Hong Kong Customs yesterday (December 11) seized about 2 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine and about 1.6kg of suspected ketamine with a total estimated market value of about $2.5 million at Lok Ma Chau Control Point.

     Customs officers yesterday intercepted an express parcel that arrived in Hong Kong from Malaysia via Shenzhen at Lok Ma Chau Control Point. Upon inspection, the batch of suspected methamphetamine and ketamine was found concealed inside four packages of drink powder.

     After follow-up investigation, Customs officers arrested a 34-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man suspected to be involved in the case in Sham Shui Po on the same day.

     Investigation is ongoing.

     Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, 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).
 

  

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (December 12) reported a suspected case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and again urged the public to pay special attention to safety during travel, taking due consideration of the health risks in the places they visit. The case is detailed below:
 

 
     "Travellers to the Middle East should avoid going to farms, barns or markets with camels; avoid contact with sick persons and animals, especially camels, birds or poultry; and avoid unnecessary visits to healthcare facilities. We strongly advise travel agents organising tours to the Middle East to abstain from arranging camel rides and activities involving direct contact with camels, which are known risk factors for acquiring MERS Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)," a spokesman for the CHP said.
 
     Locally, the CHP's surveillance with public and private hospitals, with practising doctors and at boundary control points is firmly in place. Inbound travellers and members of the public who recently visited the Middle East and developed relevant symptoms within 14 days will be classified as suspected MERS cases. They will be taken to public hospitals for isolation and management until their specimens test negative for MERS-CoV.
 
     Travellers to affected areas should maintain vigilance, adopt appropriate health precautions and take heed of personal, food and environmental hygiene. The public may visit the MERS pages of the CHP and its Travel Health Service, MERS statistics in affected areas, the CHP's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel, and the World Health Organization's latest news for more information and health advice. Tour leaders and tour guides operating overseas tours are advised to refer to the CHP's health advice on MERS.
 

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 12) investigating an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) at a kindergarten-cum-child care centre in Wong Tai Sin District, and hence reminded the public and management of institutions to maintain personal and environmental hygiene against AGE.

     The outbreak involves 13 boys and nine girls aged 2 to 5 years. They developed vomiting, diarrhoea and fever since December 4. Sixteen of them sought medical attention but none required hospitalisation. All patients are in stable condition.

     Officers of the CHP have conducted a site visit and provided health advice to the staff of the school concerning proper and thorough disinfection, proper disposal of vomitus, and personal and environmental hygiene. The school has been put under medical surveillance.

     The CHP's investigations are ongoing.

     A spokesman for the CHP advised members of the public to take heed of the following preventive measures against gastroenteritis:
 

• Ensure proper personal hygiene;
• Wash hands thoroughly before handling food and eating, after using the toilet or after changing diapers;
• Wear gloves when disposing of vomitus or faecal matter, and wash hands afterwards;
• Clean and disinfect contaminated areas or items promptly and thoroughly with diluted household bleach (by adding one part of bleach containing 5.25 per cent sodium hypochlorite to 49 parts of water). Wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
• Maintain good indoor ventilation;
• Pay attention to food hygiene;
• Use separate utensils to handle raw and cooked food;
• Avoid food that is not thoroughly cooked;
• Drink boiled water; and
• Do not patronise unlicensed food premises or food stalls.

     
     The public may visit the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk) or call the Health Education Hotline (2833 0111) for more information.

     The Environment Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province (GDDIIT) today (December 12) held the sixth meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Cleaner Production (JWGCP) in Guangzhou. 

     The sixth meeting of the JWGCP was co-chaired by the Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR Government, Mr Wong Kam-sing, and the Director-General of GDDIIT, Mr Tu Gaokun, to discuss and review the work progress in 2019.

     At today's meeting, in compliance with the policy direction of ecological civilisation construction under the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the JWGCP also agreed on the 2020 work plan, which focuses on the continuous promotion of the use of cleaner production technologies and management systems for energy saving by high energy consumption industries, and encourages the adoption of water saving technologies and recycling of wastewater by high water consumption industries. In addition, both sides will continue to encourage Hong Kong-owned enterprises to undertake cleaner production audits, and support relevant trade and industry associations to carry out trade-specific promotion and publicity activities on controlling volatile organic compounds at source by the enterprises.

     The meeting was attended by representatives of the Environment Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the Trade and Industry Department, the Innovation and Technology Commission and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the HKSAR; and by representatives of GDDIIT, the Department of Ecology and Environment and the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province.

     Hong Kong and Guangdong have been jointly promoting cleaner production to tackle environmental pollution in the region. By adopting cleaner production, enterprises can improve their environmental performance and reduce pollutant emissions, in addition to increasing their economic benefits through energy saving.

     The Cleaner Production Partnership Programme was launched by the EPD in collaboration with the then Economic and Information Commission of Guangdong Province (now GDDIIT) in 2008, with more than 3 200 funding applications approved to date. More details of the Programme are available on the cleaner production website: www.cleanerproduction.hk/en_index.asp.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by Airstar Bank Limited on fraudulent website and phishing email, which has been reported to the HKMA.
 
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to the website concerned or has conducted any financial transactions through the website should contact the bank concerned, and report to the Police or contact the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.