Tag Archives: China

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (June 21) reported the latest progress of its investigation into the food poisoning clusters involving three restaurants located in the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong hotel. Food businesses should pay attention to and comply with the relevant food safety guidelines.

     Since the relevant clusters had been announced on June 12, the CHP has set up a hotline for enquiries by persons who may be affected. Nine enquiries have been received so far. After investigations, a total of eight epidemiologically linked food poisoning clusters were confirmed by the CHP including the three earlier announced clusters, involving nine males and six females aged between 3 and 42. All affected persons have consumed vanilla-flavoured ice cream at restaurants located in the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong hotel on June 1 or 2. They developed abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea about 15 to 65 hours after consuming the food concerned.

     All of the 15 affected persons have sought medical advice. Four of them required hospitalisation and were discharged after treatment. All patients are in stable condition. The stool specimens of six affected persons were positive for Salmonella upon laboratory testing. Four of the Salmonella isolates belongs to the same group of Salmonella enteritidis. In view of the epidemiological investigations and test results, the affected persons’ symptoms were very likely related to consumption of the concerned ice cream provided by the hotel.

     Following notification of the incident from the CHP on June 11 evening, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and the Environmental Hygiene Branch of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) immediately conducted investigations at the relevant premises and the ice cream production kitchen concerned. It also reviewed the food preparation process in detail and collected samples (including food and environmental samples) for testing. Besides, the concerned premises have been instructed to immediately suspend the production and sale of relevant food as well as to carry out cleaning and disinfection of the premises. Meanwhile, the CFS also provided advice on food safety and environmental hygiene to person-in-charge and staff of the restaurants. 

     The personnel from the CHP and the FEHD again visited the restaurants and the ice cream production kitchen on June 12 for further inspection and collection of food samples for further testing. So far, no salmonella was found in the ice cream and vanilla oil samples, environmental samples and staff stool samples collected from the relevant premises. The FEHD will review the overall investigation result and will initiate prosecution against the premises concerned if there is sufficient evidence. The FEHD continued its inspection on a daily basis, and confirmed that the premises have suspended the production and sale of the food concerned. Follow-up actions are ongoing.
 
     To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out:
 

• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters, at a buffet;
• Pre-cooked or leftover foods should be stored and reheated properly before consumption;
• Ensure food is thoroughly cooked before eating during a hotpot or barbecue meal;
• Handle raw and cooked foods carefully and separate them completely during the cooking process;
• Use two sets of chopsticks and utensils to handle raw and cooked foods;
• Do not patronise illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• Do not try to use salt, vinegar, wine or wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
• Always wash hands before eating and after using the toilet. 

     Twelve landlords of subdivided units (SDUs), who contravened Part IVA of the Landlord and Tenant (Consolidation) Ordinance (Cap. 7) (the Ordinance) pleaded guilty and were fined a total of $32,000 today (June 21) at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts. Since the Ordinance has come into force, the Rating and Valuation Department (RVD) has successfully prosecuted 298 cases involving a total of 255 SDU landlords, with fines ranging from $400 to $18,600, amounting to a total of $555,610.
 
     The offences of these landlords include (1) failing to submit a Notice of Tenancy (Form AR2) to the Commissioner of Rating and Valuation within 60 days after the term of the regulated tenancy commenced; and (2) requesting the tenant to pay money other than the types permitted under the Ordinance. Two of the landlords each committed eight offences under (1) and (2) above, and each of them was fined $7,600.

     The RVD earlier discovered that the landlords failed to comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance. Upon an in-depth investigation and evidence collection, the RVD prosecuted against the landlords.
 
     A spokesman for the RVD reiterated that SDU landlords must comply with the relevant requirements under the Ordinance, and also reminded SDU tenants of their rights under the Ordinance. He also stressed that the RVD will continue to take resolute enforcement action against any contraventions of the Ordinance. Apart from following up on reported cases, the RVD has been adopting a multipronged approach to proactively identify, investigate and follow up on cases concerning landlords who are suspected of contravening the Ordinance. In particular, the RVD has been requiring landlords of regulated tenancies to provide information and reference documents of their tenancies for checking whether the landlords concerned have complied with the requirements of the Ordinance. If a landlord, without reasonable excuse, refuses to provide the relevant information or neglects the RVD’s request, the landlord commits an offence and is liable to a maximum fine at level 3 ($10,000) and to imprisonment for three months. Depending on the actual circumstances, and having regard to the information and evidence collected, the RVD will take appropriate actions on individual cases, including instigating prosecution against suspected contraventions of the Ordinance.
 
     To help curb illegal acts as soon as possible, members of the public should report to the RVD promptly any suspected cases of contravening the relevant requirements. Reporting can be made through the telephone hotline (2150 8303), by email (enquiries@rvd.gov.hk), by fax (2116 4920), by post (15/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon), or in person (visiting the Tenancy Services Section office of the RVD at Room 3816-22, 38/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and please call 2150 8303 to make an appointment). Furthermore, the RVD has provided a form (Form AR4) (www.rvd.gov.hk/doc/en/forms/ar4.pdf) on its website to facilitate SDU tenants’ reporting to the RVD.
 
