In view of the cold weather, the Home Affairs Department has opened 18 temporary shelters in various districts today (December 20) for people in need of the service. The temporary shelters will remain open when the Cold Weather Warning is in force.

     To ensure that cold shelter users can rest in a quiet and undisturbed environment, members of the public or agencies wishing to make donations to shelter users are requested to register with the staff of the shelter first. Donors will then be directed to place the donated items at a specified indoor location. The staff will help notify the shelter users to collect the items on their own.

     Anyone seeking temporary refuge or with any questions about the donation arrangements at the cold shelters may call the department's hotline 2572 8427 for more information.

     The 18 temporary cold shelters are located at:

Hong Kong Island:
——————–
 
Central and Western:
Sai Ying Pun Community Complex Community Hall
3/F, Sai Ying Pun Community Complex,
2 High Street, Sai Ying Pun

Eastern:
Causeway Bay Community Centre
3/F, 7 Fook Yum Road, Causeway Bay
 
Southern:
Lei Tung Community Hall
Lei Tung Estate, Ap Lei Chau
 
Wan Chai:
Wan Chai Activities Centre
LG/F, Wan Chai Market, 258 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai
 
Kowloon:
——————
 
Kowloon City:
Hung Hom Community Hall
1/F, Kowloon City Government Offices, 
42 Bailey Street, Hung Hom
 
Kwun Tong:
Lam Tin (West) Estate Community Centre
71 Kai Tin Road, Lam Tin
 
Sham Shui Po:
Nam Cheong District Community Centre
1 Cheong San Lane, Sham Shui Po
 
Wong Tai Sin:
Tsz Wan Shan (South) Estate Community Centre
45 Wan Wah Street, Tsz Wan Shan
 
Yau Tsim Mong:
Henry G Leong Yaumatei Community Centre
60 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei
 
New Territories:
—————-
 
Islands:
Tung Chung Community Hall  
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing:
Tai Wo Hau Estate Community Centre
15 Tai Wo Hau Road, Kwai Chung

North:
Cheung Wah Community Hall
Cheung Wah Estate, Fanling
 
Sai Kung:
Hang Hau Community Hall
G/F, Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Government Complex, 
38 Pui Shing Road, Hang Hau, Tseung Kwan O

Sha Tin:
Lung Hang Estate Community Centre
Lung Hang Estate, Sha Tin
 
Tai Po:
Tai Po Community Centre
2 Heung Sze Wui Street, Tai Po
 
Tsuen Wan:
Lei Muk Shue Community Hall
G/F, Hong Shue House, Lei Muk Shue Estate, Tsuen Wan
 
Tuen Mun:
Butterfly Bay Community Centre
Butterfly Estate (near Tip Sum House), Tuen Mun

Yuen Long:
Long Ping Community Hall
Long Ping Estate, Yuen Long
 

     The Lands Department announced today (December 20) that the tender for a site, Lot No. 722 in Demarcation District No. 332 at Tung Chung Road, Cheung Sha, Lantau Island, New Territories, has been awarded to APEX King Limited (parent company: Sino Land Company Limited), on a 50-year land grant at a premium of $203,888,000.

     There was one tender for Lot No. 722 in Demarcation District No. 332.
      
     Lot No. 722 in Demarcation District No. 332 has a site area of about 19 000 square metres and is designated for private residential purposes. The minimum gross floor area and the maximum gross floor area are 4 560 sq m and 7 600 sq m respectively.

     â€‹The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (December 20) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in MarijampolÄ— Municipality of MarijampolÄ— County in Lithuania, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.

     A CFS spokesman said that Hong Kong has currently established a protocol with Lithuania for the import of poultry meat but not for poultry eggs. According to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 70 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Lithuania in the first nine months of this year.

     "The CFS has contacted the Lithuanian authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation," the spokesman said.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     The spokesperson for Haven of Hope Hospital (HHH) made the following announcement today (December 20):
 
     An 86-year-old male patient in a medical rehabilitation ward of HHH was confirmed to be a Vancomycin Resistant Enterococci (VRE) carrier on December 12. In accordance with prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has conducted contact tracing in the same ward. Five more patients (aged 74 to 86) in the same ward were found to be VRE carriers. All contact VRE patients are currently being treated in isolation and are in stable condition.
 
     The following enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted in the ward concerned:

     1. Isolation of VRE cases and application of stringent contact precautions;
     2. Enhanced environmental cleaning and disinfection; and
     3. Enhanced hand hygiene for staff and patients.
 
     The hospital will continue the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward concerned. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) wishes to alert members of the public to a press release issued by DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited relating to phishing emails, which have been reported to the HKMA. A hyperlink to the press release is available on the HKMA website.
      
     The HKMA wishes to remind the public that banks will not send SMS or emails with embedded hyperlinks which direct them to the banks' websites to carry out transactions. They will not ask customers for sensitive personal information, such as login passwords or one-time password, by phone, email or SMS (including via embedded hyperlinks).
      
     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information, or who has conducted any financial transactions, through or in response to the emails concerned, should contact the bank using the contact information provided in the press release, and report the matter to the Police by contacting the Crime Wing Information Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force at 2860 5012.