The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (December 16) investigating a food poisoning cluster affecting 13 persons, and reminded the public to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent foodborne diseases.
           
     The cluster involved 12 males and one female aged between 27 and 61, who developed abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea about 13 to 54 hours after having a buffet lunch at Billow Bar Seafood Bistro located in Tai Po on December 8.
    
     Six of the affected persons sought medical advice. None required hospitalisation.
      
     Initial investigations by the CHP revealed that the affected persons had consumed common food including raw oysters. The incident might have been caused by norovirus.
 
     Personnel from the CHP and the Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department have conducted an inspection at the restaurant, and instructed the premises concerned to suspend serving incriminated food items with immediate effect, carry out cleaning and disinfection of the premises and improve food preparation process and food hygiene. The officers have also provided health education related to food safety and environmental hygiene to the staff of the premises.

     Norovirus infection typically causes acute gastroenteritis. It is also a common cause of food poisoning and is very often related to consumption of undercooked or raw shellfish. The disease affects people of all age groups and tends to be more common during winter.

     To prevent foodborne diseases, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene at all times. When dining out, one should:
 

• Avoid eating raw seafood;
• Be a discerning consumer in choosing cold dishes, including sashimi, sushi and raw oysters at a buffet;
• Choose pasteurised eggs, egg products or dried egg powder for dishes that often use lightly cooked or uncooked eggs;
• Patronise only reliable and licensed restaurants;
• Store and reheat pre-cooked or leftover foods 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;
• Avoid patronising illegal food hawkers;
• Drink boiled water;
• Refrain from trying to use salt, vinegar, wine or wasabi to kill bacteria as they are not effective; and
• Always wash hands before eating and after going to the toilet.

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, and the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, visited the Drainage Services Department (DSD) this afternoon (December 16) to learn more about the department's daily operations and the latest progress on its drainage improvement works. They also toured the Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works (SCISTW), which is the largest of its type in Hong Kong. The Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Clement Leung, also joined the visit.

     Mr Chan and other officials first met with the Director of Drainage Services, Mr Ringo Mok, together with the directorate staff and were briefed on the department's progress on the drainage improvement works in Hong Kong. The DSD is taking forward expeditiously seven drainage improvement works projects, covering Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong Island East and other areas hit by severe floods in the past. Apart from adopting parallel tendering, the department also strives to shorten the duration of engineering design, procurement and construction for commencing and completing the improvement works as soon as possible to enhance the flood prevention ability of the districts concerned. 

     To cope with the more frequent extreme weather conditions in recent years, the DSD is dedicated to strengthening the operation of the Emergency Control Centre and the emergency response teams, and applying innovative technologies to enhance work safety and efficacy. For instance, the deployment of a desilting robot, "River Ranger", for emergency clearance works, with a view to allowing the community to resume normal operation within the shortest period of time, and an underground drainage inspection robot, "Tumbler Inspection Ball", and crawler-type survey robots to conduct surveying works to determine the status of underground pipelines. A "Tumbler Inspection Ball" robot can provide 360-degree all-round stable viewing, and then combine the 360-degree real-life pictures with artificial intelligence, which helps officers check the pipeline status accurately. In addition, the DSD has made advance arrangements by completing the "Strategic Planning Study on Flood Management Against Sea Level Rise and Extreme Rainfall" soon and formulating new and comprehensive territory-wide flood management strategies.

     Mr Chan said that in the face of various challenges brought about by climate change, the Government is dedicated to implementing a pre-emptive strategic approach and stepping up preventive and contingency measures on various fronts to protect the lives and property of people. He stressed that all government departments are working at full steam to scale up their handling capabilities to minimise as far as possible the impact of inclement and even extreme weather conditions on the community, while the DSD plays a vital role in flood prevention and clearing blockages in drainage systems. 

     Mr Chan advised the DSD to get prepared for the future rainy and tropical cyclone season by deploying adequate manpower and resources, stepping up inspection of its drainage facilities, carrying out timely desilting work, ensuring the clearance of drainage channels across the territory and disseminating information to the public properly. He and Mrs Yeung encouraged DSD colleagues to stand fast at their posts, rise to the challenges ahead, maintain close communication with other relevant departments and organisations, and demonstrate professionalism and team spirit in order to make good preparations for inclement and even extreme weather conditions.

     Mr Chan and other officials then visited the SCISTW Main Pumping Station and were briefed by the staff on the DSD's work in taking forward the sewage treatment initiatives such as the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme. They also met with duty officers at the Main Control Room of the SCISTW to learn more about the department's work in monitoring various sewage treatment processes around the clock as well as its contingency strategies in case of inclement and even extreme weather conditions.

     They then viewed the SCISTW from a green roof, where they were briefed on the sewage treatment facilities as well as the operation of facilities such as Clean Harbour 2, an advanced vessel for the transportation of sludge from the SCISTW to Tuen Mun for turning waste into energy. Meanwhile, they also gained a better understanding of the department's progress in promoting the use of renewable energy at the SCISTW, including the installation of thin-film photovoltaic systems, which is expected to be completed next year and will be the largest of its kind in Hong Kong.

