The Government today (January 4) said that, the local seasonal influenza and COVID-19 activities have shown a significant upward trend and a high-incidence period may occur within a short period of time. Members of the public are urged to heighten their vigilance, in particular to receive seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) and COVID-19 vaccines in a timely manner, and to observe the proper use of surgical masks.

     For seasonal influenza, according to the latest surveillance data (as at the week ending December 30 last year), the influenza admission rate in public hospitals (0.48 cases per 10 000 population) had been higher than the baseline level, while the percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for seasonal influenza viruses received by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch (PHLSB) of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) and Hospital Authority was 8.49 per cent, representing an increase of more than double compared with three weeks ago. According to this trend, the seasonal influenza may enter a peak period next week.

     Meanwhile, the overall activity of COVID-19 has also increased significantly. With regard to surveillance on variants, the proportion of JN.1 variant found in sewage samples (from about 15 per cent to about 26 per cent) and specimens from human COVID-19 cases (from about 20 per cent to about 60 per cent) both increased. The CHP anticipated that the JN.1 variant will most likely replace XBB as the dominant variant in Hong Kong.

     The activity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus generally increases in winter. With the higher transmissibility of the JN.1 variant, although the current evidence does not suggest JN.1 will cause a more severe disease, more local COVID-19 cases are anticipated. With more community infections, reports on severe cases and deaths will also increase. For other respiratory pathogens, the overall activities of rhinovirus/enterovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses and Mycoplasma pneumoniae are decreasing, while human metapneumovirus has slightly increased.

     A spokesman for the CHP said that vaccination is safe and effective for preventing seasonal influenza and COVID-19. As the protection conferred by the vaccines will wane over time, members of the public who have not received COVID-19 vaccines or SIV, in particular high-risk persons such as the elderly and residents at residential care homes (RCHs) for the elderly (RCHEs) and RCHs for persons with disabilities (RCHDs), to get vaccinated as soon as possible before a period of high incidence of COVID-19 and influenza for self-protection.

     Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccination rate of targeted groups (such as the elderly and children) continued to be at a low level. As at December 31 last year, among young children aged 6 months to less than 3 years, only 30 per cent have received at least one dose of vaccine. For elderly aged over 80, only about 25 per cent received the fourth dose. The Government has started the first phase of XBB mRNA vaccination arrangement for those with higher risks (i.e. adult residents of RCHs and the elderly aged 65 or above), among which elderly aged 65 or above can make a booking through the Government online booking system at booking.covidvaccine.gov.hk/forms/index.jsp. If necessary, eligible persons can seek assistance for making online bookings from post offices (except mobile post offices). The Government will also continue to provide vaccination for adult residents at RCHEs and RCHDs through outreach services under the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme. For venues providing XBB mRNA vaccines, please visit: www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/xbb_venues_dec2023_eng.pdf. As of yesterday (January 3), the Government has administered a total of about 20 000 doses of XBB mRNA vaccines for eligible citizens.

     Apart from that, since the launch of the 2023/24 season SIV programmes from September last year, a total of over 1.7 million doses of SIV have been administered so far, representing an increase of 21 per cent compared with the same period of last season. An obvious increase in SIV uptake this season for high-risk groups is observed, especially the elderly and children, when comparing with previous years. Vaccination at RCHEs has covered over 80 per cent of the residents by arranging visiting doctor's outreach vaccination service, while the coverage rate of community elders increased by 15 per cent to the about 47 per cent currently. For children, through the concerted effort by stakeholders, the vaccination rate among children is now over 50 per cent.

     The CHP strongly urged high-risk groups to receive SIV and COVID-19 booster as soon as possible. Regardless of the number of COVID-19 vaccines doses received previously, they should receive a booster dose to be given at least six months after the last dose or COVID-19 infection (whichever is later). For the sake of convenience, COVID-19 vaccine can be co-administered with SIV. Details of receiving both COVID-19 vaccination and SIV are available online (www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106096.html).

