The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
 
     The spokesperson for Caritas Medical Centre announces a sentinel event today (November 29):

     A 79-year old male eye patient was suspected to have acute intestinal obstruction yesterday (November 28). His oxygen saturation level decreased during a transfer from eye ward to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The patient's condition rapidly deteriorated and he eventually succumbed.

     The patient had undergone peptic ulcer surgery and inguinal hernioplasty, and had also been admitted to hospital for treatments due to multiple intestinal obstruction episodes. An eye operation is originally scheduled for him today. In the morning yesterday, the patient's condition deteriorated and he developed desaturation. He was arranged an oxygen therapy subsequently. Doctors from Ophthalmology, Surgery and ICU assessed the patient's condition immediately and arranged the necessary examinations for him. The patient was suspected to have intestinal obstruction. In view of the patient's deteriorating condition, medical team decided to transfer the patient from eye ward to ICU for further treatment.

     At around 11.10am yesterday, while the patient was escorted from eye ward to ICU by healthcare staff, he developed desaturation again. Despite attempting to provide higher volume of oxygen to the patient, his oxygen saturation level continued to decrease. The patient arrived ICU at 11.15am. Healthcare staff found that the valve of the oxygen cylinder used during the transfer had not been opened. Upon arrival ICU, proper oxygen supply for the patient was arranged immediately. Intubation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation had been performed by healthcare staff. However, the patient's condition continued to deteriorate and he finally succumbed at 12.50pm yesterday.

     The hospital is very concerned about the incident, which has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office. A root cause analysis panel will be set up to look into the incident and to review the patient transfer workflow. The hospital has subsequently implemented various enhanced measures to ascertain all medical equipment function normally during patient transfer, so as to avoid reoccurrence of the incident. The incident has also been reported to the coroner for follow-up.

     The hospital is deeply saddened by the passing away of the patient. The hospital has met with the patient's relatives to explain the incident, and extended sincere apologies and condolences. The hospital will continue to keep in contact with the family to offer all possible assistance.

     The Maker in China SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Contest (MiC Global Contest) 2022 Final was held at Nansha, Guangzhou, today (November 29). Hong Kong representative teams have achieved outstanding results. Among them, the Micro Gimble Stabilizer by Vista Innotech Limited was awarded as Champion of the global contest. This is the third time Hong Kong representative teams have been named champions at this contest since its debut in 2017.
 
     The Government Chief Information Officer, Mr Tony Wong, congratulated all the award-winning teams. He said, "This success demonstrates that Hong Kong's capabilities in innovation and technology (I&T), and research and development have grown from strength to strength and are highly recognised by our country. I am very confident that the Hong Kong representative teams will continue to strive for excellence in I&T and give full play to their strengths in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), thereby contributing to the high-quality development of our country and the GBA".
 
     Due to the epidemic, the MiC Global Contest Final 2022 had been postponed to this year. The contest featured winning teams from preliminary contests in Hong Kong, Macao, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), Japan, South Korea and Europe. The awards received by Hong Kong representative teams are as follows:
 

 
     Participating teams will visit the I&T park in Nansha tomorrow (November 30) morning to promote their projects to industry representatives on the Mainland.
 
     The Mic Global Contest is co-organised by the SME Development Promotion Center of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MIIT) and China International Cooperation Association of SMEs. It is one of China's innovation and entrepreneurship contests at the state level with significant global influence. Maker in China SME Innovation and Entrepreneurship Global Contest – Hong Kong Chapter (MiCHK) is an important platform for Hong Kong start-ups and SMEs to better integrate into the overall development of the country and expand their business opportunities in the GBA. Apart from representing Hong Kong to join the MiC Global Contest Finals in Mainland China, winning teams can also gain business matching opportunities with a number of Mainland enterprises and set up their businesses in a number of cities in the GBA. For more details about MiCHK, please visit www.smeiegc.hk/en.

