The Immigration Department (ImmD) announced today (March 11) that a new marriage hall will commence operation from June 26 at Tseung Kwan O to enhance service to members of the public.

     The new marriage hall is located at G/F, Administration Tower, Immigration Headquarters, 61 Po Yap Road, Tseung Kwan O, New Territories. Marriage ceremonies could be held from 9am to 12.45pm and from 2pm to 4.30pm from Monday to Friday, 9am to 11.30am on Saturdays, as well as 9am to 12.45pm and from 2pm to 4.45pm on Sundays, and closed on general holidays.
 
     A spokesman for the ImmD said, "Marrying parties who intend to have their marriage celebrated at the new marriage hall at Tseung Kwan O may make appointment to give Notice of Intended Marriage at the Marriage Registration and Records Office at 3/F, Low Block, Queensway Government Offices starting from 8am on March 12. Members of the public may scan the QR codes (see Annex) to download the ImmD mobile application, visit the website (www.gov.hk/marriagebooking), or call 3102 3883 to make an appointment."
 
     For further information on services related to marriage registration, please visit the ImmD's website (www.immd.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call 2824 6111, or email enquiry@immd.gov.hk, or fax to 2877 7711.

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) hosted a booth at the Austrian education fair BeSt Vienna to inform some 75 000 participants from Austria and neighbouring states such as the Czech Republic, Hungary and the Slovak Republic about the exciting study opportunities that Hong Kong has to offer. The fair, jointly organised by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research and the Austrian Public Employment Service, was held from March 7 to 10 (Vienna time).
 
     The Director of the HKETO Berlin, Ms Jenny Szeto, gave a presentation on March 7 (Vienna time) about the unique and valuable studying opportunities and living experiences in Hong Kong. She introduced Hong Kong's world-class universities, scholarship opportunities and other advantages of studying in Hong Kong. Her presentation also touched on further opportunities for staying and working in Hong Kong, such as the Working Holiday Scheme, the Talent List and the recently launched Top Talent Pass Scheme.
 
     Hong Kong's universities offer a wide array of high-quality programmes that are primarily taught in English, and they adopt international standards in curriculum design as well as quality assurance. Among the 22 degree-awarding higher-education institutions in Hong Kong, five are among the world's top 100 by the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2024 and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024. To attract outstanding non-local students to study in Hong Kong, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) offers various scholarships, including the HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund, the Self-financing Post-secondary Education Fund and the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme.
 
     For postgraduate students, there are also abundant research opportunities in Hong Kong's international-calibre institutions. To further support academic research in the higher-education sector, the HKSAR Government earmarked HK$9 billion in its 2023-24 Budget for universities and research institutes to enhance research in life and health technology and other frontier technology fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology.
 
     Ms Szeto took the opportunity to encourage young talent and quality immigrants from the region to explore the opportunities in Hong Kong. More details about the diversified admission schemes are available at www.hkengage.gov.hk/en/.
 
About HKETO Berlin
 
     HKETO Berlin is the official representative of the HKSAR Government in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Austria as well as the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

    

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (March 11) following up two new Candida auris carrier cases at a residential care home for the elderly (RCHE) in Kwai Chung, and reminded members of the public about the proper use of antimicrobials and maintaining personal hygiene against infection.

     The CHP received notification from the Hospital Authority that a 69-year-old male resident of the aforementioned RCHE, who was earlier admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital, was confirmed on March 5 to have carried Candida auris upon testing. Upon receiving the notification, the CHP conducted contact tracing and screening at the RCHE and found another carrier case involving an 81-year-old male resident who is sharing the same room with the 69-year-old patient. The two residents, with underlying illnesses, have no symptoms of infection, and are in stable condition.

     The CHP is continuing its investigation on the infection source of the cluster and a site inspection has been conducted. The RCHE concerned has been identified by the CHP as having a cluster of Candida auris carrier cases in April last year.

     The CHP has provided infection control advice and training to staff of the RCHE again. The RCHE is advised to follow the prevailing guidelines to enhance infection control measures including appropriate placement of carrier residents, strict implementation of contact precautions, enhancement of environmental cleansing and disinfection, use of dedicated medical equipment, toilet and bathing facilities to prevent the spread of Candida auris. The CHP will keep in close liaison with the RCHE concerned, monitor the situation of the residents and ensure the RCHE has carried out the various infection control measures.

     A spokesman for the CHP explained that Candida is a fungus commonly found in the natural environment, particularly in moist and warm environments. In humans, it is commonly found in body sites such as the oral cavity, the digestive tract, the skin and the vagina. It is a common fungus living on or in the human body but can occasionally cause infections, especially in individuals with impaired immunity.

     â€‹â€‹Among the different candida species, Candida auris is more drug-resistant. Infections vary from being mild to potentially life-threatening or fatal, depending on which part of the body is affected and the general health condition of the patient. The spokesman stressed that proper use of antimicrobials and maintaining personal hygiene, especially hand hygiene, are crucial to the prevention of the emergence and cross-transmission of Candida auris.

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority.

     Regarding an earlier announcement on a cluster of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the spokesperson for Kwong Wah Hospital made the following updates today (March 11):
 
     In accordance with the prevailing infection control guidelines, the hospital has performed an enhanced surveillance and one more patient, a 14-day-old girl, was confirmed as an MRSA carrier without clinical symptoms. The patient has been discharged.
 
     The hospital has performed enhanced medical surveillance and screening of patients in the NICU. The following infection control measures have been stepped up according to established guidelines:
 

1. Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the NICU, including the environment, incubators, equipment and instruments;
2. Enhanced medical surveillance of the patients and environmental screening procedures in the NICU; and
3. Applied stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff. Family members are reminded that infection control measures must be implemented when visiting their babies.

 
     The case has been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection for follow-up.
 

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The spokesperson for Prince of Wales Hospital (PWH) made the following announcement today (March 11):
 
     Three patients (aged 70 to 93) in a ward of the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics in PWH have been confirmed as carriers of Candida auris upon testing since February 20. The patients are hospitalised in isolation without signs of infection and are in stable condition. Two of them have been transferred to Shatin Hospital.
 
     The hospitals concerned will continue the contact tracing investigation in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted:
 

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

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