     â€‹Wearing a surgical mask properly could effectively prevent respiratory diseases transmitted through respiratory droplets. The CHP reminded high risk persons to wear a surgical mask when visiting public places, and the public should also wear a surgical mask when taking public transportation or staying at crowded places. Persons who are symptomatic, even if having mild symptoms, should wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, and seek medical advice promptly with a view to lowering the risk of spreading the virus. For information on the proper use of masks, please visit the CHP's website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/healthtopics/content/460/19731.html).

     â€‹The CHP will continue to closely monitor local and overseas situation of infectious diseases. For the latest information, please visit the CHP's influenza page and COVID-19 & Flu Express. As for vaccination, the public may visit the CHP's Vaccination Schemes page and COVID-19 Vaccination Programme website.

     Police today (January 4) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Hung Hom.
     
     Lam Chun-loi, aged 70, went missing after he left his residence on Sze Chun Street yesterday (January 3) noon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.
              
     He is about 1.7 metres tall, 50 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a long and pointed face with yellow complexion and short white hair. He was last seen wearing a dark blue jacket, grey trousers and blue plastic slippers.

     Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of Kowloon West on 3661 8038 or 9020 6542 or email to rmpu-kw@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.

  

     â€‹Hong Kong Customs yesterday (January 3) detected a suspected smuggling case involving a cross-boundary goods vehicle at the Man Kam To Control Point and seized about 234 kilograms of suspected smuggled bird's nests with an estimated market value of about $9.5 million. This is the largest on record among bird's nests smuggling cases detected by Customs at land boundary control points in terms of the value of the seizure.

     Based on risk assessment, Customs yesterday intercepted an outbound goods vehicle declared to be empty at the Man Kam To Control Point. Upon inspection, Customs officers found there were several stacks of plastic baskets inside the cargo compartment of the vehicle, and the batch of suspected smuggled bird's nests was seized in between the stacks.

     After an investigation, Customs arrested a 65-year-old male driver suspected to be connected with the case. He has been released on bail pending further investigation.

     Customs will continue to combat cross-boundary smuggling activities with firm enforcement action based on risk assessment and intelligence analysis.

     Smuggling is a serious offence. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, any person found guilty of importing or exporting unmanifested cargo is liable to a maximum fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected smuggling activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

    

     Following are the opening remarks by the Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, at a media session today (January 4) on the quarterly land sale programme for January to March 2024:
      
     Today I will introduce the Government's Land Sale Programme and land supply from other sources in the fourth quarter of this financial year, i.e. January to March 2024.
      
     In this fourth quarter, the Government will put up for tender an industrial site near Yuen Long InnoPark for the development of multi-storey buildings for modern industries, in order to promote the development of industries and help consolidate brownfield operations in a land-efficient manner. This industrial site is around 3.2 hectares in size, and is expected to provide floorspace of around 160 000 square meters. Unlike industrial sites in the past, we will request the developer, under specific land sale conditions, to set aside and transfer no less than 30 per cent of the constructed floorspace to the Government, so that we could lease the relevant floorspace to brownfield operators affected by the Government's development projects at a rental comparable with the market rental of existing brownfield sites. As this is a new arrangement, the Government invited the market to submit expressions of interest from June to August last year, with feedback received confirming the feasibility of this approach. Pursuant to mainstream opinions received, we have combined a few smaller sites, which are those three sites that appeared in our Land Sale Programme, into this single industrial site for tender and development in order to enhance cost-effectiveness. We are formulating the tender details for announcement at the tender commencement.
      
     As regards private housing land, we estimate that eight private development projects would complete their lease modifications in the fourth quarter, providing a supply of about 1 630 flats. Adding on the supply of 1 940 flats from the Starter Homes project at Yau Kom Tau, Tsuen Wan, which the Hong Kong Housing Society has already agreed to take up, private housing land supply in the fourth quarter is expected to support the development of around 3 570 flats. Taking into account this expected quarterly supply from various sources, the fact that this year's supply is rather near the annual supply target, as well as the fact that market sentiment in land tenders is rather sluggish recently, the Government will not separately put up any residential sites for sale in the fourth quarter. 
      
