrangements for cases with mutant strains, the CHP reminded that persons who resided or worked within the same building as the residence of relevant cases will be subject to compulsory testing on specified dates in accordance with the announcement by the DH. They will also be required to undergo self-monitoring until the 21st day (see the details of the buildings and dates of testing at www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/CTN_Specified_premises_and_Dates_of_Testing.pdf).

     Specified persons in relation to the following specified premises are also reminded to undergo compulsory testing in accordance with the CTN tomorrow (January 7):

• Crowne Plaza Hong Kong Kowloon East, 3 Tong Tak Street, Tseung Kwan O
• Block 1, Grandeur Garden, 2-12 Chik Fai Street, Tai Wai, Sha Tin
• Block 2, Grandeur Terrace, 88 Tin Shui Road, Tin Shui Wai
• Tower 6, Albany Cove, Caribbean Coast Phase II, 1 Kin Tung Road, Tung Chung (excluding the Greenfield English (International) Kindergarten (Tung Chung) located on the ground floor of Tower 6, Albany Cove, Caribbean Coast Phase II and Tower 7, Albany Cove, Caribbean Coast)
• The Pottinger Hong Kong, 74 Queen's Road Central, Central
• Tower 2, Granville Garden, 18 Pik Tin Street, Tai Wai
• Block 2, Tsui Ning Garden, 2 Fung On Street, Tuen Mun
• Chesterfield Mansion, 11 Kingston Street, Causeway Bay
• Causeway Tower, 16-22 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay

     The CHP's epidemiological investigations and relevant contact tracing on the reported cases are ongoing. For case details and contact tracing information, please see the Annex or the "COVID-19 Thematic Website" (www.coronavirus.gov.hk).

    â€‹The spokesman for the CHP stressed, "The global situation of COVID-19 infection remains severe and there is a continuous increase in the number of cases involving mutant strains that carry higher transmissibility, and there are also reports of breakthrough infections in some vaccinated individuals. The CHP strongly urges members of the public to avoid all non-essential travel outside Hong Kong, in particular to specified places with high risk under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Regulation of Cross-boundary Conveyances and Travellers) Regulation (Cap. 599H)."

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) today (January 6) approved the provisional average selling prices and sales arrangements for the "Sale of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) Flats 2022" (GSH 2022) as well as the sales arrangements for any unsold and rescinded GSH flats of Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court (the Unsold GSH flats).
 
GSH 2022
 
     It is expected that applications for GSH 2022 will be invited in the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2022, with balloting in the fourth quarter and flat selection starting in late 2022 or early 2023. The application fee for GSH 2022 will be $250.
 
Flats for sale

     The following projects will be offered for sale under GSH 2022, providing a total of 4 693 flats (details are set out in the Annex): 
 
(a) 776 flats in Ching Tao Court, Fanling;
(b) 2 021 flats in Ko Wang Court, Yau Tong; and
(c) 1 896 flats in Kam Pak Court, Ma On Shan.
 
Price

     Under the prevailing pricing mechanism, GSH flats will be sold at a discount of 10 per cent more than that determined for the preceding Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) sale exercise.
 
     "Based on the provisional discount rate for HOS 2022 at 49 per cent as approved by the SHC today, the SHC also approved provisionally setting the average selling prices of the 4 693 new GSH flats for sale under GSH 2022 at a 59 per cent discount from the assessed market values," a spokesman for the HA said.
 
     By applying a provisional discount of 59 per cent from the assessed market values, the provisional selling prices of flats in Ching Tao Court range from about $1.17 million to about $2.29 million; the provisional selling prices of flats in Ko Wang Court range from about $0.88 million to about $2.86 million; and the provisional selling prices of flats in Kam Pak Court range from about $0.79 million to about $2.73 million.
 
    "We will re-assess the market values of the three new GSH developments and adopt the finalised GSH discount to finalise the average selling prices for these GSH developments before the launch of application," the spokesman said.
 
Eligibility

     Eligible Green Formers are eligible to apply under this sale exercise.
 