     The RVD reminds that pursuant to the Ordinance, a regulated cycle of regulated tenancies is to comprise two consecutive regulated tenancies (i.e. the first-term tenancy and second-term tenancy) for an SDU, and the term of each regulated tenancy is two years. A tenant of a first-term tenancy for an SDU is entitled to be granted a second-term tenancy of the regulated cycle, thus enjoying a total of four years of security of tenure. Since the first batch of regulated tenancies has already approached their second-term tenancies, the RVD has started a new round of publicity and education work in order to assist SDU landlords and tenants to understand the important matters pertaining to the second-term tenancy, and procedures that need to be followed about two months prior to the commencement of the purported second-term tenancy. In addition, the RVD has started issuing letters enclosing relevant information to the concerned landlords and tenants of regulated tenancies in batches, according to the expiry time of their first-term tenancies, to remind them about their respective obligations and rights under the Ordinance. These landlords and tenants may also visit the dedicated page for the second-term tenancy on the RVD’s website (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/tenancy_matters/second_term_tenancy.html) for the relevant information, including a concise guide, brochures, tutorial videos and frequently asked questions, etc. SDU landlords and tenants are also advised to familiarise themselves with the relevant statutory requirements and maintain close communication regarding the second-term tenancy for handling the matters properly and in a timely manner according to the Ordinance.
 
     For enquiries related to regulated tenancies, please call the telephone hotline (2150 8303) or visit the RVD’s webpage (www.rvd.gov.hk/en/our_services/part_iva.html) for the relevant information.
 
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     The Home Affairs Department will continue to open 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (June 21).
 
     The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants.
 
     For further information, please call the department’s hotline before midnight on 2572 8427.
 
     The heat 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 Districts:
——————
 
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 –
Shek Kip Mei Community Hall
G/F, Block 42, Shek Kip Mei Estate, 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 Districts:
————————–
 
Islands –
Tung Chung Community Hall
G/F, Tung Chung Municipal Services Building, 39 Man Tung Road, Tung Chung
 
Kwai Tsing –
Kwai Shing Community Hall
Podium, Block 6, Kwai Shing West Estate, 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
 
Yuen Long –
Tin Yiu Community Centre
Tin Yiu Estate, Tin Shui Wai
 
     In addition to the above heat shelters, a number of community halls/community centres can also be used for taking refuge from the heat during their operating hours. For their address details, please browse the following document: www.had.gov.hk/file_manager/en/documents/public_services/emergency_services/List_CH_CC_Day_E.pdf. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (June 21) reported the latest number of dengue fever (DF) cases, and urged the public to maintain strict environmental hygiene, mosquito control and personal p… read more

      The International Arts Carnival (IAC), a summer arts festival organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will present a one-of-a-kind dance installation performance, “Fields of Tender”, from July 12 to 14. Designed by award-winning Swedish choreographer Dalija Acin Thelander for infants, toddlers and their parents, the programme blends dance, music and toys with images, and stimulates the audience’s senses in fascinating ways. Infants aged 3 to 18 months are welcome to freely explore an imaginary wonderland filled with malleable decorations.
 
     Thelander is a seasoned choreographer and stage designer with a special interest in neurodiversity studies and related performing arts practices. Her latest work, “Fields of Tender”, with its unique stage design and soft lighting, crafts an intimate, welcoming and interactive space for the very young. Inside this caring, dreamy world are fluffy and cuddly decorations. The dancers open their arms to embrace every curious toddler, who can explore the surroundings as they wish, or just fall into a daze, feeling at ease in the peaceful environment.
 
     Thelander’s immersive sensory dance productions have been staged in Asia, Europe, South America and Africa. She received commissions from the Royal Swedish Opera in 2017 and 2022 respectively, and won the ASSITEJ International Award for Artistic Excellence in 2021.
 
     “Fields of Tender” will be held at 5.15pm on July 12, and 11am, 2.15pm and 4pm on July 13 and 14 at the Black Box Theatre of Kwai Tsing Theatre. Free-seating tickets priced at $320 (half-price discount for infants) are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288, or use the mobile ticketing app “URBTIX”.
 
     Children must be accompanied by parents or adults. Audience members may enter and exit the venue at any time. They will be seated on the floor and are requested to take off their shoes before entering the performance area.
 
     As well, a free outreach dance performance will be held on July 7 (Sunday) from 2pm to 2.30pm at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Foyer. Dancers will put on a flash mob specially designed for children of all abilities, followed by Thelander’s sharing. The outreach performance is one of the programmes of the LCSD’s Dance for All Community Care Inclusive Dance Scheme. With “Everybody can dance” as its slogan, the scheme serves as a platform for people of all abilities to dance together in an effort to promote social inclusion.
 
     For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2370 1044 or visit www.hkiac.gov.hk.
 
     This year’s IAC will run from July 5 to August 11, featuring a wide array of fun-filled educational programmes by overseas, Mainland and local art groups and artists. In addition to acrobatics, magic, dance, music, theatre and puppetry, the IAC will also offer film screenings, online programmes, parent-child workshops and an exhibition.