The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: The spokesperson for Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) made the following update today (May 6) regarding a patient leaving the hospital without notificatio… read more
The five-consecutive-day Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland (May 1 to 5) ended yesterday (May 5) with the overall number of inbound Mainland visitors in line with earlier estimate, and the operation at boundary control points and different arrangements for receiving visitors were conducted smoothly in general, a Government spokesman said today (May 6).
The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said, “We thank various relevant government departments, organisations and trade, etc for their utmost efforts in enhancing crowd management work to showcase Hong Kong’s hospitality and provide wonderful travel experiences to inbound Mainland visitors. Although the Golden Week was affected by the rain most of the time, the number of Mainland visitors reached around 760 000, matching our initial estimate and bringing Hong Kong’s economy with more than 2 billion Hong Kong dollars consumption returns, with a vibrant ambience. In addition, I am glad that the marine pyrotechnic display was held smoothly on May 1, creating vibrant vibes. To welcome visitors, the Government will review its work to facilitate future communication and co-ordination as well as enhancing visitors’ experience.”
During the five-day Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, the Immigration Department recorded a total of around 766 000 Mainland visitors coming to Hong Kong through various sea, land and air control points. The daily average of Mainland visitors was around 153 000, which exceeded that of the 2023 Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland by 22 per cent.
Arrival of Mainland visitors peaked on May 2 with around 192 000 visitors arriving in Hong Kong. Express Rail Link West Kowloon received the highest daily average number of Mainland visitors, followed by Lok Ma Chau Spur Line.
The marine pyrotechnic display held by the Hong Kong Tourism Board over Victoria Harbour near Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade (near Tsim Sha Tsui East) on May 1 attracted visitors and members of the public to watch on both sides of the Victoria Harbour. The overall response was positive. In the meantime, the Yau Tsim Mong Shopping Festival, initiated by the Yau Tsim Mong District Office and the District Council, also kicked off on the same day, encouraging visitors and the members of the public to consume during the Golden Week to facilitate retail sales.
A large number of visitors went to various major tourist attractions in Hong Kong during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, including Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park, Ngong Ping 360, the Peak Tram and the West Kowloon Cultural District, etc. In addition, according to the hotel trade’s preliminary statistics, the overall hotel occupancy rate exceeded 85 per cent.
According to the Travel Industry Authority’s registration information, around 570 Mainland inbound tour groups visited Hong Kong during the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, involving around 19 000 visitors which account for around 2.4 per cent of the overall number of Mainland visitors. read more
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (May 6) that it is investigating a confirmed Mpox (also known as Monkeypox) case, and urged the public to heighten vigilance and avoid close physical contact with persons suspected of contracting Mpox. Meanwhile, high-risk target groups are advised to receive Mpox vaccination.
The case involves a 61-year-old male patient with underlying diseases. He had developed skin rash since April 27. He visited the Yau Ma Tei Male Social Hygiene Clinic of the DH on May 2. He is in stable condition and arrangements have been made for him to be admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital.
According to the patient, he had high-risk contacts during his visit to Big Top HK Limited, a recreational premises on Nathan Road, Mong Kok, on April 13 and 20. Furthermore, he visited Thailand between April 25 and 30. According to the patient, he had high-risk exposure in Thailand. An initial investigation revealed that no epidemiological linkages between this case and other confirmed cases recorded in Hong Kong earlier have been found so far. The CHP is continuing its epidemiological investigations of the case and will report the case to the World Health Organization.
The CHP appeals again to high-risk target groups to receive Mpox vaccination with a view to lowering the risk of infection or the possibility of having more severe symptoms after infection. Persons who experience Mpox symptoms (including rashes, fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle pain, and severe headaches) or suspect themselves of being infected are advised to seek medical attention and receive treatment at once, and they should not engage in activities with others during which other people may have contact with their skin rash or body fluids. Members of the public should maintain good personal and hand hygiene to prevent virus transmission or infection through contact. They should also avoid close physical contact with persons or animals suspected of infection.
The CHP had earlier set up an Mpox telephone hotline (2125 2373). The hotline operates from Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) from 9am to 5pm, which enables those who suspect or are concerned they have had high-risk contact with confirmed patients, in particular men who have sex with men or those who have sexual practices with strangers, to make enquiries and receive relevant health advice. The CHP appeals to the public who have visited the premises on the above-mentioned dates, and those who suspect they have had high-risk contact with confirmed patients, to call the Mpox telephone hotline as soon as possible.
The DH provides vaccination service for high-risk groups of MPox. The following high-risk target groups can receive Mpox vaccination on a voluntary basis:
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority: The spokesperson for Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH) made the following announcement today (May 6): A 14-day-old baby girl of a… read more
​A spokesman for the Fire Services Department (FSD) said today (May 6) that the department discovered a potential personal data leakage incident on one of the IT system on May 3, while there is no evidence that relevant data have been released.
As revealed by the preliminary investigation, the FSD believes that the incident happened when the outsourced contractor handled the data migration procedure. During the process, the access right of the data was found altered without authorisation, posing a potential risk of data leakage. The data includes the surnames and telephone numbers of approximately 480 members of the public, who had reported tree collapse incidents during the Super Typhoon Saola on September 2, 2023. The data also includes personal information of about 5 000 FSD members, including their names, telephone numbers, ranks and numbers, and their postings. Among them, 960 members’ incomplete identity card numbers are also involved.
The FSD has instantly contacted the outsourced contractor responsible for the system, and requested immediate suspension of the system and all of its contract jobs. The contractor’s access right to the system is withdrawn to prevent data leakage. The FSD and the contractor is conducting a comprehensive review of the incident and stepping up the protective measures to prevent similar incidents. The department has also reported the incident to the Police, the Security Bureau, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.
The FSD expresses sincere apologies for the incident. The FSD has notified the affected members of the public through SMS or phone calls. In case of suspicious circumstances, they should report to the Police as soon as possible. For enquiries, please call the FSD’s hotline at 2723 8787 or email to hkfsdenq@hkfsd.gov.hk. read more