Tag Archives: China

     A Eurasian wigeon collected earlier from the Hong Kong Wetland Park and receiving treatment at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) was suspected to be positive for the H5 avian influenza (AI) virus based on preliminary testing, a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (December 22). Further confirmatory tests are being conducted.
      
     The Eurasian wigeon was humanely dispatched and AFCD staff have collected the carcass for further testings. AFCD staff also conducted an inspection of the KFBG bird collection and collected faecal samples from other birds at a higher infection risk kept at the KFBG for testings. No abnormalities were noted at this stage.
      
     The spokesman noted that the KFBG has stepped up cleaning and disinfection. For the sake of prudence, all birds at a higher infection risk will be quarantined for 21 days and subject to further testings. The AFCD will closely monitor the situation.
      
     One chicken farm is within 3 kilometres of where the bird was kept. The AFCD has informed the chicken farm concerned and no abnormal mortality or symptoms of avian influenza among the chicken flocks have been found so far. The AFCD will remind poultry farmers to strengthen precautionary and biosecurity measures against AI. Pet bird shop owners and licence holders of bird exhibitions will also be reminded to implement proper precautions against AI.
      
     The spokesman said that the department will closely monitor poultry farms and the wholesale market to ensure that proper precautions against AI have been taken. The department will continue its wild bird monitoring and surveillance.
      
     “People should avoid personal contact with wild birds and live poultry and their droppings. They should clean their hands thoroughly after coming into contact with them. The public can call 1823 for AFCD’s follow-up if they come across birds suspected to be sick or dead, including the carcasses of wild birds and poultry,” the spokesman said.
      
     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) will continue to be vigilant over live poultry stalls. It will also remind stall operators to maintain good hygiene.
      
     The Department of Health will keep up its health education to remind the public to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene to prevent AI.
      
     The AFCD, the FEHD, the Customs and Excise Department and the Police will strive to deter the illegal importation of poultry and birds into Hong Kong to minimise the risk of AI outbreaks caused by imported poultry and birds that have not gone through inspection and quarantine.
      
     All relevant government departments will continue to be highly vigilant and strictly enforce preventive measures against AI. Health advice about preventing AI is available on the “Avian Influenza Health Advice” page at www.afcd.gov.hk. read more

     In view of the recent 6.2-magnitude earthquake that occurred in Jishishan County, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu and resulted in serious causalities and infrastructure damage in Gansu and Qinghai, the Government of the… read more

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Sydney (Sydney ETO) is supporting the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO) in its staging of three music concerts in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to promote traditional Chinese music and show… read more

     The celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies (CAHKMS) was held this morning (December 22) in Beijing. The Director of the Hong Kong and Macao work office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr Xia Baolong, attended and addressed the celebration. The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; Principal Officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government; the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr Zheng Yanxiong; the Head of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr Dong Jingwei; and the Acting Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR, Mr Li Yongsheng, watched in the Central Government Offices the live broadcast of the event. All incoming chairmen and members of the seventh-term District Councils also joined in watching the live broadcast.
 
　　In his speech, Mr Xia gave an in-depth explanation about learning to implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s important speech given after he listened to the reports by the Chief Executives of the HKSAR and the Macao SAR, and about how to pragmatically show one’s love for Hong Kong and the country to compose a new chapter in the implementation of “one country, two systems”.
 
     Mr Xia said that President Xi’s important speech once again demonstrated the Central Government’s firm stance on the long-term adherence to “one country, two systems”, and its deep care for Hong Kong and Hong Kong people. It greatly enhanced the confidence and determination of the HKSAR Government and Hong Kong people in advancing Hong Kong from stability to prosperity, and jointly creating a better future. It also pointed out the way forward for Hong Kong to fully implement “patriots administering Hong Kong” and to play a greater role in achieving national strength and national rejuvenation for better developments. The HKSAR Government and the governing team should demonstrate a new level of patriotism and love for Hong Kong through practical actions of safeguarding the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and improving people’s livelihood; political and community groups should demonstrate that through fully supporting the Chief Executive and the HKSAR Government’s governance in accordance with the law and through uniting all parties to build a better Hong Kong; District Councils should demonstrate that through establishing a presence among the grassroots and servicing the community; the trade and industrial sector should demonstrate that through promoting the high-quality development of Hong Kong and fulfilling social responsibilities; individual citizens should demonstrate that through contributing to and shining for the development of Hong Kong; while youths should demonstrate that through engaging in building a better Hong Kong, chasing their dreams, and living their lives to the fullest. All strata, sectors and parties of the society should come together to build a better Hong Kong in solidarity.
 
　　The CAHKMS was established in Beijing on December 6, 2013. It is under the administration of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and aims to organise and co-ordinate research on the theory and practice of “one country, two systems” and strengthen academic exchanges and co-operation among Hong Kong, Macao, and the Mainland in relevant fields.

    

     â€‹The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) has completed the epidemiological investigation of a Mycobacterium abscessus infection cluster (involving the premises under the name of Gals Glam … read more