In response to an online appeal regarding meal delivery services for the elderly, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) gave the following response today (November 14):

     The SWD has commissioned 95 home care services teams to provide meal delivery services for elderly persons in need over the territory. Today, the SWD contacted all these services teams to enquire about their delivery of meal services for needy elderly persons. According to the information gathered, individual service teams have, having regard to recent social situation, duly arranged manpower and taken necessary measures to deliver meal services to the elderly persons in need. In case members of the public come across elderly persons who failed to receive meal delivery services because of recent social situation, they may call the SWD Hotline 2343 2255. The SWD will promptly follow up on it.

     The Government today (November 14) dismissed rumours concerning the implementation of curfew in Hong Kong over the weekend. The Government said the rumours are totally unfounded.
 

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (November 14) received notification from the National Health Commission of two cases of pneumonic plague affecting a man aged 48 and a woman aged 46 in Inner Mongolia.

     The male patient is a herder while the female patient is his wife. According to epidemiological investigations and clinical presentations, the couple were diagnosed to have pneumonic plague on November 12.

     A spokesman for the CHP said, "Plague is transmitted from an infected animal (mainly rodents) to humans through the bite of its fleas. Plague can also be contracted when cuts or other breaks in the skin come into contact with the body fluid or tissue of infected animals."

     Pneumonic plague is a kind of plague which is highly contagious. It can spread between humans by inhalation of respiratory droplets from an infected person. The incubation period of the disease is commonly between one and four days. Symptoms of pneumonic plague include fever, chills, cough with blood-stained sputum, and difficulty in breathing. Infections can cause rapid fatality if not treated immediately.  

     The spokesman reminded travellers to avoid visiting plague-endemic areas. They should also heighten vigilance on rodents and prevent flea bites. Insect repellents against mosquitoes may equally prevent flea bites and blood-sucking insects. Formulations in lotions or sprays should contain DEET, IR3535 or icaridin (also known as picaridin) as active ingredients. The public should refer to the CHP's tips for using insect repellents.

     "Travellers returning from affected areas with sudden onset of fever, shaking chills, body pains or chest discomfort should seek medical advice as soon as possible and reveal their travel history for prompt investigation and management. Plague is a statutorily notifiable disease and doctors should report suspected or confirmed cases to the CHP for investigations and control," the spokesman added.

     Travellers should take heed of the health advice below during travel:
 

• Prevent flea bites by wearing long-sleeved shirts and trousers, and applying insect repellent/insecticide. DEET-containing insect repellent can be applied to exposed skin and clothing, while insecticide containing permethrin can be applied to clothing, not the skin;
• Avoid going to rural areas, camping or hunting;
• Never touch rodents, dead animals and their tissues or contaminated materials;
• Avoid close contact with patients, especially those with cough or chest infection;
• Avoid going to crowded areas;
• Seek medical care immediately in case of sudden onset of fever, chills, painful lymph nodes, difficulty in breathing with coughing and/or blood-tainted sputum; and
• Consult a doctor immediately after contact or exposure to pneumonic plague patients or high-risk exposures, such as bites from fleas or direct contact with body fluids or tissues of potentially infected animals, for prompt assessment of the need for preventive medication.

     Travellers may visit the CHP's plague page, Travel Health News and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department's advice on rodent control for details.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (November 14) reminded members of the public that special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in So Kon Po and Causeway Bay today to facilitate the holding of a football match at Hong Kong Stadium.

     The special traffic and transport arrangements mainly include:

Special traffic arrangements
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* From about 6pm, the section of Caroline Hill Road northbound between Leighton Road and Cotton Path, and the section of Hysan Avenue westbound between Sunning Road and Hoi Ping Road, will be closed;

* From about 9.15pm, Caroline Hill Road, the section of Eastern Hospital Road between Caroline Hill Road and Cotton Path and Cotton Path will be closed to facilitate the dispersal of spectators until the crowd is dispersed and road closures are lifted; and

* During the road closure periods, Citybus (CTB) route 5B, New World First Bus (NWFB) route 8H, cross-harbour (XHT) route 678, green minibus routes 14M, 26 and 30, and residents' service route HR51 will be temporarily diverted.

Special transport arrangements after the football match
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* The following franchised bus services will operate from Cotton Path near Hong Kong Stadium after the football match:

– NWFB route 2R (to Shau Kei Wan (Yiu Tung Estate));
– NWFB route 8R (to Siu San Wan); and
– XHT route 914R (to Jordan Road).

* In addition, services of CTB routes 5B (to Western District) and 592 (to Ap Lei Chau), NWFB routes 38 (to Chi Fu Fa Yuen) and 42 (to Wah Fu) and XHT routes 601 (to Po Tat), 619 (to Shun Lee) and 680 (to Ma On Shan, Sha Tin) will be enhanced.

Others
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* On-street parking spaces and car parks within the road closure areas will be suspended.

     The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of So Kon Po and Causeway Bay will be very congested. Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas. In case of traffic congestion, motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of the Police. Members of the public who plan to go to the affected areas are advised to plan their routes in advance, allow more travelling time to cater for unexpected delay, and use public transport services as far as possible.

     Depending on the actual traffic conditions in the areas, other ad-hoc traffic and public transport measures, including road closures and traffic diversion as well as alteration and suspension of public transport services, may be implemented.

     Details of the special traffic and transport arrangements have been uploaded to the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call 1823. Details of the latest traffic news are also available at the TD's website, the TD's mobile application "HKeMobility", bus companies' websites and apps, and radio and television channels.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for the Hospital Authority today (November 14) announced the following service arrangements:
 
     Out of safety concerns for patients and staff members, tonight's evening services at seven General Outpatient Clinics (see attached table) will be temporarily suspended. Patients with appointments are advised to make a new appointment later. The other 17 clinics providing evening services will close upon completion of booked appointments.