Tag Archives: China

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Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.

     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.

     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.

     From noon on January 10 to noon today (January 11), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 206 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).

     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).

     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 24 699 samples of food imported from Japan (including 16 431 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 6 966 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

East Asia

Women urged to take up cervical screenings regularly

     The Department of Health (DH) today (January 11) urged the general public to support Cervical Cancer Awareness Month through enhancing their knowledge about cervical cancer and taking preventive measures such as cervical screening.

     In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a call to eliminate cervical cancer by 2100 through global efforts. In Hong Kong, cervical cancer ranked as the seventh most common cancer among women in 2021, resulting in around 600 new cases and 180 deaths. 

     Persistent infection with cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV) may lead to cervical cancer. Women who smoke, engage in sexual activity early, have multiple sexual partners, or have weakened immunity are at increased risk of HPV infection and subsequent development of cervical cancer. Therefore, women are recommended to:
 

  • Receive HPV vaccine before sexual debut;
  • Undergo cervical screenings regularly;
  • Practise safe sex (e.g. use condoms and avoid having multiple sexual partners); and
  • Refrain from smoking.

     HPV vaccines work best for women who have never been exposed to HPV infection, i.e. before their first sexual encounter. Since the 2019/20 school year, the DH has been providing free HPV vaccine to Primary 5 school girls through the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme’s school outreach vaccination service. The School Immunisation Teams (SITs) under the Centre for Health Protection provide the first dose of HPV vaccine to Primary 5 female students at their schools, and the second dose will be given to them when they reach Primary 6 in the following school year. The second dose coverage rates of HPV vaccination for Primary 6 girls of school year 2021/22 was 89 per cent, achieving the interim target of 70 per cent coverage set by the Hong Kong Cancer Strategy.

     The majority of women infected with HPV, or in the early stages of cervical cancer, do not exhibit noticeable symptoms. According to the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, over 40 per cent of cervical cancer cases were not identified until they had reached an advanced stage. Therefore, it is crucial for women aged 25 to 64 who have had a sexual experience to undergo cervical screening, and do so regularly. However, the Population Health Survey 2020-22 conducted by the DH revealed that merely half of the eligible women had ever been screened for cervical cancer. 

     Cervical screening services are available at various locations, including the Maternal and Child Health Centres (MCHCs) and Women’s Health Centres operated by the DH, as well as non-governmental organisations and private clinics. Common screening methods include the cytology test (also called Pap smear) and the HPV test of cervical samples collected by healthcare professionals. While HPV testing of a self-collected vaginal sample is also recognised by the WHO, alternative HPV testing of self-collected samples, such as using a urine sample, currently lack robust international scientific evidence.
     
     Women who wish to receive a cervical screening at the MCHC can schedule an appointment through their 24-hour hotline 3166 6631. For further information on cervical cancer and screenings, please visit www.cervicalscreening.gov.hk. read more

East Asia