The Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) held today (December 9) the Award Presentation Ceremony for the "5G Campus Application Competition". The Director-General of Communications, Mr Chaucer Leung, together with other guests, presented the awards to the winning teams.

     Addressing the award presentation ceremony, Mr Leung said, "I am very delighted to see that all the shortlisted projects, which covered a wide range of themes, fully utilised the characteristics of 5G while demonstrating creativity and meeting practical needs. The showcased projects thoroughly displayed the time, enthusiasm and seriousness invested in the Competition by the students. The shortlisted finalists also competently demonstrated their confidence and presentation skills. I hope that through participation in the Competition, the students can experience first-hand the various possibilities that 5G applications offer in improving the environment as well as their learning and daily lives. I also hope that the students will continue to learn and practise, and achieve greater success in the field of innovative technology in the future."

     The list of the winning teams is as follows:
 

     Organised by the OFCA and co-organised by the Hong Kong Productivity Council, the Competition was launched in May this year. With the theme of "5G Campus for Smart Life", the Competition aims to enhance students' understanding of 5G technology and its applications, as well as to encourage their active participation in the development of advanced technologies and innovative industries through the application of 5G technology. A total of 33 submissions from 29 secondary schools were received. In August, 10 teams were shortlisted to compete in the final round held in November. The judging panel, comprising representatives from the OFCA, the academic sector and research institutes, as well as industry experts, determined the final rankings of the shortlisted entries based on the scoring criteria.

     The list of the winning teams has also been uploaded to the thematic website of the competition (www.ofca.gov.hk/5gcompetition/en/home/index.html).

          

     A woman who went missing in Sham Shui Po has been located.

     Chik Fung-kiu, aged 73, went missing after she left an elderly home on Pei Ho Street on December 6 night. The staff of the elderly home made a report to Police on the same day.
         
     The woman was located at the junction of Ferry Street and Saigon Street, Yau Ma Tei yesterday (December 8) night. She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) today (December 9) announced that samples taken from a pig farm in Yuen Long had tested positive for African Swine Fever (ASF) virus.

     An AFCD spokesman said, "AFCD staff yesterday (December 8) inspected a licensed pig farm at San Tin, Yuen Long, and took samples from 30 pigs for testing. Results showed that samples from 19 pigs tested positive for ASF virus. The AFCD has immediately suspended transportation of any pigs from the farm concerned until further notice according to the contingency plan on ASF. The AFCD is arranging culling of all pigs, totaling over 900, on the farm concerned for the sake of prudence. The culling operations will commence early next week."

     He further said, "AFCD staff immediately notified all local pig farmers of this incident and reminded them to alert the AFCD immediately if abnormal health condition is observed in pigs. In addition, AFCD staff has arranged to inspect the other eight pig farms within three kilometres of the index farm and will collect pig samples for ASF testing. For the sake of prudence, the AFCD has also temporarily suspended movements of pigs on these farms until further notice. No reports of abnormalities from pig farms outside the three-kilometre zone have been received so far. AFCD staff will visit all local licensed pig farms to ensure biosecurity measures have been properly implemented; and continued close surveillance to detect pigs with abnormalities and if a farm is infected as early as possible."

     The spokesman stressed that ASF is not a zoonotic disease and will not infect humans, hence does not cause any food safety risk. Pork cooked thoroughly is safe for consumption. Members of the public do not need to be concerned.

     The present case does not affect the operation of local slaughterhouses nor the overall supply of live pigs. Since June 2019, a daily clearance arrangement whereby live pigs will be slaughtered within 24 hours upon admittance has been imposed in Sheung Shui and Tsuen Wan slaughterhouses. Under the arrangement, lairages in different areas of the slaughterhouses will be cleared out and undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection every day to further enhance the bio-security of, and minimise the risk of infection among pigs, in the slaughterhouses.

     The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the AFCD will continue to stringently conduct cleaning and disinfection of Mainland live pig transportation vehicles and their counterparts for local pigs at slaughterhouses to minimise the risk of cross infection of ASF. Mainland live pig vehicles and local ones should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected every time they leave the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse (SSSH), and the respective designated positions for their cleaning and disinfection are separated. Manpower and equipment of the SSSH have been strengthened immediately for cleaning and disinfection of the vehicles. In light of these stepped up measures, the slaughterhouses need not be closed and other pigs need not be culled.

     As culling operations take time, the AFCD will release updated operation information every day since early next week on the departmental web page, www.afcd.gov.hk for the public.

     â€‹The Hong Kong Underwater Photo and Video Competition 2023 (HKUPVC 2023), jointly organised by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) and the Hong Kong China Underwater Association, concluded successfully. Results of the competition were announced today (December 9) with an award presentation held at Ocean Park Hong Kong.
      
     The first Hong Kong Underwater Photo and Video Competition was held in 2012 and over 10 competitions were held so far. The HKUPVC 2023 was co-organised by the Hong Kong Maritime Museum and the Ocean Park Conservation Foundation Hong Kong. This year the response was enthusiastic in that nearly 700 entries were received.
      
     "The entries fully showcased the beautiful marine habitats and the amazing species in Hong Kong waters, and helped raise public awareness of the importance of marine conservation," an AFCD spokesman said.
      
     The competition was composed of an Open Group and a Student Group. Contestants in the Open Group could participate in the Digital Photo Competition and the Digital Video Competition. There were two categories in the photo competition, namely the Macro & Close-up Category and the Standard & Wide Angle Category. For both categories under the Digital Photo Competition and the Digital Video Competition in the Open Group, there were champions, first runner-up and second runner-up. In addition, three special prizes for junior underwater photographers/videographers were presented by the judging panel to the less experienced underwater photographers/videographers. Outstanding awards were also given in the two categories of the Digital Photo Competition. For the Student Group Digital Photo Competition, three special prizes for student underwater photographers were given to encourage their appreciation and protection of Hong Kong's marine ecology and environment. This year, the Biodiversity Awards were presented as in the past alongside the newly introduced Nudibranchs Special Awards.
      