     The Guangdong-Hong Kong Equine Industry Cooperation Task Force held its meeting today (November 29) in Guangzhou. The Permanent Secretary for Environment and Ecology (Food) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, Miss Vivian Lau, led the Hong Kong delegation to attend the meeting. At the meeting, Guangdong and Hong Kong signed the Cross Boundary Horse Movement Coordination Mechanism and confirmed that the approval of a new biosecurity passage for equine transportation has reached its final stage. Representatives of both sides have had in-depth exchanges on the development and co-operation on various issues, including nurturing talent for the development of the equine industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
      
     Miss Lau stated, "In the past two years, Guangdong and Hong Kong have been working closely together to promote the development of the equine industry in the GBA, and we have achieved significant outcomes so far. The relevant departments of the two sides have collaborated to streamline the procedures and processes for the cross-boundary movement of horses, and established a co-ordination mechanism for cross-boundary movement of horses between Guangdong and Hong Kong. We are also very grateful for the support of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangdong Province regarding nurturing talent for the equine industry, thereby facilitating the professional development of talent in the Guangdong-Hong Kong equine industry, and providing more employment and development opportunities for youth in the GBA."
      
     To implement the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the HKSAR Government and the People's Government of Guangdong Province signed the Co-operation Agreement between Guangdong and Hong Kong on Equine Industry Development in May 2021 and established the Task Force under the mechanism of the Hong Kong/Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference. Members of the Task Force from both sides shall promote the development of equine sports and related industries in the GBA, in alignment with the accelerated national transformation and upgrading of the equine industry.
      
     The Director-General of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangdong Province, Mr Liu Zonghui, and Miss Lau co-chaired the Task Force meeting. The Hong Kong delegation attending the meeting included members from the Environment and Ecology Bureau, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. The Guangdong delegation included members from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Guangdong Province, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province, the Sports Bureau of Guangdong Province, the Department of Education of Guangdong Province, the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, as well as subject officers from Guangzhou and Conghua. The Hong Kong Jockey Club also participated in the meeting as an expert member of the Task Force.

     The Customs and Excise Department of Hong Kong (C&ED) today (November 29) and tomorrow (November 30) is holding the AEO Expert Mission and Symposium for ASEAN and Hong Kong, China. The two-day event is supported by the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Secretariat and the Economic and Technical Co-operation Work Programme under the ASEAN-Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement. It is the first large-scale event focused on the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) matters held between ASEAN and Hong Kong, China since the launch of the Hong Kong AEO Programme by the C&ED in 2012. Under the theme "We Connect for Safety and Prosperity", about 50 AEO experts from Customs administrations of ASEAN Member States, Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao took part in the AEO Expert Mission today.

     Today's event began with an opening speech delivered by the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Ms Louise Ho. She emphasised that with the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, it is important for Hong Kong to maintain close connections with ASEAN Member States, Mainland China and Macao in ensuring the smooth operation of the global supply chain and facilitating legitimate trade. Other distinguished speakers, including the Head of Trade Facilitation Division of ASEAN Secretariat, Mr Cuong Ba Tran, and the Deputy Director General of the Department of Enterprise Management and Audit-based Control of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Zhu Fang, also shared their valuable insights on AEO programmes.

     During the event today, representatives from Hong Kong, China and all ASEAN Member States delivered presentations on the experiences and challenges in implementing their respective AEO programmes. Interactive workshops were also conducted, dividing participants into groups to facilitate in-depth exchanges of expertise on matters regarding AEO programmes and putting forward the mutual recognition arrangement.

     The AEO Expert Mission and Symposium for ASEAN and Hong Kong, China will continue tomorrow with the Symposium, in which Action Plans for AEO Mutual Recognition Arrangement and a memorandum of understanding will be signed with various Customs administrations.

    

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) gave the following update today (November 29):

     Following a contact tracing investigation, four more male patients (aged from 34 to 72) in the surgical ward in QEH were identified as carriers of Candida auris yesterday (November 28). The hospital conducted further contact tracing investigation for the abovementioned cases in the ward concerned. Five more male patients (aged from 59 to 74) were identified as carriers of Candida auris. All patients had no symptoms of infection. Six of these patients are being treated in isolation and are in stable condition, and the remaining three patients were discharged.

     The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patients in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris:
 

1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned;
2. Enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures; and
3. Application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients.

     The hospital will continue to closely monitor the situation of the patients. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for necessary follow-up.