Five FEHD markets to be closed from tonight to tomorrow or to be closed early tonight for deep cleaning and disinfection

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) today (February 18) announced that in view of cases tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 found to be related to Tsuen Wan Market, Tai Shing Street Market and Kwun Chung Market, for prudence's sake, the three markets will be closed an hour earlier today at 7pm, as well as all day tomorrow (February 19). Deep cleaning and disinfection will be conducted during the closure period so as to safeguard the health and safety of market stall tenants and the public.

     A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The FEHD has arranged to clean and disinfect the areas where the persons concerned worked. Also, during the deep cleaning and disinfection period, FEHD staff will thoroughly clean and disinfect communal areas and facilities in the markets, and the department calls for the co-operation of market tenants to conduct cleaning and disinfection at their respective stalls. In addition, the FEHD will arrange street washing and disinfection in the vicinity of the markets."

     The FEHD will maintain liaison with tenants of the markets, and ask them to go to community testing centres for free testing as soon as possible, and obtain negative results before they return to the markets to work. If all goes well, the FEHD will reopen the three markets on Sunday (February 20) after the completion of the deep cleaning and disinfection work.

     In addition, since Haiphong Road Temporary Market and Sai Kung Market were each found to be related to one case tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19, for prudence's sake and to safeguard the health and safety of market stall tenants and the public, the two markets will also be closed an hour earlier today at 7pm. Deep cleaning and disinfection in the areas where the persons concerned work, as well as the communal areas and facilities in the markets, will be conducted during the closure period. Also, the FEHD will call for the co-operation of market tenants to conduct cleaning and disinfection at their respective stalls, and arrange street washing and disinfection in the vicinity of the markets. The FEHD will also ask, in accordance with the Centre for Health Protection's advice, market tenants related to the preliminarily positive cases to undergo COVID-19 testing.

     The spokesman said, "The FEHD attaches importance to the hygiene conditions of public markets. In addition to regular cleaning work in the daytime, market service contractors also conduct thorough cleaning in all markets after the markets are closed every day. With the assistance offered by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department to the FEHD, we have completed a check on air change and installation of air purifiers according to needs in our markets in 2021, and are now following up with the installation of ultraviolet-C sterilisers at escalator handrails at our markets.

     "During this epidemic period, the FEHD has already stepped up cleaning and disinfection of communal areas and facilities in the markets, including toilets, escalators, elevators and stair handrails, with diluted household bleach regularly every day. Disinfectant hand sanitisers are also provided in the markets for public use."

     The FEHD will continue to closely monitor the situation of each market, and will conduct deep cleaning and disinfection work in other markets if necessary so as to maintain environmental hygiene.