     All entries featured marine life or ecology in Hong Kong waters and were taken in Hong Kong waters within the designated period from October 1, 2021, to September 30 this year. The booklet of winning entries can be viewed on the AFCD's website: www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_mar/con_mar_edu/photo_com_2023.html.
          
     A roving exhibition featuring the winning entries will be held. Members of the public are invited to visit the roving exhibition. The exhibition will also serve to promote the message of "Respect, Care for and Appreciate Marine Wildlife", which encourages the public to protect Hong Kong's marine life actively. Details of the exhibition can be found on the AFCD's website: www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_mar/con_mar_edu/photo_com_2023.html. For enquiries, please call 1823 or visit the above AFCD website.

                                  

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 9) investigating a case of severe paediatric COVID-19 and a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection, and reminded the community to heighten vigilance against respiratory tract infection in winter. The CHP stressed that vaccination can effectively prevent serious COVID-19 and influenza cases, high-risk individuals (including pregnant women) should get vaccinated as soon as possible. Persons who are symptomatic, even if having mild symptoms, should wear a surgical mask and seek medical advice promptly with a view to lowering the risk of high-risk persons being infected. Strict personal, hand and environmental hygiene should also be observed at all times.

     The COVID-19 severe case involves an 8-month-old girl with good past health. She developed fever, poor appetite, cough and runny nose on December 5, and tested positive for COVID-19 by rapid antigen test (RAT). She developed difficulty in breath and was brought to the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) of Kwong Wah Hospital on December 7. She was admitted on the same day and was later arranged to be admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit of the hospital due to worsening symptoms. Her nasopharyngeal swab was positive for COVID-19 virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was bronchiolitis. She is now in serious condition and is still being hospitalised.

     Initial enquiries by the CHP revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period and had not received COVID-19 vaccine. The mother of the baby girl has received the initial doses of COVID-19 vaccine prior to the pregnancy.

     The CHP said that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe cases and deaths from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They can provide effective protection to those vaccinated in preventing serious complications and even death after infection. Members of the public are advised to take note of the latest recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in Hong Kong, while high-risk priority groups (including pregnant women) are recommended to receive a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least six months since the last dose or infection, regardless of the number of doses received previously. High risk people who have never been vaccinated or infected with COVID-19 before should adopt additional hygiene measures to protect themselves. Some studies have shown that antibodies generated after vaccination in pregnant women can be passed to the foetus through the umbilical cord. Pregnant women should receive COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy at appropriate times for protection of themselves and the foetus. As the antibodies of infants obtained from mother will decrease over time, the CHP also reminded parents to arrange COVID-19 vaccination for their babies aged six months or above in order to reduce the risk of severe cases and fatalities. For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme and the latest recommendation on the use of vaccines, please visit the CHP's website at www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106934.html.

     The influenza A infection severe case involves a 7-year-old boy with good past health. He developed fever, chills, malaise, myalgia, runny nose, sore throat and cough with sputum on December 2. He sought medical attention at a private doctor on December 4 and yesterday (December 8) respectively and was referred to the AED of Tuen Mun Hospital due to shortness of breath and was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit for treatment yesterday. His nasopharyngeal swab specimen was positive for influenza A (H3) virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated pneumonia. He is now in serious condition and is still being hospitalised.

     Initial enquiries by the CHP revealed that the patient had not received seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) for this season and had no travel history during the incubation period. His home contacts are currently asymptomatic. 

     Moreover, influenza can cause serious illnesses in high-risk individuals and even healthy persons. SIV is one of the most effective means to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, as well as reducing influenza-related hospitalisation and death. SIV is recommended for all persons aged 6 months or above except those with known contraindications. Persons at higher risk of getting influenza and its complications, including the elderly and children, should receive SIV early. As it takes about two weeks to develop antibodies, members of the public are advised to receive SIV early for protection against seasonal influenza. The 2023/24 seasonal influenza vaccination programmes have started. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP's website.

     A spokesman for the CHP said that although the current surveillance data revealed no uprising trend of local seasonal influenza and COVID-19 overall activity at the moment, influenza viruses and the SARS-CoV-2 virus may become more active in winter and spread at the same time. A person who gets COVID-19 and influenza at the same time may be more seriously ill and would have a higher risk of death. Getting COVID-19 and influenza vaccination is of vital importance. Members of the public who have not completed COVID-19 vaccination and SIV, particularly children, the elderly and chronic disease patients, should receive vaccination as early as possible for personal protection. Details of receiving both COVID-19 vaccination and SIV are available at website: www.chp.gov.hk/en/features/106096.html.

     In order to prevent infection of COVID-19, influenza and other respiratory illnesses as well as the transmission in the community, the public should maintain strict personal and environmental at all times and note the following:
 

• Surgical masks can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses from ill persons. It is essential for persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) to wear a surgical mask;
• For high-risk persons (e.g. persons with underlying medical conditions or persons who are immunocompromised), wear a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
• Avoid touching one's eyes, mouth and nose;
• Wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
• When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
• Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
• Maintain good indoor ventilation;
• When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, refrain from work or attending classes at school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
• Maintain a balanced diet, perform physical activity regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

     â€‹â€‹The public may visit the thematic website of COVID-19, the CHP's influenza page and weekly COVID-19 & Flu Express for more information.