Author Archives: hksar gov

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (January 4) announced the latest epidemic situation of COVID-19. As of 0.00am, January 4, the CHP was investigating 13 additional confirmed cases and 26 additional asymptomatic cases in the past 24 hours (i.e. there were 39 additional cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus confirmed by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) in those 24 hours), taking the number of confirmed cases to 12 690 so far and starting from January 1 recorded 71 asymptomatic cases. Hong Kong has recorded a total of 12 761 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus so far.

     The newly reported cases consist of 36 imported cases and three cases epidemiologically linked with imported case. Thirty-four of the cases involved mutant strains while mutation test results of the remaining five cases are pending. The patients comprise 16 males and 23 females, aged 13 to 66. Among the imported cases, eight of them arrived in Hong Kong from Group A specified places (high-risk) with enhanced surveillance, 27 from Group A specified places (high-risk) and one from a Group B specified place (medium-risk). Thirty-two patients tested positive during the “test-and-hold” arrangement upon arrival at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre (TSCC) at Hong Kong International Airport and four tested positive during quarantine.

     Cases 12746, 12747 and 12754 are the three cases epidemiologically linked with imported case. Case 12747 is a case related to Moon Palace. The 66-year-old female patient had a meal at Moon Palace from around 12.30pm to 1.30pm on December 27. She was arranged to undergo quarantine at Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre (PBQC) on December 31 and tested positive subsequently. The CHP has announced the case details yesterday (January 3) (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202201/03/P2022010300688.htm). Cases 12746 and 12754 are family members of the earlier imported case 12676 living together. They have no recent travel history. Case 12746 involves a 35-year-old male patient and the details of the case have been announced yesterday (www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202201/03/P2022010300663.htm). Case 12754 involves a 62-year-old female patient. She is asymptomatic and, as a close contact, was arranged to conduct quarantine at PBQC on January 1. Her specimen collected on January 2 tested positive. The patient has not received COVID-19 vaccination.

     A total of 188 cases tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 virus have been reported in the past 14 days (December 21, 2021, to January 3, 2022). Six 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 12620 to 12629, 12673 and 12708 all carried the Variant of Concern Omicron. These cases involve eight males and four females aged 1 to 61 years old. Nine of them tested positive during the “test-and-hold” arrangement upon arrival at the TSCC and three tested positive during quarantine.

     Together with the aforementioned cases, there are so far 114 cases involving Omicron in Hong Kong.

     Also, the DH 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 the relevant original port of the following airlines from January 4 to January 17:

• Passenger flight (CX419) operated by Cathay Pacific arriving in Hong Kong from Seoul, Korea on January 2 had three passengers who tested positive upon arrival;
• Passenger flight (AI1314) operated by Air India arriving in Hong Kong from Delhi, India on January 2 had three passengers who tested positive upon arrival;
• Passenger flight (AC007) operated by Air Canada arriving in Hong Kong from Vancouver, Canada on January 2 had four passengers who tested positive upon arrival;
• Passenger flight (TG600) operated by Thai Airways arriving in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on January 2 had five passengers who tested positive upon arrival; and
• Passenger flight (Z21264) operated by Philippines AirAsia arriving in Hong Kong from Manila, the Philippines on January 2 had eight passengers who tested positive upon arrival.

     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 5):

• Wharney Hotel, 57-73 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai
• Block 6, Villa Athena, 600 Sai Sha Road, Ma On Shan
• Block K (flat 1-8), Kornhill, Quarry 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).” read more

     The Expert Committee on Clinical Events Assessment Following COVID-19 Immunisation, set up under the Department of Health (DH) to provide independent assessment on the potential causal link between Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFIs) and COVID-19 vaccination, convened a meeting today (January 4) to assess serious adverse events relating to COVID-19 vaccination.

     According to the World Health Organization, an AEFI is any medical occurrence that follows immunisation and that does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine. The DH has put in place a pharmacovigilance system for COVID-19 immunisation, and is partnering with the University of Hong Kong to conduct an active surveillance programme for Adverse Events of Special Interest (AESIs) under the COVID-19 Vaccines Adverse Events Response and Evaluation Programme. The main purpose of the pharmacovigilance system is to detect potential signals of possible side effects of the vaccines.