     "Valid Green Form applicants under HOS 2022 who indicate in the application form their consent to carry over their applications to the next subsidised sale flat (SSF) sale exercise and fulfil the application eligibility of GSH 2022 will be automatically included under GSH 2022 and do not need to submit applications nor pay the application fee again," the spokesman said.
 
     "However, if they wish to apply for GSH 2022 in a household category different from that for HOS 2022 which may affect their priority for flat selection, they are required to inform the HA in writing during the application period of GSH 2022. Moreover, if they have successfully purchased a flat under HOS 2022 (flat selection scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2022), their application for GSH 2022 will be cancelled automatically," the spokesman said.
 
     "We will notify valid applicants in writing that their HOS 2022 applications have been carried over to GSH 2022 and provide them with the GSH 2022 application numbers (for online application, such notification will be sent to the applicants by email) before application commences. If an applicant submits the application for GSH 2022 again, his/her application will be regarded as duplicated. If duplicated applications are found, for whatever reason, the HA will cancel all related applications," the spokesman said.
 
Priority for flat selection

     The SHC decided to follow the established arrangement, i.e. flat selection order of eligible applicants under GSH 2022 will be determined by the application category, quota allocation and ballot results.
 
     "A quota of 1 400 GSH flats will be set aside for Green Form (GF) family applicants applying under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members (Priority Elderly Scheme) who have priority over other family applicants. If families applying under the Priority Elderly Scheme fail to obtain a quota, they will still have an opportunity to purchase under the GF 'Other Families' category. On the other hand, any unused quota for the Priority Elderly Scheme will be allocated to the GF 'Other Families' category," the spokesman said.
 
     "To enable a reasonable chance for one-person applicants to purchase, the SHC agreed to set aside 500 GSH flats for this category. Following the established arrangement, GF one-person applicants will be allowed to buy any 500 remaining GSH flats after family applicants have selected flats, irrespective of the flat sizes. In case the quota of 500 GSH flats are not fully consumed after the list of one-person applicants is exhausted, all the remaining flats will be allocated back to the GF 'Other Families' category," the spokesman said.
 
Alienation restrictions
 
     The new GSH flats put up for sale under GSH 2022 will be subject to the revised alienation restrictions as endorsed by the SHC today.
 
Publicity

     Doll houses and virtual videos of typical flats and building models for the three new GSH developments, exhibition panels and other information on the GSH developments will be provided at the GSH Sales Office in Kwun Tong and on the HA/Housing Department's (HD) designated websites starting seven days before the commencement and up to the end of the application period. At the same time, sales booklets for the GSH flats providing sales arrangements and basic information of the developments will be made available to the public. Sales brochures for the GSH flats covering greater details of the developments and price lists will be available for public collection and viewing on the HA's and HD's designated website starting seven days before commencement of the flat selection period.
 
     The HA will continue to provide online applications, including e-applications, e-payments and e-notifications, in addition to the paper submission channels for GSH 2022.
 
Special arrangement for sale of unsold and rescinded flats of Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court
 
     The SHC endorsed that on completion of GSH 2020/21, any remaining flats from Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court (including unsold and rescinded flats) will be put up for sale to eligible Public Rental Housing (PRH) applicants using the annual Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS) exercise as the platform. The selling prices of these flats will be maintained at the GSH 2020/21 level.
 
     Under GSH 2019, there were about 500 unsold and rescinded flats from Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court. These flats are offered for sale for the second time to eligible Green Form applicants under GSH 2020/21. Saleable areas of these flats range from about 17.4 to 17.6 square metres (about 187 to 189 square feet) with selling prices ranging from about $820,000 to about $1,170,000. Since these flats are intended for Green Formers, the SHC agreed to offer any remaining flats from Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court for sale to eligible PRH applicants on completion of GSH 2020/21. The exact number of flats for sale will depend on the number of flats which remain unsold or rescinded upon completion of GSH 2020/21. Estimated material dates of Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court are May 31, 2023, and September 30, 2022, respectively.
 
     PRH applicants eligible for EFAS 2022 (i.e. PRH applicants who hold a valid PRH application with registration date (or equivalent date of registration as appropriate) falling on or before March 31, 2021, and fulfilling other criteria of EFAS) will be invited to submit applications. They will be allowed to choose to apply for EFAS, or apply to buy a flat in Ching Fu Court or Dip Tsui Court, or apply for both. 
 
