Early closure of Pei Ho Street Market today for deep cleaning and disinfection

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (January 21) announced that as persons who had been present at specified dates and time periods in the vicinity of Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building are required to undergo compulsory testing in accordance with the compulsory testing notice issued by the Government yesterday (January 20), Pei Ho Street Market will be closed an hour earlier today at 7pm for deep cleaning and disinfection to safeguard the health and safety of market stall tenants and the public. 

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "Apart from market tenants cleaning and disinfecting their stall areas, FEHD staff will thoroughly clean and disinfect communal areas and facilities in the market and will carry out deep cleaning work in the vicinity of Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building and nearby streets (including Pei Ho Street, Tai Nan Street, Ki Lung Street and Kweilin Street). If all goes well, the FEHD will reopen the market tomorrow after the completion of the deep cleansing and disinfection work."

     In addition, the FEHD's Kowloon Licence Issuing Office located at 4/F, Pei Ho Street Municipal Services Building will suspend service at 2pm today and public services will resume on January 24. Members of public may approach the following FEHD offices for licence-related enquiries:

Hong Kong & Islands Licence Issuing Office
8/F, Lockhart Road Municipal Services Building, 225 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Telephone number: 2879 5380

New Territories Licence Issuing Office
4/F, Tai Po Complex, 8 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po, New Territories
Telephone number: 3183 9206

     On the other hand, the FEHD will conduct joint operations with various government departments again this weekend at public places in Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok, Yau Tsim, Wan Chai, Central and Western, Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan and Sai Kung where persons including foreign domestic helpers (FDH) commonly gathered, to appeal to them to raise awareness of epidemic prevention, keep the environment clean and hygienic, and comply with the various anti-epidemic regulations and restrictions, including the requirements on group gatherings and wearing of masks.

     During the operations, apart from arranging cleansing contractors to strengthen street cleaning services at the relevant spots, the FEHD will also step up patrols to combat littering and unlicensed hawking activities. Promotional leaflets in multiple languages will also be distributed by the FEHD to appeal to the relevant persons to maintain environmental hygiene and refrain from conducting unlicensed hawking activities. They will also be reminded by other government departments to comply with the regulations on mask-wearing and prohibition of group gatherings in public places.

     The spokesman said, "The Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) and the Prevention and Control of Disease (Wearing of Mask) Regulation (Cap. 599I) provides that a person who participates in a prohibited group gathering of more than four persons in public places or fails to wear a mask in accordance with the requirement respectively may be charged a fixed penalty of $5,000."

     To minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the spokesman strongly appeals to all to stay vigilant and comply with the relevant regulations on prevention and control of disease in a concerted and persistent manner. The spokesman also reminds members of the public to exercise self-discipline and co-operate to fight the virus together.