Author Archives: hksar gov

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on December 27 to noon today (December 30), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 311 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category, in the past three days (including last Saturday and Sunday). No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).
 
     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 150 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24, 2023, to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 107 942 samples of food imported from Japan (including 70 151 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 24 618 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

     The Transport Department (TD) today (December 30) reminded members of the public that the following temporary traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented on Tai Hom Road from 1am to 5.30am this Sunday (January 5) to facilitate footbridge erection works:

(A) Road closures
—————–
 
     The following road sections will be temporarily closed to all vehicular traffic:
 

• Tai Hom Road between Lung Poon Street and Sheung Yuen Street; and
• The slip road leading from Tai Hom Road to Tate’s Cairn Highway.

 
(B) Traffic diversions
 ——————-
 

• Affected vehicles on Fung Tak Road westbound via Lung Poon Street southbound heading for Lung Cheung Road eastbound will be diverted via Po Kong Village Road southbound, slip road, Tai Hom Road, Lung Poon Street northbound, Fung Tak Road eastbound, roundabout and Hammer Hill Road southbound; and
• Affected vehicles on Tai Hom Road heading for Tate’s Cairn Highway will be diverted via Lung Poon Street northbound, Fung Tak Road eastbound, roundabout, Hammer Hill Road southbound, slip road, Lung Cheung Road eastbound, Choi Hung Interchange, Lung Cheung Road westbound, slip road and Tate’s Cairn Highway northbound.  

 
(C) Public transport arrangements
——————————–
 
     During the above works period, the following bus routes affected by the temporary road closures will be diverted:
 

• Citybus Route Nos. E22 (Lam Tin (North) bound), E22A (Tseung Kwan O (Hong Sing Garden) bound), A28 (LOHAS Park bound), A29 (Tseung Kwan O (Po Lam) bound), N26 (Yau Tong bound), NA29 (Tseung Kwan O (Po Lam) bound) and N29 (Tseung Kwan O (Hong Sing Garden) bound);
• KMB Route Nos. 38 (Ping Tin bound), 40 (Laguna City bound) and 214 (Yau Tong bound); and
• Huanggang Short-haul cross-boundary coach service Kwun Tong Route (Kwun Tong bound).

 
     Their stops/drop-off point on Tai Hom Road or Sheung Yuen Street will be temporarily relocated to Lung Poon Street northbound near Lung Bik House. Please visit the TD’s website for details (www.td.gov.hk/en/traffic_notices/index_id_78675.html).
 
     Appropriate traffic signs will be erected on-site to guide motorists. Public transport operators will display notices informing passengers of the above temporary arrangements. The TD anticipates that the travelling time at the road sections concerned will be slightly lengthened due to the diversion arrangements. Motorists should exercise tolerance and patience.
 
     Members of the public are advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow sufficient travelling time, and stay alert to the latest traffic news through the media or the TD’s mobile application “HKeMobility” or website (www.td.gov.hk). read more

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Yau Ma Tei this morning (December 30) in which a man died.      At about 10.07am, a private car driven by a 42-year-old man was travelling along Jordan… read more

     The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), along with 50 other service institutions on the Mainland, has been designated jointly by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) as part of the new batch of organisations for establishing Technology and Innovation Support Centres (TISCs) and will commence preparatory work that will span a period of one year.
 
     Upon completion of the establishment period, the CNIPA and WIPO will conduct an evaluation and authorise the HKPC to officially operate the TISC in Hong Kong after confirming that the required conditions are met.
 
     A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said, “We welcome the designation of the HKPC as an organisation for establishing the TISC by the CNIPA and WIPO. The Government will support the HKPC in taking forward the preparatory work, striving for the commencement of operations at the centre next year at the earliest to provide assistance and services to the trade, with a view to further promoting Hong Kong’s development as a regional intellectual property (IP) trading centre and an international innovation and technology centre.”
 
     Under a dedicated programme of the WIPO Development Agenda, TISCs are established to support researchers and innovators at different stages of the innovation cycle by providing them with consultation services on a wide range of information in areas including patent utilisation, search analysis, technology transfer, IP management and commercialisation, thereby helping them make use of the IP system (especially by means of patents) to protect their inventions and guiding them in bringing technology to market.
 
     More than 100 TISCs have been established on the Mainland under the dedicated programme. The Government has responded positively by participating in the programme and has set aside funding to support the HKPC to establish and operate the TISC in Hong Kong in the first three years as announced in the 2024-25 Budget, enabling Hong Kong to better integrate into national development.
 