     As mentioned, this year's private housing land supply is rather near the target. Let me elaborate on the figures. Land supply from various sources in the first three quarters of this financial year is expected to have a capacity to support around 7 960 flats. This includes three government land sale sites successfully sold; two projects taken forward by the Urban Renewal Authority; 23 lease modification cases; as well as 19 private development projects not requiring lease modification. Together with the supply of an estimated 3 570 flats expected from the fourth quarter, the total land supply in this financial year is expected to support some 11 530 flats, which is close to our annual target of 12 900 flats. This figure has not yet reflected the supply from private development projects not requiring lease modification in the fourth quarter, as such figures are only available at a later stage. I will further sum up the supply situation of the year before the year closes.
      
     As for commercial sites, considering that the vacancy rate of commercial floor space remains on the high side, we will not be rolling out any commercial site for sale in this quarter.
      
     The Government will hold on to our determination to increase land supply, and will continue to provide land to the market for economic and residential development in a prudent and paced manner. In the process, we will continue to monitor the market situation and holistically consider supply from various sources, so as to make fitting arrangements for each quarter.

     The fifth-term Commission on Poverty visited the first project under the Pilot Programme on Community Living Room, the Sham Shui Po Community Living Room, this afternoon (January 4). Members were pleased to learn that the Sham Shui Po Community Living Room only took half a year from conception to implementation, and it had fully incorporated members' views, thereby achieving the aim of improving the quality of life of sub-divided unit households.

     The Sham Shui Po Community Living Room has commenced operation since December 2023. It will operate for a period of three years and is expected to serve at least 500 sub-divided unit households, with about 80 000 attendances a year. The Sham Shui Po Community Living Room is led and promoted by the Government with operating costs funded by the Community Care Fund. An experienced social welfare organisation is engaged to operate it, and the venue is provided by the Sino Group/Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation free of rental and management fees. This fully reflects the characteristics and advantages of the tripartite collaboration among the Government, the business sector and the community under the current-term Government's targeted poverty alleviation strategy.

     During the visit, members were pleased to note that the Sham Shui Po Community Living Room provides additional living space for sub-divided unit households, and is equipped with daily living facilities including the self-service laundry, the shower cubicles, the children's corner and the sports facilities. It also provides information and talks on diet and nutrition, healthy exercises as well as household safety, and makes referrals to suitable community services based on their needs. In addition, members took the opportunity to chat with beneficiary households and learnt that they were very satisfied with the diversified facilities and heartwarming services provided by the Community Living Room.

     Households residing in sub-divided units are one of the target groups for targeted poverty alleviation identified by the Government and the Commission on Poverty. The Pilot Programme on Community Living Room is steered by the Government as a targeted poverty alleviation project launched in response to the needs of sub-divided unit households, and is supported by the Commission on Poverty. The Government will continue to give full play to the synergies of the Government, the business sector and the community, and identify other appropriate venues to develop Community Living Rooms for the benefit of more grass-roots families under the targeted poverty alleviation strategy.

     In addition, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, updated members on the progress of other targeted poverty alleviation projects:

(1) Enhanced Strive and Rise Programme: The graduation ceremony of the first round of the Programme and inauguration of the Alumni Club were held in November 2023. Mentees who completed the Programme have been awarded a scholarship of $5,000 to apply the financial planning concepts, followed by alumni activities. The enhanced second round of the Programme was launched in October 2023, with the number of mentees increased to 4 000 and coverage expanded to include Secondary Four students;

(2) School-based After School Care Service Scheme: As of mid-December 2023, over 50 primary schools in Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong, Sham Shui Po, Kwun Tong, Kwai Tsing, Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long districts had participated in the Scheme. The Scheme allows students to stay after school to receive care and homework guidance, thereby alleviating the pressure on parents to look after them. Social development activities after the homework guidance can also help relieve students' stress; and

(3) Supporting singleton or doubleton elderly households: Starting from the first quarter of 2024, the Government will engage the Care Teams in Tsuen Wan and Southern districts as pilots to arrange visits and contacts for elderly (including singleton, doubleton and three-person-and-above elderly) households. The Care Teams will refer cases with welfare needs to relevant social welfare units for follow‑up.

     Members took note of the progress of the projects and discussed how best to enhance the implementation details to better suit the needs of the target groups for targeted poverty alleviation.