     Applicants who choose to apply to buy a flat in Ching Fu Court or Dip Tsui Court are required to pay a one-off and non-refundable fee of $250. Online application (including e-application and e-notification) will be provided in addition to the paper submission channels (paper form, either in person or by post).
 
     Selection priority will follow the established order of priority for flat selection under EFAS, i.e. according to the relevant registration number (or equivalent registration number) sequence for General Applicants and according to the points for applicants under the Quota and Points System.
 
     Applications will be invited in the third quarter of 2022 with flat selections to commence from the fourth quarter of 2022.

     Sales leaflets, exhibition panels and other information on the two GSH developments will be provided during the application stage. Sales brochures covering greater details on the two GSH developments and price lists will be provided during the flat selection stage.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Housing Authority:
 
     The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA)'s Subsidised Housing Committee (SHC) today (January 6) approved the provisional average selling prices and sales arrangements for the "Sale of Green Form Subsidised Home Ownership Scheme (GSH) Flats 2022" (GSH 2022) as well as the sales arrangements for any unsold and rescinded GSH flats of Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court (the Unsold GSH flats).
 
GSH 2022
 
     It is expected that applications for GSH 2022 will be invited in the third quarter to the fourth quarter of 2022, with balloting in the fourth quarter and flat selection starting in late 2022 or early 2023. The application fee for GSH 2022 will be $250.
 
Flats for sale

     The following projects will be offered for sale under GSH 2022, providing a total of 4 693 flats (details are set out in the Annex): 
 
(a) 776 flats in Ching Tao Court, Fanling;
(b) 2 021 flats in Ko Wang Court, Yau Tong; and
(c) 1 896 flats in Kam Pak Court, Ma On Shan.
 
Price

     Under the prevailing pricing mechanism, GSH flats will be sold at a discount of 10 per cent more than that determined for the preceding Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) sale exercise.
 
     "Based on the provisional discount rate for HOS 2022 at 49 per cent as approved by the SHC today, the SHC also approved provisionally setting the average selling prices of the 4 693 new GSH flats for sale under GSH 2022 at a 59 per cent discount from the assessed market values," a spokesman for the HA said.
 
     By applying a provisional discount of 59 per cent from the assessed market values, the provisional selling prices of flats in Ching Tao Court range from about $1.17 million to about $2.29 million; the provisional selling prices of flats in Ko Wang Court range from about $0.88 million to about $2.86 million; and the provisional selling prices of flats in Kam Pak Court range from about $0.79 million to about $2.73 million.
 
    "We will re-assess the market values of the three new GSH developments and adopt the finalised GSH discount to finalise the average selling prices for these GSH developments before the launch of application," the spokesman said.
 
Eligibility

     Eligible Green Formers are eligible to apply under this sale exercise.
 
     "Valid Green Form applicants under HOS 2022 who indicate in the application form their consent to carry over their applications to the next subsidised sale flat (SSF) sale exercise and fulfil the application eligibility of GSH 2022 will be automatically included under GSH 2022 and do not need to submit applications nor pay the application fee again," the spokesman said.
 
     "However, if they wish to apply for GSH 2022 in a household category different from that for HOS 2022 which may affect their priority for flat selection, they are required to inform the HA in writing during the application period of GSH 2022. Moreover, if they have successfully purchased a flat under HOS 2022 (flat selection scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2022), their application for GSH 2022 will be cancelled automatically," the spokesman said.
 
     "We will notify valid applicants in writing that their HOS 2022 applications have been carried over to GSH 2022 and provide them with the GSH 2022 application numbers (for online application, such notification will be sent to the applicants by email) before application commences. If an applicant submits the application for GSH 2022 again, his/her application will be regarded as duplicated. If duplicated applications are found, for whatever reason, the HA will cancel all related applications," the spokesman said.
 
Priority for flat selection

     The SHC decided to follow the established arrangement, i.e. flat selection order of eligible applicants under GSH 2022 will be determined by the application category, quota allocation and ballot results.
 