     The TISC in Hong Kong will focus on providing local start-ups and small and medium enterprises with high-quality IP (especially patents) information and services to assist them in exploring their innovation potential and creating, protecting, managing and commercialising their IPs, with a view to protecting research and development outcomes and promoting IP trading. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) spokesperson today (December 30) announced that the general out-patient clinic (GOPC) service has been enhanced to cope with the service needs from members of the public and to alleviate the service pressure on Accident & Emergency Departments (A&Es) during the New Year holiday. A total of 15 general out-patient clinics (GOPCs) will provide public holiday GOPC services on the New Year holiday (January 1) (see table below). Patients may book an appointment either through the telephone appointment system or the “Book GOPC” function of the “HA Go” mobile app.
 
     The spokesperson reminded members of the public that there have been reports of influenza or other infectious disease outbreaks in a number of popular travel destinations recently. Citizens should exercise extra caution when traveling during holidays, pay attention to their physical condition at all times, and wear masks in crowded places. Besides, the weather has been cold in recent days, and increased activity in influenza and some respiratory pathogens is observed. They should keep warm as well as stay vigilant to personal and environmental hygiene during the public holiday to avoid spreading diseases. Members of the public who develop respiratory symptoms should wear a mask and seek medical advice promptly. The HA appeals to non-emergency patients to avoid using A&E services and seek treatment at GOPCs, private doctors or 24-hour outpatient services at private hospitals to reduce pressure on public hospital A&Es. Members of the public can visit the Health Bureau (HHB)’s Primary Care Directory (www.pcdirectory.gov.hk) to choose a family doctor and view related clinic service information. The HHB has also collated information of private hospitals, healthcare facilities, family doctors and Chinese medicine clinics that will be in operation during the 2025 New Year holiday across the city. The information (including addresses, phone numbers and operation hours) of the relevant hospitals and clinics has been uploaded to the online portal (www.map.gov.hk/gm/s/hhbclinic/all?lg=en) for public reference in collaboration with the Spatial Data Office of the Development Bureau and the Lands Department.
 
     Meanwhile, the spokesperson appeals to members of the public, especially high-risk groups and those who plan to travel abroad, to get vaccinated early for seasonal influenza and COVID-19 to reduce the chance of infection for themselves and their family members, as well as to reduce critical cases and deaths. Members of the public may find details on the Centre for Health Protection COVID-19 Vaccination Programme website  (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106934.html) and the Vaccination Schemes website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/17980.html).

GOPC service arrangements for New Year holiday (January 1)
 

Region	List of GOPCs	Address	Telephone number for booking	General enquiries
Hong Kong Island	Aberdeen Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	10 Aberdeen Reservoir Road, Aberdeen	3543 5011	2555 0381
	Shau Kei Wan Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	1/F, 8 Chai Wan Road, Shau Kei Wan	3157 0077	2560 0211
	Violet Peel General Out-patient Clinic	LG, Tang Shiu Kin Hospital Community Ambulatory Care Centre, 282 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai	3157 0000	3553 3116
	Kennedy Town Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	45 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town	3543 5088	2817 3215
Kowloon	Kwun Tong Community Health Centre	UG/F, 60 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong	3157 0687	2389 0331
	Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital Family Medicine Clinic	G/F, Out-patient Block, Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital, 118 Shatin Pass Road, Wong Tai Sin	3157 0118	2354 2267
	Robert Black General Out-patient Clinic	600 Prince Edward Road East, San Po Kong	3157 0113	2383 3311
	Yau Ma Tei Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	1/F, 145 Battery Street, Yau Ma Tei	3157 0880	2272 2400
New Territories	Lady Trench General Out-patient Clinic	213 Sha Tsui Road, Tsuen Wan	3157 0107	2614 4789
	Lek Yuen General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 9 Lek Yuen Street, Sha Tin	3157 0972	2692 8730
	North District Community Health Centre	North District Family Medicine Clinic, 3/F, North District Community Health Centre Building, No.3 Wai Wo Street, Sheung Shui	3157 0965	2957 5186
	Tai Po Jockey Club General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 37 Ting Kok Road, Tai Po	3157 0906	2664 2039
	Tseung Kwan O (Po Ning Road) General Out-patient Clinic	G/F, 28 Po Ning Road, Tseung Kwan O	3157 0660	2191 1083
	Tuen Mun Clinic	11 Tsing Yin Street, San Hui, Tuen Mun	3543 0886	2452 9111
	Yuen Long Jockey Club Health Centre	269 Castle Peak Road, Yuen Long	3543 5007	2443 8511

 
Service hours: 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm
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