The Transport Department (TD) said today (February 29) that, as agreed by the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong, starting from tomorrow (March 1), the vehicle inspection arrangement for applications of "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" will be refined.
      
     Currently, applicants of "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" are required to conduct vehicle inspections at designated locations in Hong Kong. Starting from March 1, 2024, vehicle inspections will be exempted if the applicant and the vehicle remain unchanged when resubmitting applications for "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" within two years of passing the vehicle inspection and within the validity of the applicant's electronic vehicle licence from the Mainland authorities.
      
     Details of the arrangement are available on the "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" website (www.hzmbqfs.gov.hk).

     A woman who went missing in Yuen Long has been located.

     Ng So-ling, aged 67, went missing after she was last seen on Hung Shun Road, Yuen Long yesterday (February 28) morning. Her family made a report to Police on the same day.

     The woman was located near Tin King Road, Tuen Mun this afternoon (February 29). She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) said today (February 29) 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 38-year-old male patient with multiple underlying diseases. He had developed skin rash since January 31, and developed a fever in recent days. He visited the Accident and Emergency Department of Princess Margaret Hospital on February 26. He is in stable condition and has been admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital.

     An initial investigation revealed that the patient had high-risk exposure in Hong Kong during the incubation period with no travel history. 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 DH provides vaccination service for high-risk groups of MPox. The following high-risk target groups can receive Mpox vaccination on a voluntary basis:
 

1. Individuals with high-risk sexual practices, e.g. having multiple sexual partners, sex workers, or having a history of sexually transmitted infection within the past 12 months;
2. Healthcare workers responsible for caring of patients with confirmed Mpox;
3. Laboratory personnel working with zoonotic pox viruses; and
4. Animal care personnel with high risk of exposure in case of Mpox occurrence in animals in Hong Kong.

     High-risk target groups can receive Mpox walk-in vaccinations at all of the DH's Social Hygiene Service Clinics (SocHS) (namely Chai Wan SocHS, Wan Chai Male SocHS, Wan Chai Female SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Male SocHS, Yau Ma Tei Female SocHS, Yung Fung Shee SocHS, Fanling SocHS and Tuen Mun SocHS). Further information of the clinics including their locations is available at www.dh.gov.hk/english/tele/tele_chc/tele_chc_shcf.html and www.dh.gov.hk/english/tele/tele_chc/tele_chc_shcm.html.

     Meanwhile, the DH's Kowloon Bay Integrated Treatment Centre and Yau Ma Tei Integrated Treatment Centre, and the Hospital Authority's Special Medical Clinics at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital will also provide Mpox vaccination services for their clients.

     â€‹For more details, please visit the CHP's page on Mpox.

     Hong Kong Customs yesterday (February 28) conducted anti-illicit cigarette operations in Yuen Long and Kwai Chung, and successfully cracked down on two suspected illicit cigarette storage centres. A total of about 2.9 million suspected illicit cigarettes with a total estimated market value of about $13 million and a duty potential of about $9.7 million were seized.
      
     In the first case, Customs officers raided a suspected illicit cigarette storage centre in Yuen Kong San Tsuen, Yuen Long, yesterday afternoon and seized about 1.6 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside a metal hut. A 51-year-old men who claimed to be a driver and was suspected to be connected with the case was arrested.
      
     In the second case, Customs officers on the evening of the same day further seized about 1.3 million suspected illicit cigarettes inside a logistics warehouse on Container Port Road South, Kwai Chung, successfully shutting down another suspected illicit cigarette storage centre. An investigation is ongoing. Customs will continue to trace the source of the illicit cigarettes, and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out.
      
     The arrested person in the first case has been charged with "possession of goods to which the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance applies", and the case will be brought up at the Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts on April 11.
      
     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/).

    

     The Government today (February 29) welcomed the Financial Dispute Resolution Centre (FDRC)'s appointment of Mr Chan Pak-lam as a non-official Director of its Board for a term of two years from March 1, 2024, to February 28, 2026.
 
     A spokesman for the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau (FSTB) said, "Mr Chan is a seasoned professional in the securities sector with extensive knowledge of the industry's operation. We welcome Mr Chan to the Board of the FDRC, and express our heartfelt thanks to retiring Director Mr Gary Cheung for his contributions to the FDRC over the past six years."
 
     The FDRC administers in an independent and impartial manner a financial dispute resolution scheme. The scheme provides an alternative avenue which is independent and affordable for resolving monetary disputes between financial institutions and their customers primarily by way of "Mediation First, Arbitration Next". The FDRC is governed by a Board of Directors, comprising a non-official Chairman, four non-official members, one representative each from the FSTB, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Securities and Futures Commission, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of the FDRC.