     As of December 31, 2021, a total of 12 650 persons had been infected with COVID-19 in Hong Kong, of which 213 died. Separately, about 9.93 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered for members of the public in Hong Kong. Around 4.88 million people had received at least one vaccine dose. In the same period, the DH received 6 621 reports of adverse events (0.07 per cent of total vaccine doses administered), including 53 death cases with vaccination within 14 days before they passed away (0.0005 per cent of total vaccine doses administered).

     So far, the Expert Committee had assessed the 53 death cases and concluded that 38 death cases had no causal relationship with vaccination, and preliminarily considered that 15 cases were not associated with vaccination. The Expert Committee considered there is no unusual pattern identified so far, and it will continue to closely monitor the situation and collect data for assessment.

     According to the local mortality data, in the period between February 26 and December 31 of 2020, among people aged 30 or above, there were 5 573 deaths (i.e. 101.8 per 100 000 population) and 3 292 deaths (i.e. 60.2 per 100 000 population) due to ischaemic heart diseases and heart disease respectively. In addition, according to information by the Hospital Authority, during the period from November 29 to December 26 of 2021, the ratio of death cases out of those without a vaccination record was 138.3 cases for every 100 000 people, whereas the ratio of death cases for those with a vaccination record was nine cases for every 100 000 people. The overall death rate during this period of time is similar to that recorded in the past three years. Based on the above figures, there is no evidence that vaccination increases the risk of death for recipients.

     The Expert Committee has also reviewed available clinical data and information for conducting causality assessment of other serious or unexpected AEFIs and AESIs. The results will be included in the updated safety monitoring report (as at December 31, 2021) to be published on the Government’s designated website on January 7. In addition, information related to AEFIs of COVID-19 vaccines and relevant statistics will also be released in the weekly “Update on monitoring COVID-19 vaccination” press release and the Government’s designated website regularly. read more

     The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (January 4) expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Mr Hilton Cheong-Leen.      "Mr Cheong-Leen had actively participated in public services for a long time. In the… read more

     The Government today (January 4) 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 7pm, under which people (hereafter referred to as “persons subject to compulsory testing”) within the specified “restricted area” in Tuen Mun (i.e. Block 2, Tsui Ning Garden, 2 Fung On Street, Tuen Mun. 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 6.30am tomorrow (January 5).
     
     A Government spokesman said, “Under Cap. 599J, the Government can, according to the needs of infection control, make a ‘restriction-testing declaration’. As a preliminary tested positive case who has lived in the abovementioned building was detected today, and the preliminary test result involved a 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 after the test result was found to be positive.”
     
     The Government will set up temporary specimen collection stations at the “restricted area” and request persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo testing before 12am tomorrow. Arrangements will be made for persons subject to compulsory testing to undergo a nucleic acid test at specimen collection stations where dedicated staff will collect samples through combined nasal and throat swabs. 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 will arrange for door-to-door specimen collection for people with impaired mobility and elderly persons.
     
     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 6.30am 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.
     
     Persons in the “restricted area” who have undergone testing from January 2, 2022 to January 4, 2022, and are able to provide the SMS notification through a mobile phone or related certification containing the test results, are not required to take the test again. However, they are required to stay in their premises until all such persons identified in the area have undergone testing and the test results are mostly ascertained. Also, 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 December 12, 2021 to January 4, 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 January 6, 2022. As a mutant strain is involved, for prudence’s sake, vaccinated persons are also required to undergo testing.
     
     In addition, in accordance with the latest arrangement, persons who resided in the same building as the preliminary tested positive case carrying variant of concern suspected to be Omicron are required to undergo compulsory testing on days 2, 3, 4, 7, 12 and 19 counting from the day subsequent to that when the relevant confirmed case last stayed in that building before being admitted to hospital for treatment or leaving Hong Kong.

     The Home Affairs Department has set up a hotline (Tel: 2835 1473) which starts operation at 7pm today 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

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs today (January 4) raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage in Yuen Long and seized about 1.75 million suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $4.8 million and a duty potential of about $3.3 million. 

     During an anti-illicit cigarette operation conducted in Pat Heung, Yuen Long, in the early hours today, Customs officers seized the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes from a metal hut and a light goods vehicle. A 28-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man suspected to be in connection with the case were arrested. The light goods vehicle involved has also been detained.

     An investigation is ongoing. 

     Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.

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

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