     Mr Chan hoped that the DSD would continue to break new ground while upholding fundamental principles, and spare no effort to provide world-class wastewater and stormwater drainage services, and at the same time help to build a sustainable and better future for Hong Kong by utilising innovative technology and renewable energy.

     Mrs Yeung also met with staff representatives from various grades to exchange views on issues of concern.

          

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) announced today (December 16) that it has appointed a Governance and Structure Reform Committee under the HA Board to provide strategic guidance, oversight, and reform advice on implementing governance and structure reforms, based on the recommendations of the Review Committee on the Management of the Public Hospital System earlier, in order to lead the HA to address challenges ahead.
 
     The HA Chairman, Mr Henry Fan, said that members of the Reform Committee have extensive experience in healthcare organisation operations and corporate governance. The Reform Committee will start working immediately and regularly report progress to the Health Bureau and the HA Board to lead the HA to enhance its governance by actively promoting reforms. With a spirit of innovation and change, the HA strives to develop a sustainable public healthcare system to enhance community well-being. 
 
     Membership of the Reform Committee is as follows:
 
     Chairman
     Henry Fan Hung-ling
 
     Members
     Thomas Chan Chung-Ching
     Dr York Chow Yat-ngok
     Sylvia Fung Yuk-kuen
     Dr Tony Ko Pat-sing
     Franklin Lam Fan-keung
     Dr Libby Lee Ha-yun
     Pang Yiu-kai
     Jack So Chak-kwong
 
     Mr Fan stated, "The Reform Committee will provide valuable opinions on the future development of the HA, thereby driving the HA's governance and reforms in a positive way to enhance patient safety and provide public healthcare services that meet the expectations of the public."

     To commend 79 local companies for their outstanding achievements, the 2023-24 Hong Kong Awards for Industries (HKAI) Presentation Ceremony was held today (December 16) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

     The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, addressed the ceremony in a video message. The officiating guests at the ceremony included the Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing; the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Ms Maggie Wong; and the Director-General of Trade and Industry, Mr Aaron Liu.

     In his video speech, Mr Lee said that the award-winning enterprises and products come from various industries and sectors, and they all demonstrate one thing in common – the spirit of Hong Kong enterprises to strive and persevere. The enterprises have been pursuing breakthroughs in improving the level of design of products and equipment, unleashing creativity, engaging in upgrading and transformation, applying innovation and technology, and enhancing service experiences, thereby achieving high value-added development and promoting Hong Kong's quality brands.

     Mr Lee added that, with rapidly evolving geopolitics, the many uncertainties in the external economy, and prevailing trade protectionism, unprecedented global changes of a century have been accelerating. Further, Hong Kong is currently undergoing economic restructuring. Many enterprises, in particular small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are facing various forms of challenges. The Government has been sparing no effort in helping SMEs accelerate the process of upgrading and transformation, digitalisation and green transformation, and explore new markets. He encouraged the awardees, as well as other enterprises, to take the initiative to embrace changes, relentlessly motivate innovation and creativity, and fully capitalise on the city's distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world, thereby driving Hong Kong to achieve high-quality development.

     A total of 167 entries were received in the 2023-24 HKAI. The winners were determined by the final judging panels chaired by Professor Alexander Wai Ping-kong. The Grand Award winners were Dunwell Engineering Company Limited (upgrading and transformation), Techtronic Industries Company Limited (consumer product design), Emerging Viral Diagnostics (HK) Limited (equipment and machinery design), Watsons Hong Kong (customer service), and Logital Co. Limited (innovation and creativity).

     The HKAI aims to recognise the outstanding achievements of Hong Kong enterprises in the manufacturing and services industries in enhancing their competitiveness in various aspects and in their endeavours towards high value-added activities. The HKAI also helps promote Hong Kong brands.

     The 2023-24 HKAI covers five categories, namely the upgrading and transformation category organised by the Hong Kong Young Industrialists Council, the consumer product design category organised by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, the equipment and machinery design category organised by the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, the customer service category organised by the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, as well as the innovation and creativity category organised by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. The Trade and Industry Department serves as the Secretariat of the Organising Committee of the HKAI.

     The detailed list of winners of the HKAI is available on the thematic website www.hkindustryaward.org.

    

     The Department of Health (DH) today (December 16) alerted members of the public to fraudulent advertisements published on social media and online platforms about medical insurance provided by the Hong Kong Government.

     The fraudulent advertisements, carrying the DH logo, claimed that the Government will provide medical insurance for the elderly in Hong Kong. The DH clarified that it has never published, or authorised the publishing of, such advertisements, adding that all the remarks in the advertisements are fictitious. The DH has reported the case to the Police.

     Anyone who has provided his or her personal information to any suspicious websites or unknown persons via the advertisements should contact the Police.