Police advise motorists that special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin to facilitate the race meeting tomorrow (January 5).

     The arrangements will come into effect two hours before the start of the first race and will last until the crowds have dispersed after the race meeting.

     Appropriate traffic signs will be put up and police will be on hand to guide motorists.

     The Police also appeal to people going to Sha Tin Racecourse for the race meeting and to Happy Valley Racecourse for cross betting to make maximum use of public transport.

     Parking spaces at the two racecourses are available only to holders of appropriate permits issued by Hong Kong Jockey Club and any vehicles illegally parked will be towed away.
     

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     During the winter surge, the Hospital Authority is closely monitoring the service demand of Accident and Emergency Departments and the occupancy rates in public hospitals. Key service statistics are being issued daily for public information. Details are in the appended table.

     The Government today (January 4) launched the Preparedness and Response Plan for Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance (The Plan). In parallel, the Serious Response Level was activated with immediate effect.
 
     The Plan sets out the Government's preparedness and response plan in case of an outbreak of Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance. A three-tier response level is adopted in the plan. Three response levels, namely Alert, Serious and Emergency, will be activated based on the risk assessment of the Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance that may affect Hong Kong and its health impact on the community.
 
     Upon the risk assessment of the cluster of cases of viral pneumonia with unknown cause in Wuhan reported by the National Health Commission, the Serious Response Level was activated. Under the Serious Response Level, the immediate health impact caused by Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance on local population is moderate.
 
     " 'Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance' refers to any infectious disease caused by a pathogen unknown to cause human disease before, but may have changed its property to cause human infection with or without the ability of efficient human-to-human transmission. The disease has the potential to lead to international spread and public health emergency. The current cluster of viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan can be regarded as a Novel Infectious Disease of Public Health Significance," a spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health said.
 
     "The Government will assess the risk from time to time in view of the latest scientific evidence and situation, activate or deactivate the response level and implement corresponding measures," the spokesman said.
 
     For more information, please refer to the Plan which has been uploaded to the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/govt_preparedness_and_response_plan_for_novel_infectious_disease_of_public_health_significance_eng.pdf).

     Hong Kong Customs seized about 420 000 suspected illicit cigarettes with an estimated market value of about $1.18 million and a duty potential of about $810 000 in Tuen Mun yesterday (January 3).

     Customs officers conducted an anti-illicit cigarette operation in Tuen Mun yesterday afternoon and found the batch of suspected illicit cigarettes inside a container at an open-air car park.

     Two men, aged 28 and 16 respectively, were arrested. A private car suspected to be in connection with the case has also been detained.

     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).

  

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (January 4). They are, on Hong Kong Island, RainLily; in Kowloon, Hong Kong Adventure Corps Limited; and in the New Territories, Society for the Welfare of the Autistic Persons, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.
 
     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people distinguish between the three flag-selling activities.
 
     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on January 4 is as follows:
 

 
     For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678. Information on flag days is available at the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew) and the GovHK portal (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing contact information of the flag-selling organisations and information on the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_recentlyap). For enquiries about the detailed flag-selling arrangements, please contact the individual flag-selling organisations.
 
     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/fundraising).
 
     If any flag day activity is suspected to be fraudulent, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.