     "A quota of 1 400 GSH flats will be set aside for Green Form (GF) family applicants applying under the Priority Scheme for Families with Elderly Members (Priority Elderly Scheme) who have priority over other family applicants. If families applying under the Priority Elderly Scheme fail to obtain a quota, they will still have an opportunity to purchase under the GF 'Other Families' category. On the other hand, any unused quota for the Priority Elderly Scheme will be allocated to the GF 'Other Families' category," the spokesman said.
 
     "To enable a reasonable chance for one-person applicants to purchase, the SHC agreed to set aside 500 GSH flats for this category. Following the established arrangement, GF one-person applicants will be allowed to buy any 500 remaining GSH flats after family applicants have selected flats, irrespective of the flat sizes. In case the quota of 500 GSH flats are not fully consumed after the list of one-person applicants is exhausted, all the remaining flats will be allocated back to the GF 'Other Families' category," the spokesman said.
 
Alienation restrictions
 
     The new GSH flats put up for sale under GSH 2022 will be subject to the revised alienation restrictions as endorsed by the SHC today.
 
Publicity

     Doll houses and virtual videos of typical flats and building models for the three new GSH developments, exhibition panels and other information on the GSH developments will be provided at the GSH Sales Office in Kwun Tong and on the HA/Housing Department's (HD) designated websites starting seven days before the commencement and up to the end of the application period. At the same time, sales booklets for the GSH flats providing sales arrangements and basic information of the developments will be made available to the public. Sales brochures for the GSH flats covering greater details of the developments and price lists will be available for public collection and viewing on the HA's and HD's designated website starting seven days before commencement of the flat selection period.
 
     The HA will continue to provide online applications, including e-applications, e-payments and e-notifications, in addition to the paper submission channels for GSH 2022.
 
Special arrangement for sale of unsold and rescinded flats of Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court
 
     The SHC endorsed that on completion of GSH 2020/21, any remaining flats from Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court (including unsold and rescinded flats) will be put up for sale to eligible Public Rental Housing (PRH) applicants using the annual Express Flat Allocation Scheme (EFAS) exercise as the platform. The selling prices of these flats will be maintained at the GSH 2020/21 level.
 
     Under GSH 2019, there were about 500 unsold and rescinded flats from Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court. These flats are offered for sale for the second time to eligible Green Form applicants under GSH 2020/21. Saleable areas of these flats range from about 17.4 to 17.6 square metres (about 187 to 189 square feet) with selling prices ranging from about $820,000 to about $1,170,000. Since these flats are intended for Green Formers, the SHC agreed to offer any remaining flats from Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court for sale to eligible PRH applicants on completion of GSH 2020/21. The exact number of flats for sale will depend on the number of flats which remain unsold or rescinded upon completion of GSH 2020/21. Estimated material dates of Ching Fu Court and Dip Tsui Court are May 31, 2023, and September 30, 2022, respectively.
 
     PRH applicants eligible for EFAS 2022 (i.e. PRH applicants who hold a valid PRH application with registration date (or equivalent date of registration as appropriate) falling on or before March 31, 2021, and fulfilling other criteria of EFAS) will be invited to submit applications. They will be allowed to choose to apply for EFAS, or apply to buy a flat in Ching Fu Court or Dip Tsui Court, or apply for both. 
 
     Applicants who choose to apply to buy a flat in Ching Fu Court or Dip Tsui Court are required to pay a one-off and non-refundable fee of $250. Online application (including e-application and e-notification) will be provided in addition to the paper submission channels (paper form, either in person or by post).
 
     Selection priority will follow the established order of priority for flat selection under EFAS, i.e. according to the relevant registration number (or equivalent registration number) sequence for General Applicants and according to the points for applicants under the Quota and Points System.
 
     Applications will be invited in the third quarter of 2022 with flat selections to commence from the fourth quarter of 2022.

     Sales leaflets, exhibition panels and other information on the two GSH developments will be provided during the application stage. Sales brochures covering greater details on the two GSH developments and price lists will be provided during the flat selection stage.