Tag Archives: China

     United Best Consultants Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts today (March 22) and were fined a total sum of $52,600.  
 
     The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirement of the EO, failing to pay an employee wages, payment in lieu of notice and annual leave pay totaling about $110,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of employment. The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for her consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
 
     “The judgement will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO,” a spokesman for the LD said.
 
     “The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees’ statutory rights,” the spokesman added. read more

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:      The spokesperson of Kwai Chung Hospital made the following announcement today (March 22):      Three patients (aged 36 to 44) in a… read more

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (March 21) conducted anti-illicit cigarette operations in Yuen Long and Tuen Mun. A total of about 4.1 million suspected illicit cigarettes, with a total estimated market value of about $19 million and a duty potential of about $14 million were seized, and a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre was shut down. 
      
     Customs in the early morning of yesterday searched a suspicious metal hut in Fung Kat Heung, Yuen Long. After inspection, Customs officers seized a total of about 3.1 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside the metal hut, on a nearby lorry and from a private car. A 46-year-old male driver who attempted to escape in another lorry was also arrested. The lorry and the private car, which were suspected to be used for storing and distributing illicit cigarettes, were detained as well.  
      
     After a follow-up investigation, Customs officers in the morning of the same day searched a lorry in a car park in Hing Fu Street, Tuen Mun, and further seized about 1 million suspected illicit cigarettes from the vehicle.
      
     The arrested person has been charged with “dealing with goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies” and “resisting a member of the Customs and Excise Service”, and the case will be brought up at the Fanling Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow  (March 23).
      
     Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to spare no effort in combating illicit cigarette activities.
      
     Customs reminds members of the public that it is an offence to buy or sell illicit cigarettes. Under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance, anyone involved in dealing with, possession of, selling or buying illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
      
     Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002/).

read more

     The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, today (March 22) chaired the 20th meeting of the Commission on Children.

     At the meeting, members were briefed by government representatives on the measures taken to foster a sporting culture among children and future work direction. The Government had early on collected data on the physical fitness of Hong Kong citizens (including children aged between 7 and 16) under the Territory-wide Physical Fitness Survey for the Community to understand their latest physical fitness conditions. The survey results provide benchmarking data for the Government to develop community-based sports training courses and recreational activities and plan public play spaces for fostering the sporting culture among children.

     The Education Bureau will continue to strengthen students’ physical development through the sports curriculum and physical activities within and beyond the classroom holistically. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, together with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, will continue to promote a sports culture by organising a wide range of school-based and community-level sports activities. Members welcomed the various measures implemented by the Government and hoped that they could reinforce children’s interest in sports and improve their physical fitness.

     Also, members were briefed by government representatives on the proposed arrangements of expanding the scope of the Sexual Conviction Record Check Scheme to further strengthen the protection of children and mentally incapacitated persons. Considering the recommendations made by the Review of Sexual Offences Sub-committee under the Law Reform Commission, the Government consulted members on expanding the scope of the Scheme in phases to cover existing employees, self-employed persons and volunteers.

     The Government will actively expedite the enhancement of the Scheme while ensuring that there is sufficient capacity to process applications made under the Scheme, thereby further reducing the risks of children and mentally incapacitated persons being sexually abused. read more

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (March 22) investigating a case of severe paediatric influenza A infection and reminded the community to heighten vigilance against influenza. The CHP appealed to members of the public to receive seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) in a timely manner to better protect themselves during the influenza season.

     The case involves a 22-month-old boy with good past health. He had developed a fever and cough with sputum since March 20 and sought medical attention at a private doctor on the same day. Later he presented with vomiting and diarrhoea on March 21 and attended the accident and emergency department of Kwong Wah Hospital. He was admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit of the hospital on the same day. His respiratory specimen was positive for influenza A (H1) virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza A infection complicated with shock. He is now in serious condition.

     Initial enquiries by the CHP revealed that the patient had not received SIV for this season and had no travel history during the incubation period. One of his home contacts was earlier diagnosed with influenza A infection and is in stable condition. Other home contacts are currently asymptomatic. The CHP’s investigations are ongoing.

     A spokesman for the CHP said, “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. Please see details of the vaccination schemes on the CHP’s website.”

     A person who gets influenza and COVID-19 at the same time may be more seriously ill and would have a higher risk of death. It is important to receive both SIV and COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible, in particular for children and elderly persons residing in the community or residential care homes. The public should also maintain good personal and environmental hygiene against influenza and other respiratory illnesses, 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 visiting public places. The public should also 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€‹The public may visit the CHP’s influenza page and weekly COVID-19 & Flu Express for more information. read more